De Harrii Potteri matris sorore

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Alatius
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De Harrii Potteri matris sorore

Post by Alatius »

I decided to take a look at the book Harrius Potter et Camera Secretorum, the second in the series, and was very surprised to find a discrepancy in the latinity compared to the first book. For those who don't know, Harry Potter's parents are dead, and instead he lives with his aunt (his mother's sister) and her husband, Mrs and Mr Dursley. The translator, Peter Needham, is of course intimately familiar with this fact; indeed, the very second paragraph of the book makes it clear: “Dominus Vernon Dursley horis matutinis expergefactus erat gemitu magno e conclavi Harrii, filii sororis uxoris, exorto.?

Yet, some fifteen lines below, the aunt is referred to as “Amita Petunia?, and, from what I have seen, that is how she is constantly called throughout the book. But all dictionaries I have consulted make it clear that an ămĭta is indeed the father's sister, not the mother's. The reason why I think this is so remarkable, is that in the first book, Needham always refers to her by the undoubtly correct “Matertera Petunia?! (I mean, while such a lapse could be understandable—even though he should know better—, the change for the worse is simply astonishing.)

My question, then, is if there is possibly any way “amita? could be justified or explained?

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Post by adrianus »

Salve, Alati.
Other than to suppose it's, as you say, a mistake, I for one can't explain it.
Illud exsequi ego certè non possum, nisi tecum idem reri erratum esse.

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Post by Junya »

Hi.

Is Harry Potter in Latin good?
I am inclined to try it.
I have the first volume in English.
So I could use the Latin translation with the English original for my studying Latin.

For studying Latin, I am currently reading Vulgata at a site where you can read every sentence with an English translation. And if I want, I can find other sites that give us the original text with English translation side by side.

Now I am thinking I may buy a book of such kind to use when I am off PC. Such a book that gives the original Latin text on the left page, and English translation on the right.

Do you have any recommendation?

But now I'm inclined to buying Harrius Potter.

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thesaurus
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Post by thesaurus »

Junya wrote:Hi.

Now I am thinking I may buy a book of such kind to use when I am off PC. Such a book that gives the original Latin text on the left page, and English translation on the right.

Do you have any recommendation?
I haven't tried Harry Potter, but the entire Loeb Classical Library contains classical texts with facing English translations. Also, the I Tatti Rennaisance Library provides the same features, but with Rennaisance Latin texts.

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Post by Junya »

Oh Thesaurus, thank you for good information! :D

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Post by adrianus »

I have only just bought them (Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis/Harrius Potter et Camera Secretorum), Junya, and haven't yet read them, but they look very good indeed.
Illos libros, Junya, modò emi at non iam legi. Perboni quidem videntur.

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Post by Junya »

Hi Adrianus. :o
I will get it, and one from Loeb Classical Library.
I think reading Latin with the help of translation will help.
At least it will give me an experience of how to read.
And I like this method's laborlessness.
I can't do now the drilling, which needs much labor.
I hope just reading the sentence with its answer translation will give me the same amount of progress with less labor as tackling the sentence by myself with much labor will.
I set this method as the main part of my study, and after it reading grammar, and after it translating by myself of what text I'm interested in. I do these 3.
Last edited by Junya on Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

adrianus
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Post by adrianus »

Junya wrote:I hope just reading the sentence with its answer translation will give me the same amount of progress with less labor as tackling the sentence by myself with much labor will.
I suspect you mightn't achieve what you hope for by practising only one approach, Junya. Would you not imagine both the reading approach and translation exercises are needed? I like to think that you reap the fruits of hard work further down the line (as long as the work is directed).
Vereor, Junya, ut quod vis singulatim a legendo obire possis, absque te simul legendum et vertendi exercitationes colere. Nonne oportet has duas vias? Mihi placet cogitare ut tempore futuro operae arduae fructus tuae possidebis (eâ conditione operam fines habere).

