The weird thing about muggleborns

[Alexandra Marceau]

There has always been something I could never figure out about muggleborn wizards in Harry Potter; Why are they afraid of saying Voldemort's name?

 

The fear of the name I would think would be something that was instilled into them all their life. A fear like that would be something that you would need to be grown into. None of us are afraid of saying a name like Hitler, and I bet in the time when he was at large it was a name people were not afraid to utter. But in a place like germany it would be a name that would have a lot more weight to it. Maybe not fear, but definetly dread. But for an american or otherwise who went into germany for the first time, they wouldn't have that same dread as the people who lived their and learned to fear him would. Do you understand what I mean? Haha, I'm not very good at articulating myself (or spelling).

 

Again, something like this they would learn is a common curtesy so they would know not to say it, but at the same time they, too, seem to really fear it in the same way that those who grew up around the fear do.

 

I don't know, maybe I'm just making a fool of myself and this is a mystery already solved, but I've always wondered it.

[Katherine]

This is an interesting question.
How I see it is that muggleborns come into the wizard society without the fear of saying Voldemort. At first perhaps they will say the name but then the other wizards will express fear. In order to fit more into the society that many already feel apart from I think that muggleborns will quickly begin saying You-Know-Who rather than Voldemort. After a while muggleborns will probably begin to associate fear with the name because their peers do as well. For example, Harry himself comes into the world without any prior knowledge of Voldemort and although he starts out saying Voldemort he quickly starts to say You-Know-Who instead. Around when he first starts talking with Ron he begins to feel a slight tingling of fear whenever it is said (I don't have the book with me now so I'm not sure exactly when). I feel that this is probably how every muggleborn comes into the situation. Or they have never heard the name Voldemort before and learn of him as You-Know-Who and immediately begin to associate fear with the name. They see how their peers are affected and as they grow closer they begin to feel the same way.
Also if they came in at an older age (say 18 versus 11) they would probably be more sure about themselves and be less affected by those around them. At 11 they are still very young and can more easily adapt to a new culture and society including the universal fears.

This is my take on it. I'm not sure if it makes complete sense but there it is.

[kala_way]

According to HPL:
"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named: Rowling got the idea for this from two 1950s London gangsters called the Kray Twins. "The story goes that people didn’t speak the name Kray. You just didn’t mention it. You didn’t talk about them, because retribution was so brutal and bloody. I think this is an impressive demonstration of strength, that you can convince someone not to use your name. Impressive in the sense that demonstrates how deep the level of fear is that you can inspire. It’s not something to be admired." (TLC). As soon as Voldemort took control of the Ministry in 1997, he reinforced this fear by putting a taboo on speaking his name. Anyone brave enough to say 'Voldemort' would have their locations immediately revealed to "snatchers" or other enforcement squads who would come and take you into custody (DH)."

I think muggleborns would have even more reason to not say his name since it's them his movement targeted. His name was apparently never said except in whispers after a lot of intense questioning and then to learn that his focus is killing muggleborns and pureblood supremacy. It would make me want to avoid the topic, that's for sure.

[Bookstorecommunity.com]

Interesting thought.