There is one thing that puzzles me:
As far as I can see, the names of persons and places have been translated in
all the foreign language editions.
But in Tolkien's letters I have found several places where he strongly objects to just that: e.g. from letter #190 (written 1956)
Quote:
In principle I object as strongly as is possible to the "translation" of the nomenclature at all (even by a competent person). (.....)
"The Shire" is based on rural England and not on any other country in the world. (....) The toponymy of The Shire is a "parody" of that rural England, in much the same sense as are its inhabitans: they go together and are meant to. After all the book is English, and by an Englishman, and presumably even those who wish its narrative and dialogue turned into an idiom that they understand, will not ask of a translator that he should deliberately attempt to destroy the local colour. (....) If in an imaginary land real place-names are used, or ones that are carefully constructed to fall into familiar patterns, these become integral names, "sound real", and translating them by their analyzed senses is quite insufficient.
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and letter #217 (written 1959)
Quote:
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As a general principle (....) my preference is for as little translation or alteration of any names as possible. (...) this is an English book and its Englishry should not be eradicated. That the Hobbits actually spoke an ancient language of their own is of course a pseudo-historical assertion made necessary by the nature of the narrative. (...) My own view is that the names of persons should all be left as they stand. I should prefer that the names of places were left untouched also, including Shire. The proper way of treating these I think is for a list of those that have a meaning in English to be given at the end, with glosses or explanations.
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Now why on earth has everything been translated in spite of the author's wishes?!?
Had Tolkien finally consented to this or did the translators (resp. editors)just ignore his advice? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Does anyone know?