Harry Potter and Translation

[Elfëa]

I know I went on about this in the Tolkien and Translation thread, sorry about that.

So, has anyone read translations of Harry Potter?

My experinces with Finnish translations have been rather... hmm... how to say... unlucky ones.
There are mistakes in translation - continuity errors (minor though) and extreme stupidy when it comes to translating names. In my opinion.

So how do you feel about translations? Good? Bad?

Some names translated (I try to remember them correctly but the fact it's 2am doesn't help at all...)

Godric Gryffindor - Godric Rohkelikko (Rohkea = brave, Rohkelikko - place of bravery (with a stony imagenery in it ::rolleyes: ))
Salazar Slytherin - Salazar Luihunen (Sly=luihu, nen is a common surname ending in Finnish)

What I do not understand here is the point of translating the last name and leaving the first name obviously foreign. :confused:

[Colli]

English all the way over here, but my sister-in-law has the Spanish translations and I'd love to read them some time. :D

[Mellon]

I started reading CoS in French, but lost my impetus about a third of the way through... :o
It was a good translation, though - I liked the way they did the names :)

[amrael]

Posted by Elfëa

What I do not understand here is the point of translating the last name and leaving the first name obviously foreign. :confused: `

Maybe because Salazar is foreign in English too?

Colli, I haven't read any of the Spanish translations. Haven't even touched them, but I think they have left the names in their original version. Not even names like Severus, that have a Spanish form, have been translated.

[Moxie]

I haven't read translations of any HP, but I did get far enough in grade school Spanish classes to read some literature originally written in that language, and then be quite disappointed later upon finding woefully inadequate translations into English. :( I do notice that the packaging of the Snape figure I bought in Quebec last year gives his French name as "Professeur Rogue" which leads me to wonder if the French translators translated the first names as well (unlike the Finnish, apparently) - and if so, if they kept the nice alliteration found in so many of Rowling's character names.

Funny, isn't it, how all threads turn to Snape discussion once I show up... (;

[Fleurdelacour]

When I was in Paris. I was bored, so in the Gare du Nord train station shop, they had books, one of them was the Goblet of Fire in French. I read the first pages...

It was weird! I missed my English books! I'm so bad at French ;) I didn't understand most of it... :o

[Elfëa]

In Finnish version Snape is Severus Kalkaros - I assume that name comes from Kalkkarokäärme= rattlenattle (?)snake.

What really bothered me was that in the book list EVERY single name EXCEPT Bathilda Bagshot was translated. Now why not to translate Bagshot? Comparatively easy... :rolleyes:

What bothered me (okay, i'm nitpicker ;)) was with translating ferret - in PoA Bucklebeak is eating ferrets - translated as "fretejä" (plural) (I haven't got the slightest idea what it is :o) and in GoF our lovely bouncing little ferret translates to "hilleri" :rolleyes:

I consider it must be easier to translated names to frech and possibly spanish because they have Latin origins. Finnish does have some "latin grammar" in it, but names have changed totally...

[Hellga]

I have never read official Russian translations, but I have heard they are real crap. I haven't read English versions either, but I have read one amateur translation and one translation by a professional done in Internet for free. I think hers is a good one.

She left most names in their original form. I think the only professor whose name she translated was Snape - she translated it as "Zlodeus Zlej"

Zlodeus comes from the word "zlodej" which literally translates as "evildoer" from Old Russian, and in modern Russian simply means a mean, evil person
Zlej - comes from the exact same root :)

[Sirius Black]

The german translations by Klaus Fritz are pants as well - in PoA he has left out half a page! :eek: Name translations are so and so, in the first 2 books Sirius is called 'Schwarz' and after that he got back his english surname... speaking of continuity.
There's an internet project, pointing out all the 'Gurken' (gherkins?) in the translation - really funny. Mr Fritz was not best pleased though. :D

I've also read PoA in french and since I kind of knew it off by heart anyway I thought it was really good for language-training. They translate ALL the names though (even Beauxbatons, I think!), that's quite confusing.
SB

[Elfëa]

Hmm... when I get back to Finland and meet my Finnish books again I'll post a "list" of the names...

And all the mistakes that I've collected are on my home comp :)

[Fleur]

I haven't read any translations.. that would be very interesting though! Lol maybe reading Harry Potter in German would improve my understanding.

Why Translate names? They don't 'not make sense' if you can't understand them - does that make sense? lol.

What I mean is, some names have meanings in English, or in latin or whatever, but it's not crucial to know the meanings...

[Sirius Black]

I completely agree in general, Fleur! I also think it's wrong to change the name of places... everyone should make an effort to call things by their proper name, if possible...
But the authors of Hogwart's school books are a slightly different story - the joke is completely lost if you don't understand english, so the translator translated them (and most still had to be Alliterations, so it was a bit tricky). But there you have to seperate the made-up names (like Adalbert Waffling) and the ones that have historic name patrons (like Kassandra Vablatzki), and it doesn't make sense again to translate the latter...

[qleap]

My mum has the Italian edition and as far as I could see most of the names were translated... and that applied to the characters in the movies as well when they dubbed it. Just to name a few, Snape ended up as Piton (=python) here... Dumbledore is Silente (=silent), completely missing the meaning she meant (at least that's what I read in an interview).

[amrael]

I have got the Spanish version of CoS in my hands now. So:


Names of persons, Houses and such: Left in English. If you don't get the meaning, bad luck to you. ;)

Names of places, potions and such: translated. If you want specifics, ask. ;)

Funny change: Tom Marvolo Riddle. Of course, as 'I am lord Voldemort' only works in English. In Spanish he has become 'Tom Sorvolo Ryddle'

[Elfëa]

Good that someone posted here, otherwise I might have forgotten - I've got Finnish translations of PS and CoS on my hands right now.

