Portuguese version of the prophecy

[Susana da Cunha]

No: HPFGUIDX 111165

I'm having insomnia and decided to pick up my Portuguese version of OotP.
The book fell opened in the Prophecy chapter witch I hadn't read in
Portuguese and I immediately looked for the prophecy. I must say the
translators made a very careful and accurate job on the prophecy (better
than the rest of the book, anyway) but I can't help wondering if they won't
be in big trouble in book 7.

The literal English translation of the Portuguese version of the prophecy
goes like this:

'The one *who holds* the power to *defeat* the Dark Lord approaches . born
*of* those who have thrice defied him, born *when* the seventh month
*ends* . and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have *a*
power the Dark Lord knows not . and *one* must die at the *hands* of the
other for neither can live while the other survives . the one *who holds*
the power to *defeat* the Dark Lord will be born *when* the seventh month
*ends* .'

The original for comparison is:

'The one *with* the power to *vanquish* the Dark Lord approaches. born *to*
those who have thrice defied him, born *as* the seventh month *dies* . and
the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have * power the Dark
Lord knows not . and *either* must die at the *hand* of the other for
neither can live while the other survives . the one *with* the power to
*vanquish* the Dark Lord will be born *as* the seventh month *dies* .' (my
emphasis)

The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, the going around
suggestion that Voldemort will die at his own hand (Pettigrew's silver
hand). But there are others... Becky suggested (msg #110140) and I agree
that the missing 'a' before 'power' could be suggestive. Many may comment on
the birthday (alternative calanders). And there's the interpretation of the
prophecy I posted on msg #110624:

For (because) neither (not any) can live (stay in the state of exercising
life) while (whereas) the other (who's hand is mentioned) survives (doesn't
die). - because neither will stay alive, but one will survive.

The translators would be in big trouble with that one! There is no way the
Portuguese version could mean *that*! ('the other survives' takes different
forms for the meanings of 'the other is surviving' and 'the other will
survive' - though correctly translated, they chose the first meaning will I
propose the last)

If the interpretation of the prophecy ends up to be a more. er. imaginative
one, the translators will have no option but to rephrase the prophecy in the
last book. There will be many outraged children (and adults) in Portugal
(and Brazil, and Angola, and Mozambique...).



Anyone cares to list all possible miss interpretations?



Susana

5:00 am