International book versions & character names

[jwcpgh]

No: HPFGUIDX 81864

> <slytherin_jenn at y...> wrote:
> > I just finished the Philosopher's Stone in Russian and I noticed 
> that 
> > some of the names were different. 

Clio:

>> If you look here   http://www.eulenfeder.de/int/gbint.html    
> you will find a nice list of HP names and places and their 
> translations in many languages.
> 
Laura:

There's a new collection of essays called "The Ivory Tower and Harry 
Potter", edited by Lana A. Whited which includes a very interesting 
essay on this very point.  The author, whose name I don't recall, 
compares the German, French and Spanish translations of the books and 
looks at the choices the translators made in dealing with JKR's 
coined words, proper names and British slang.  I  highly recommend 
it.  And if you live in the US and your local library is part of the 
interlibrary loan system you may be able to request to have a copy 
sent to your local library for you to borrow-it's the best deal going!

A somewhat piquant side note is that Whited says in her foreward that 
she originally wanted to title the book "Harry Potter and the Ivory 
Tower" but was warned off by one of the gang of thugs masquerading as 
attorneys who are claiming to be protecting JKR's proprietary rights 
in her work-I can't remember if it was Warner, Bloomsbury or 
Scholastic.  Honestly-as if some 12 year old would pick up a book of 
essays and mistake it for canon.  Poor Jo-the escesses that are being 
committed in her name...