Aberto. That's Portuguese for 'open'. It's also a spell used to unlock doors in the magical world of Harry Potter, founded in the imagination of J. K. Rowling. The hugely successful author at one time taught English in Portugal, so it's understandable that she drew some inspiration from the language spoken there. Latin and Greek also influenced the language of spells in the Harry Potter series. Where does the word 'spell' come from? According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it has its roots in Old English and is similar to the Old Norse 'spjall'. However, the other meaning of 'spell', to form words by means of letters, comes courtesy of a French word that likely displaced its Old English equivalent, and if you know anything about the history of Britain, you'll know how French words entered the English language, following the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Imagine, Harry Potter fans, if King Harold had said 'Alarte Ascendare!' and...
The words of an English language teacher & proofreader