According to an article in the New York Times today, the publishers of the Harry Potter books have commissioned a translation of the first book in the series into classical Greek. The Harry Potter books have contributed to an upswing in interest in reading among younsters, and they are hoping that this will do the same for the study of languages.
The article went on to state that the Greek translation is slated to appear by the end of the year, along with - get this - a Gaelic translation!
(No word on whether this will be Irish or Scottish Gaelic.)

An Irish translation has been prepared.

I'd like an Irish translation of the Iliad and/or the the Odyssey.

Does anyone know if they are in print?

That's a rather sad story, the Odyssey. The brilliant scholar George Thomson (whom I'm sure you all have heard of), professor in Ancient Greek and a fluent speaker of Blasket Irish (he spent long periods on the island) translated the whole of the Odyssey into Irish. He then meant to pass it on to Muiris Ó Súileabháin (author of Fiche Bliain ag Fás) so that Muiris should go through it. Unfortunately the whole manuscript was lost when Thompson moved and has never been found for the last 60 years...

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is being published in Irish and will be released in July this year. Its also published in Welsh and Latin. They can be ordered on the Bloomsbury publishers website. :o)

When this translation gets published. I definately purchase it! I just wish that Region 2 DVDs would see Irish audio tracks.

And I'm guessing that Bloomsbury is the UK publisher? That's bad news for me. That'd mean I'd have to spend a lot more to order this because of the ridiculous conversion from USD to UK Pounds(I'd be a lot easier if the UK would use Euros!). The value of a pound is what keeps me from buying some software from the UK that I can't get in the US(49UK==more than 70USD?! Unacceptable price for software).

Bloomsbury are the original publishers in the UK yes and u can order online from them too and be put on a waiting list.

The Oddyssey in Irish...the legend of Ulysses...kinda ironic, don't you think?

I would love to see Sappho's poetry translated into Irish!

Some might be interested to know that the publishers of Hary Potter in England contacted Daltaí na Gaeilge last year about their Irish language version of the book. They had a translation in the works and needed someone to proofread and authenticate the translation. They indicated that they had been referred to our own Ethel Brogan (Founder and President of Daltaí na Gaeilge) as someone who could provide that service. Ethel declined and we referred their request to "professionals" in Ireland who are also good friends of Daltaí. It was certainly flattering for us to have our leader recommended. At the same time it has to make you wonder why they would be writing to people in the US when they have neighbors nearby who reportedly might also have some familiarity with the Irish language. Bheul, is deas an rud é go bhfuil siad sásta íoc as aistriúchán Ghaeilge ar aon chuma. 'Sin an rud is fearr. Dáiríre, cuireann sé giota iontais orm go raibh a fhios acu faoin nGaeilge ar chor ar bith.

And what about Ethel's refusal?!!

She obviously wasn't that flattered.

I wonder why she refused. I think it may have brought some helpful publicity to Daltai na Gaeilge, or if not that, to the Irish language in general. For the publishers of the most popular children's book series in the world to approach this organisation for an official translation into Irish is certainly a sign of some accomplishment. If anyone has any insight as to why she may have declined, I'm curious to know.

Or if anyone would like to express their anger.

Anger? Why anger?

Just seems to me to be a bit pretentuous that an Irish Language organisation would just simply, blatantly, down right reject, a.... not an offer, an opportunity.

Mo thuairimse.

i suppose none of us really know the circumstances surrounding the offer and such, so let's not bash ethel...the woman who's made it possible for us to have and use this wonderful website.

mo thuairimse.

-t

Perhaps she didn't feel competent. That would be perfectly reasonable, and she did the reasonable thing in referring the publisher to professional translators.

Harry Potter has been translated by a professional translator in Ireland for Bloomsbury.

There is a long way from being a fluent speaker to being a good translator. Particularily when it is a work of fantasy which partially creates it's own language. The correct Irish for "Muggle", anyone?

Garda Homaighnéasach

Mícheart.

Muggle in the Harry Potter world is a person who is not part of the magical world.

I was being childish.

I believe the edition will be out in October, and it is entitled "Harry Potter agus an Órlach." I think I got that right.

I suspect you mean "asarlaí" sorcerer.

The first Harry Potter book is called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in Europe, and
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in the US.

Orlach (no fada) is an inch, ortha is a charm.

Lá has a story today about this book.
It will be called "Harry Potter agus an Órchloch" (The stone of gold), and Bloomsbury will launch it in Ireland in July.

I'll post a link to the story on www.nuacht.com when it's been updated.

For some reason, they don't seem to have posted the story online. Sorry.

Guys, fun question.

Throughout the book Hagrid is speaking with a heavy Irish accent (correct me if I am mistaken). So how will he speak in the Gaodhluinne version? with a heavy Béarla accent? I make suggestion that the most appropriate solution to this problem should be Hagrid speaking Albanach, just to retain the same flavour.

Btw, does anyone know how is "Albanian" as Gaodhluinne? I hope that not "Albanach" freisin

Regards

A) Hagrid is speaking in an English country accent, not an Irish one.

B) Albánach - note the accent!

Bun-na Brenno! (Ligurian, for hello)
Can someone please translate in Irish this:

" the magnetic moon and a druid dancing around the tree"

it is the title of a painting.

go raibh ma' ga'

druniel

an ré maighnéadach agus draoi ag rince timpeall crainn

"ré" is an alternative to "gealach", and more used in poetry

What country is Ligurian spoken in?

hi, thanks a lot.
Ligurian is spoken in North-West of italy, in a region called Liguria. it is a old language, spoken in the alps even in part of the french side.,before italy and france became 2 nations.
is the only language in europe, together with the celtic ones, tha doesn'thave the form " Io, I, Je, Ich,etc," but only Me, or Mi, to say " I'm going in the valley" italian would be " Io vado nella Valle" LIgurian would be " Mi vaggu 'n ta val " . fortùn-na 'n benedisiuìn, = slàn agus beannacht ! (the ù and the ò,sounds like the german ones)
d.

"The magnetic moon and a druid dancing around the tree"

"An ré mhaighnéadach agus draoi ag rince timpeall an chrainn"

The "an" is optional, a Fhir na mbróg.

You're probably right about the lenition of maighnéadach.

A Fhear na mBróg,

A Fhir na mBróg,


Cén ceann?!

Is maith liom an dá rud, ach chuas le nós na linne, a Fhear na mBróg. Is é sin, más dhá fhocal nó nath atá i gceist, ní infhilltear an chéad cheann.

Cloistear fós féin 'A Fhir a' Bháta is na óró éile ...' (= A Fhir an bháid) agus 'A Fhir a' Chinn Doinn' mar a deir amhráin na hAlban/hÉireann.