People's names have been translated randomly - mostly surnames are the ones which have gone through a chance - McGonagall (does her surname mean anything?) has become McGarmiwa - which means (not literally, but pronounciation) "horrible, appalling, ghastly, hideous, lurid, grisly"...

Tom Marvolo Riddle has become Tom Lomen Valedro - Which is not a Finnish name at all - Tomi is a Finnish version of the name... :rolleyes: This chance is needed, but :(
The surname "Riddle" must have a second meaning - Voldemort is a riddle perhaps... ;)

Most of the place names have been translated, yet translations somehow lack the feeling... Hogwarts = Tylypahka
tyly (a): harsh, gruff, brusque, curt, snubby.
pahka: gnarl, knur, knar, gnar, swelling, protuberance.

Somehow the whole translation sounds ridiculous - the overall rhytm and way of speech JKR uses doesn't fit in Finnish...
or is it just me and I'm becoming English... :o :eek:

[qleap]

Originally posted by amrael
Funny change: Tom Marvolo Riddle

True, I forgot about that. Here it's the Italian:
Tom Orvoloson Riddle "Sono io Lord Voldemort"

http://www.eulenfeder.de/int/gbint.html
Look what I found... interesting site (try the Duolingo)! I didn't even know about most of those names since I read the English version, but some are indeed funny... like Sybill Trelawney = Sybilla Cooman (just like the famous Cuman Sybil)

[Elfëa]

Ah, fine link...

now I really can see without reading all the books (And I'm missing GoF and PoA here) and see list which names have been translated and which are not... :)

[Melancthe]

I have looked through the Afrikaans versions of the books, and they're really well done. Although some names are literally translated, the writing style itself is good, instead of being awkward and stilted, as translations often seem to be. Apparently the translator did win some Afrikaans literary prizes for her work.

[WillowFae]

I have the French version of book 1 and am planning on attempting it once I've improved my French a bit more (it is years since I did French at school and have forgotten a lot of it). Reading books in a foreign language is supposed to be a good way to learn. Yes, you will need to have a dictionary next to you, but the idea is that the more you get through the book, the less and less you will need the dictionary.

When I was growing up, my neighbour was a French teacher and his kids had French books and comics all the time. We used to try and read them with them and I do think it helped at the time.

[alqua]

I read the first book in Finnish, after which I promtly changed to English. Somehow the translation made it look much more a children's book than what it is. Maybe it's the names of the characters that have been changed that make it seem so, I don't know. :rolleyes:
Anyway, I definitely prefer reading the books in English. :)

[Katya]

I live in Finland and I have read the HP's in english and in finnish. I have to admit that some of the translations in finnish really aren't very good.. I don't like the word 'Tylypahka' I think Hogwarts is better!
By the way.. do you know when the fifth Harry Potter is ready? I'm really waiting for it.. :)

[alqua]

By the way.. do you know when the fifth Harry Potter is ready?

It'll be released on June 21st. :D

[Katya]

Thank's for your answer, alqua! :) Over half years.. well.. I guess i just have to wait.. !

[Elfëa]

Katya - from Finland? Interested of Meets? scandinavia (http://www.council-of-elrond.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2365)
Planning for a meet in Finland :D

Hmm, wonder what will be the release date in Finland? Hopefully the same for the English version :) Translation will of course take it's time...

But I hope to be in UK during that time so :p

[Katya]

I also hope that the fifth books would be realesed quikly.. The Finnish traslater have said that translation takes over half years. so maybe it would be ready in a year.. i hope! :)

[Elfëa]

Tylypahka (from your earlier post, Katya) - yeah, I don't like the word either - partly because I like to think Hogwarts has something in common with "hogwash" (holynpolya) :p

I heard that half year thing too - and I pity those poor kiddoes who can't read the books in English :( :p

[alqua]

But would Hölynpölylä sound that convincing? :D

Anyway, I ordered my book from Amazon, so I'm hoping to get it quite soon after the release.

[amrael]

You too? That's three of us as far as I know. We should have asked for a group price. :)

[Katya]

I don't know if 'Hölynpölyä' would be right translation for Hogwarts, but i'm sure it's not 'Tylypahka'! I think Hogwarts isn't rude (=tyly) at all! :)

[Elfëa]

no - I mean "hogwash" means holynpolya :p

There's a little joke in the name "Hogwarts" :p wart means - syyla, hmm... "hog" I think means "karju", if I remember correct. :p

edit: tyly = rude :)

[Sereonaranel]

I've read the first book in Finnish (mostly in Swedish lessons :D), borrowed it from a friend who used to sit next to me and explain things about the book. But I've read the rest in English.

Anyway, what was my point... Yes, my sister reads them now (in Finnish of course) and she's constantly asking who is this and who is that, and I have hard time trying to explain them. I'm more used to Padfoot and Wormtail than Anturajalka and Matohäntä.. (I had to check those names from my sis)

Translated books are always bad, or maybe not bad but worse than the originals.
edit but I think LOTR is translated fairly well.

[Elfëa]

Argh.

I couldn't even remember how funny "Matohanta" sounds like! :eek:

Actually, translation makes me wonder about the author- who is the author of an translation?

[Katya]

Your right, Sereonaranel, the original books are always the best! :D I made my little brother read Harry Potter's and now he has read them all (in Finnish). It really is a miracle becouse before Harrys hi hadn't read any books att all..

[Chilin]

I red the Spanish Translations and since I'm from Spain well I thought they were excellent. I was glad that not even the majority of names were change. That helped me when I swichted back to english. Here, I found a spanish wed site that has chapter 6 in it. Don't you agree that this is a very good translation? http://valdezlopez.tripod.com/hptidbit2.html