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Post by SakiJune on Nov 20, 2007 18:33:32 GMT -5
Here, you can ask me (almost) everything about the Italian translation of Harry Potter books.
It's funny, I think, to see that both "halfblood" and "mudblood" have been translated with the same word. "Deathly Hallows" will be in bookshops on January 6th here, and I'm so curious about that, as this difference is a key principle in the book.
Just a note: when I write fanfictions, I always use original names.
Well, let's start with Neville. His surname, here in Italy, is... "Paciock". It's a very funny translation of "Longbottom", because it means "plump", but with a sort of Russian nuance.
I guess you also want to know about our beloved Charms teacher... his surname is something horrible: "Vitious". Isn't it?
And last but not least, Pomona... don't laugh... "Sprite". Yes, I just don't know why! It's so similar, it can't be a question of troubles in pronunciation... but maybe it's because it's a more known word here...
There are more and more, but I don't know which ones you want to know about. Almost all names have been changed (not the Weasleys' and Blacks' names, however) so don't hesitate and ask!
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Post by OSUSprinks on Nov 20, 2007 20:15:56 GMT -5
That's really cool! I can't imagine why Vitious would be Flitwick's name. So odd. Thanks for sharing!
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Post by SakiJune on Nov 22, 2007 17:38:46 GMT -5
Well, I see you are shy. I'll try and see what you'd like to know!
Albus Dumbledore, here, is... Albus Silente. It means "silent" of course, because... they just considered the word "dumb" and translated it, more or less! It's terrible!
Minerva McGonagall is... Minerva McGranitt. Because she is "strong and severe, just like granite". I don't like it.
Poppy Pomfrey. I'm ashamed for this... is "Poppy Chips". It's because we link "pommes frites" with "potato chips".
I'll write more, if you like... Any comments?
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Post by OSUSprinks on Nov 22, 2007 21:58:40 GMT -5
Wow. Those names are... Wow. It's funny to me that they changed the names. Do they do that with most books? I would have thought they would leave the names.
I'm trying to think of other character names...
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Post by mmadlyinlove on Nov 24, 2007 2:40:12 GMT -5
Hahaha, Yeah those are odd.. Hahaha.
How about Severus Snape and Rubeus Hagrid?
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Post by SakiJune on Nov 24, 2007 6:14:04 GMT -5
Hagrid's name is the same, and he speaks in an uncorrect Italian in the books and movies. Severus' surname is... "Piton". They must have mixed up "Snape" and "snake".
Penelope Clearwater is "Penelope Light", and Hooch (Rolanda or Xiomara, we're uncertain too! I've written a flashfic about this quandary) is "Bumb", quite a foolish name.
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Post by OSUSprinks on Nov 25, 2007 19:04:36 GMT -5
Bumb?
I like Penelope Light. That is neat. I don't know about Severus; they may have known what they were doing with the "snake" thing.
What about Hannah Abbot?
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Post by SakiJune on Nov 26, 2007 3:04:32 GMT -5
Hannah is the same, so is Justin (though his surname is just impossible to utter, here) and Susan. Marcus Flint is "Flitt", and Colin Creevey is "Colin Canon" because of his flash-camera...
Mad-Eye is "Malocchio", which means "evil eye".
Trevor, Neville's toad, is "Oscar". It's a more common name here. Mrs. Norris is "Mrs. Purr"... and by the way: Filch is "Gazza" (magpie).
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Post by pinkie on Nov 26, 2007 7:07:23 GMT -5
I love this thread - yes i have been following it for some time now! - and i just have to say that i am intruiged by the Italian translation and the rather peculiar translations.
But i am biased, because i really feel the Dutch translation is wonderful, bordering on genius from Wiebe Buddingh's side of things.
For example: Minerva McGonagall = Minerva Anderling - which means so much as changeable person, this i think is really brilliant!
Dumbledore is Perkamentus - which means parchment, perhaps because he is old, perhaps because he is wise - i don't care, i think it is a good translation.
Then there are the translations that are obvious (to us Dutchies).
Sprout is Spruit, which is a direct translation of the word. Snape is Sneep - which is pronounced the same as in English. The family name of Weasley is Wemel - i don't know what the idea behind that is. Hermione turns into Hermelien (perhaps of her teeth in the first book). Sirius Black is Sirius Zwarts - zwart means black - so pretty good too.
A long answer - but i finally got round to sharing!
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Post by SakiJune on Nov 26, 2007 8:30:55 GMT -5
thank you, pinkie! I love these names! "Hermelien" sounds so sweet! Share more of them, if there are!
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Post by Smaug on Nov 26, 2007 9:51:22 GMT -5
This si really interesting.
What about the houses and founders? Are they the same or not?
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Post by pinkie on Nov 26, 2007 10:18:05 GMT -5
Godric Gryffindor = Goderic Griffoendor (which is basically the same, only easier to pronounce for Dutch children  Helga Hufflepuff = Helga Huffelpuf (well, that is really easy!) Rowena Ravenclaw = Rowena Ravenklauw (again, translated to the letter!) Salazar Slytherin = Zalazar Zwadderich (now, i cannot tell you what in the name of all that is good that means - i think Wiebe made it up! The Dutch love the letter Z though, so we were spoiled by this one ) What i find curious, is that especially in the names, Dutch and English are very much alike. This one i really must tell: Sybill Trelawny = Sybilla Zwamdrift - Zwamdrift means as much as talking nonsense full power. That one is just fantastic!!! |
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Post by SakiJune on Nov 26, 2007 11:19:15 GMT -5
Ours are:
Godric Grifondoro (almost the same), Tosca Tassorosso (red badger), Cosetta Corvonero (black crow) and Salazar Serpeverde (green snake). Names are adapted to mantain the initial letter.
