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How does one translate "The Deathly Hallows"?
Harri Putter: That's what the famous Harry Potter is jokingly called in India. (A literal translation would mean "Green Son.") In Arabic, he's known as "Hari Butor."
The book has been translated into 67 languages, from Afrikaans to West Frisian. The issues in translation are a bit fascinating: Since the spells in the English version are in Latin, translators have resorted to creating new words or using words in ancient languages such as Sanskrit, etc. It does seem difficult to get the translation right. Consider Lord Voldemort's case: Voldemort is an anagram of his other name, Tom Marvolo Riddle. A translation would require both his names to be anagrams.
And as for the term "deathly hallows," read an article in the New York Post blog about its Danish, Swedish, and French translations. (Be careful, there's a minor spoiler!) [ELHAM]
July 20, 2007