Post scriptum
Junya wrote:I do these 3
Apologies, Junya. You already said that you do all three things. I should pay more attention before posting.
Me paenitet, Junya. Iam dixisti te tres omnes artium colere. Ut accuratiùs legam ante scribam!

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Post by Junya »

It's ok Adrianus.
Actually, I realized that the amount of the encounter with new words is very limited, when I do only translating work for Latin study like before, because translation progresses so slowly.
But reading Latin with other translators' translation enables me to encounter far more words and expressions, and gives me more experience with Latin.
So now I consider it's more important to read Latin attached with translation than to translate Latin by myself.
But, I'm continuing the translating work because I like the work. It's fun. I like translating.
I translate philosophical texts and put my commentary to the parts of translation, and post it into my blog.
I want to be a translator of certain kind of commetaries to Aristotle that are written in Greek, so I have begun studying Greek too.

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paulusnb
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Harry Potter

Post by paulusnb »

I really like the Harry Potter Latin books, and I use them in my classes. I find that the amount of Harry Potter my students can get through in a day compared to a Cicero text is astounding. Of course, I still use Cicero, but as a transition text, and as a vocab builder, Harry Potter is great.

Also, what are you more likely to pick up and read at night when you go to bed? I, for one, cannot really see someone going through Cataline as they fall asleep or when they are sitting on some beach in Florida. Catullus maybe, Cicero ...

Loeb is great, but the translations can me messy and there are no real notes. Check out Beginning Latin Poetry Reader. It has a great amount of notes at the bottom of the page and great translations in the back. The selection is fun as well.

But, buy the Potter. Enjoy!

Nathaniel

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Re: Harry Potter

Post by thesaurus »

paulusnb wrote: Also, what are you more likely to pick up and read at night when you go to bed? I, for one, cannot really see someone going through Cataline as they fall asleep or when they are sitting on some beach in Florida. Catullus maybe, Cicero ...
I'll have you know that I like to start my day off right by reading Cicero on the bus to work. I like it more than the day's news. His constant exhortations about duty and self-sacrifice put one into that stoic mindset that gets one through the day. Plus, I love it when Cicero gets all angry and flabergasted at someone's audacity/villainy.

At lunch time, if I'm in the mood, I'll stay with Cicero if he left me with a cliff-hanger or switch to lighter fair.

Scias omnem diem novum, dum ab coenautocineto ad officium vehar, Ciceroni legente me optime incipere. Quod mihi valdior placet quam nuntium diurnum legere. Quoniam semper quisquam hortatur ut officiosus beneficusque esset, accidit ut leve laborem ferri possit. Item, me magnopere placet quandocumque, cum tam audax malusque quisquis sit, Cicero iratus stupefactusque fit.

Prandii tempore, si mihi deceat, et si me eius verbis suspendat, continuo Ciceronem perlegam. Si non, aliquem levem suscipiam.

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Post by Junya »

I have already ordered Harrius Potter at Amazon. It will arrive 3 or 5 weeks later.
I guess, Paulusnb, that Loeb translation is messy means that the translation is more paraphrasal than literal.
Harrius Potter is literal translation?

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Post by paulusnb »

Someone suggested Loeb to you because you requested a reader that would be easy to follow (or something to that effect). Generally, I find that the Loebs do not give literal translations. Because of this, I find it more difficult to follow a Loeb and its translation than a Latin edition with generous notes.

Harry Potter does not have any notes and no translation is offered. The Latin is pretty easy. If you know the story, it is even easier. Loebs are great. I own them. I just do not use them as much as I do other resources.

Sincerely,
Nathaniel

PS. Thesaurus, I commend you on your love for Cicero. However, I think that you are at a different learning level than the other poster.

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Post by Junya »

Then, I am now more looking forward to reading Harrius Potter.
Yes, reading easy Latin seems to give me the knack of reading without translating. (So far I have read by translating the texts.)

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