Sybill Trelawney is Sibilla Cooman. It's because of the legend of the Cuman Sybill or something so!
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Post by OSUSprinks on Nov 26, 2007 21:10:25 GMT -5
Helga is Red Badger? That is interesting.
I never thought of how different the names would be. Are the names for Voldemort the same? What about Fluffy and Hagrid's spider (whose name I cannot remember at the moment)?
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Post by Smaug on Nov 27, 2007 2:39:22 GMT -5
Aragog
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Post by OSUSprinks on Nov 27, 2007 2:49:44 GMT -5
thank you dear!
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Post by SakiJune on Nov 27, 2007 3:41:50 GMT -5
Helga is Red Badger? That is interesting. I never thought of how different the names would be. Are the names for Voldemort the same? What about Fluffy and Hagrid's spider (whose name I cannot remember at the moment)? I meant that "Tassorosso" (Hufflepuff) means "red badger"... and so on. Helga is Tosca, a name with T to match initials. So "Rowena" is "Cosetta" to match with "Corvonero" and so. Fluffy is simply "Fuffi", a pet name for dogs and cats. Aragog is the same. I add: Crookshanks... "Grattastinchi"; it has quite the same meaning. It's a really funny name! Voldemort's name is almost the same. But his middle name is not "Marvolo": it is "Orvoloson" because of the sentence he writes in the second book; "I am Lord Voldemort" is "Son io Lord Voldemort" here. |
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Post by OSUSprinks on Nov 27, 2007 4:47:01 GMT -5
That is very interesting. I hadn't thought of the fact that they would have to change Voldy's name for that part.
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Post by SakiJune on Dec 6, 2007 4:47:19 GMT -5
It is a little off topic, but I just have to share something that will amaze you.
"Mona" is a very bad word in Venetian dialect.
If you are curious to know what it means, I'll pm you. It's just toooooo dirty!
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Post by SakiJune on Jan 12, 2008 8:19:16 GMT -5
Since January 6th, the Italian version of "Deathly Hallows" is available. I am not going to buy it, anyway.
"Thicknesse" has been translated as "O'Tusoe". "Ottuso" means "thick-headed", so it is not an airy-fairy choice. That sounds horrible to me, however.
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Post by sylweno on Jun 26, 2008 9:31:01 GMT -5
Hi, I'm new here. I just wanted to thank you, , SakiJune. I've been looking for what "Paciock" for quite a long time. I' writing a dissertation on HP names in translation and that was a tough one, I couldn't find it in any dictionary. Is it a slang word? Or perhaps it should be spelled otherwise?
Pinkie, lovely to meet you too! I'm fond of Dutch language, I used to learn it when I was an au-pair in Holland. Obviously, I'm also interested in Dutch HP names. My favourite is Heer Parcifal Zonderling-Zonderland. But what I've got problem with is Droebel. What is it derived from?
Groetjes,
sylweno
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Post by SakiJune on Jun 26, 2008 9:53:26 GMT -5
"Paciock" is not a real Italian word. "Paciocco" means "a dirty mess" (for example when you let some food dropping on the floor, or you make an ink blur on the sheet you're writing on), while "pacioccone" means "plump". The "ck" ending sounds a little Russian. I don't like this translation, but I admit it makes sense.
I am here for any other question about this and about Italian language.
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Post by sylweno on Jun 26, 2008 14:27:03 GMT -5
Saki, thank you so much! I; sure I'll have more questions. So cool I've found you  |
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Post by pinkie on Jun 27, 2008 2:48:13 GMT -5
I had to look up who Droebel was again, because i read the books in English... But... Droebel is Fudge - our old Cornelius.
Droebel is most probably derived from the word 'troebel' meaning 'cloudy' like a drink can be cloudy (apllejuice for instance, if you buy the eko friendly stuff). Unable to see through - i think it is rather apt.
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Post by sylweno on Jun 27, 2008 5:38:08 GMT -5
Thank you for your reply I also have found the suggestion that Droebel comes from 'droebelen' www.harrypotterfan.nl/oud/verklaringen3.html so I tried to find it in dictionaries but I didn't manage. Does such a word exist? It must be very colloqual language. Gosh, I need a good Dutch dictionary. |
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Post by sylweno on Jul 28, 2008 5:50:12 GMT -5
For example: Minerva McGonagall = Minerva Anderling - which means so much as changeable person, this i think is really brilliant! The family name of Weasley is Wemel - i don't know what the idea behind that is. I have checked Wemel here: www.encyclo.nl/zoek.php and it is said it's some kind of drill (as far as I understand). But van Dale directs to 'wemelen' meaning krioelen, to swarm. Which can make some sence but instead of the allusion to a mammal there is the allusion to insects. What do you think? Also, I have tried to decode 'Anderling'. You've said it means a changeable person. Is it some kind of a slang word? It must be derived from veranderen, right? But, what is interesting, on the Encyclo site it is said it is some kind of animal. Really? It's here, in 9-letters puzzle words www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/puzzelwoordenboek/Dieren/1 |
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