Wording in translations (Was: So... The German Edition is Out. )

[allies426]

No: HPFGUIDX 141034

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Inge" <Elvishooked at h...> 
wrote:
> 
> Inge now:

> is concerned, though.
> In danish we don't have a single word translating "please" (as 
would 
> in german be "bitte"). In danish you'll have to add words to make 
> that phrase make sense. In english you need only one word (please) 
to 
> describe asking for something to be done - or not to be done. The 
> word can stand alone. In danish we dont have such a stand-alone 
one-
> word to cover "please" .
> Im thinking of Dumbledore's "Severus...please" in the towerscene 
of 
> course.
> The danish version will have to put either "Severus...gør det" 
> (Severus, please do it) or "Severus... gør det ikke" (Severus, 
please 
> don't do it).
> Now I don't know if the danish translater will know (or has to 
guess) 
> about which one to use - but Im curious as to the choise of 
wording 
> there.

Could they translate it to "Severus... please help" ?  That wouldn't 
really tell us much one way or the other, so that would be one way 
for them to keep it neutral.  (It could mean, "please help me 
die" "please help me survive"  "please help Harry, who is hidden 
behind the door in his invisibility cloak, escape from here 
unharmed" etc...) 

Allie