Foods, as a literary device, are commonly changed in translation. Here are some of the hearty holiday comfort foods from around the world that have made their way into the Harry Potter translations.
Harry Potter wizard swears in different languages: Part 1
Here's our first look at wizarding swears from around the world.
Gringotts Break-In: Catalan newspaper clippings
In Catalan, the Daily Prophet's article on the Gringotts break-in reads a bit more like an actual newspaper article.
A tale of trolls and goblins: the Low German “Puk” in Harry Potter
Translation is a powerful tool, and even the smallest subtleties can create big differences in a story. Take a look at this case from the Low German translation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, where a connection is drawn between stupid trolls and the clever-faced goblins.
Dumbledore’s favorite sweet (or drink?): sherbet lemons and lemon sherbets
Albus Dumbledore is a treat. Famously, his favorite treat is the lemon drop. Or sherbet lemons. Or is it lemon sorbet? Translations can't agree on what it is, or on the password he uses for his office in the Chamber of Secrets.
“The Dursleys are perfectly normal, thank you very much!”: Idioms, immediately
Harry Potter is a fascinating tale to translate. That famous first sentence shows us just how much thought and creativity a translator must put into communicating this magical world. We'll show you how translators across the world grappled with the Dursleys using 6 different translation strategies!