Ludde Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ghoti23,
> Both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are very
> very popular in their translations here in Sweden.
> I read them in English though (as usual). I have
> leafed through the Swedish translations, and many
> names of people and places and have literal
> translations which make them sound ridiculous
> (translation is somewhat of an art, and you can't
> just translate right off, but have to transform
> and adapt the text into the new language and its
> unique perspective). But as a whole you may be
> right that The Hobbit works linguistically well in
> Swedish.

In all fairness, the new translation of LotR is much more sensitive to Tolkien's intentions regarding the names than the old one, which was characterised by breathtaking incompetence and carelessness.

> Swedish is also a great language to swear in! FAN
> I HELVETES JÄVLAR!!!

Usch vad du svär! Gå genast och tvätta munnen med tvål! ;-)

"...the new translation of LotR is much more sensitive to Tolkien's intentions..."
Yes I have heard so. I think the old translation was by the same person that translated all the Andrew Lang fairy tale books; Blue Fairy Book, Red..., Green, Yellow, Pink, etc. He must have worked very fast.


"...Usch vad du svär! Gå genast och tvätta munnen med tvål!.."
Nej då! Det är ändå ingen som förstår här!




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 8 Dec 05 | 02:33AM by Ludde.

"Becoming a Writer" by Dorothea Brande, is another book, warmly recommended by Ray Bradbury.

Although I think the best teacher is to write, write, write; and read fiction and poetry. Instruction manuals may lock the creative expression.