Why does Harry have to keep referring to Nemesis as the Adversary?

[KurtinStGeorge]

“Nemesis,” she breathed. “Speak it carefully—or it may hear you.”

If Harry is talking to Mab; or anyone else clued-in about Nemesis, and the conversation involves the strategy and tactics needed to defeat it or its aims, I can understand that keeping Nemesis from listening in on that conversation would be a good idea.  However, by now Harry has had two open conversations with the Nemesis personality of one of his friends and one of his allies.  Those conversations weren't exactly subtle.  Nemesis knows that Harry knows about it.  So now, shouldn't Harry be able to warn his friends about Nemesis without worrying that it may hear him?

I thought the risk of doing this is that a Nemfected individual would react to finding out that Harry was aware of Nemesis by trying to nemfect Harry.    But Harry must already be on Nemesis' hit list.  For example, if Will or Georgia has already been takin over by Nemesis, wouldn't they already be looking for an opportunity to do the same thing to Harry.  Conversely, keeping his allies in the dark makes for having less effective allies.  Even if Harry held to using the term Adversary, the risk of talking about it doesn't seem any greater than the risk of not talking about it.  What do you think? 

 

[Arjan]

Compare with what listen to wind said about the skinwalker. It is a bad habit. And somebody else might hear you using the name.

[Mira]

Compare with what listen to wind said about the skinwalker. It is a bad habit. And somebody else might hear you using the name.

Yes, names have power, that is why Harry was very careful not to give his full name to Chauncy or to pronounce it correctly because it gave Chauncy power over him.  I imagine that is a two way street, say the name of  something or someone often enough you give it or them more power.   

[The_Sibelis]

Nemesis is a proper name for it. The Adversary is a title. It's the difference between saying Queen Mab and saying the Winter Queen.

[Griffyn612]

My guess is that there's an Outsider contagion that weakens the morals of the Outfected.

I think it also makes a network that Beside can hear through, similar to how Anduriel can hear through shadows. I don't think he can possess just anyone in the network, but he can probably hear them and maybe even see through them. (Possession would require something extra, like a vector or possessed person)

Saying "Nemesis" with intent might ring a bell that would draw Beside's attention to the conversation which he might otherwise not have paid attention to. And anyone who gained knowledge of "Nemesis" might go up on the threat index, which would make them a higher target to maintain secrecy.

Harry could jeopardize the very people he was trying to help protect from the threat if they're already Outfected.

Glossary
Outfection: spiritual malady from Outside.
Outfected: someone tainted with Outfection who suffers from weakened moral and ethical values.
Outwork: the collection of Outfected that Beside can listen through.
Nemfection: actual possession or hosting of Beside.
Nemfected: an individual hosting Beside.

[forumghost]

Names are dangerous things is the main reason I think. 'The Adversary' is nice and vague and not likely to summon it or invoke it's power or something.

The reason Harry doesn't tell anyone about it is because Harry never tells anyone else anything, he just expects them to trust him no matter how sus he acts because "I know I have no proof but I totes promise I'm not a baddie" should be good enough.

Plus something something Crack for Wizards something something.

[Arjan]

"Come on. I'm a wizard. We have union rules against telling anybody anything,"

[groinkick]

My guess is just like the Oblivion War, to speak of Nemesis by name is a way of giving it more footing in reality..

[groinkick]

Harry spoke directly to He Who Walks Beside.  He demanded it give It's name Thrice, and it did...  Does this mean that if Harry so chooses, he could summon the Walker?  A risky businesses, but the magic circle from Fool Moon that Harry said is used to contain big things like an Archangel could come in handy....  Summon It, and force it to remove itself from it's hosts.  Banish it back to the Outside.

[Arjan]

Harry spoke directly to He Who Walks Beside.  He demanded it give It's name Thrice, and it did...  Does this mean that if Harry so chooses, he could summon the Walker?  A risky businesses, but the magic circle from Fool Moon that Harry said is used to contain big things like an Archangel could come in handy....  Summon It, and force it to remove itself from it's hosts.  Banish it back to the Outside.

The council would love that 

[vultur]

Harry could certainly try to summon HWWBehind. Mortals can summon Outsiders, and Harry's summoned beings of extreme cosmic power level before (Mother Winter in CD, and Uriel in Changes - the latter without even a physical circle).

However, Harry may not have all its names; he might not be able to compel it to arrive if it resisted. (Harry had a "right" to summon MW as Winter Knight, and Uriel wanted to show up.)