Hogwarts, Muggles and Quidditch: A Study of the Translation of Names in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Books

The aim of this C-essay is to discuss the translation of some of the names in J.K. Rowling’s immensely popular Harry Potter books and look at how the translation agrees with and/or deviates from the original. Special focus is put on features such as alliterations, allusions and imaginative inventions, which are characteristic of J.K Rowling’s style and may be particularly tricky and challenging when translating.A comparison is made between the names in the original texts and the translated texts. The names are divided into different categories, such as names of characters, places etc. I argue that the translator uses different strategies when translating different types of names. Focus is on the Swedish translation, but Norwegian examples are included too.

From Pettson and Findus to Festus and Mercury...and Back Again: A Comparison of Four Translations of Sven Nordqvist's Picture Books

In order to examine how children's literature might be translated, two different English translations of two Swedish picture books have been analyzed. The original Swedish books are Rävjakten and Pannkakstårtan by Sven Nordqvist. Rävjakten was translated as The Fox Hunt in 1988 and as The Fox Hunt in 2000. Pannkakstårtan was translated as Pancake Pie in 1985 and as The Birthday Cake in 1999. Literary translation in general, specific translation issues for children's literature, and trends in international English style have been considered. Analysis of the four texts has been made, with consideration given to the following areas: changes in illustrations, layout, or format; text changes; lexical choices; and retention, deletion, or modification of names and culturally specific references. The analysis revealed that the following tendencies were true for the later translations: foreignization of the text, word-for-word translation of the text, and a neutral international English variety.

Chinese Basic Pension Substitution Rate: A Monte Carlo Demonstration of the Individual Account Model

At the end of 2005, the State Council of China passed ”The Decision on adjusting the Individual Account of Basic Pension System”, which adjusted the individual account in the 1997 basic pension system. In this essay, we will analyze the adjustment above, and use Life Annuity Actuarial Theory to establish the basic pension substitution rate model. Monte Carlo simulation is also used to prove the rationality of the model. Some suggestions are put forward associated with the substitution rate according to the current policy.

L’image comme outil didactique dans l’enseignement du français dans des collèges et des lycées en Suède

Le travail actuel a été rédigé dans le but d’éclaircir en quoi consiste le rôle de l’image comme outil didactique aux cours de français aux collèges et aux lycées suédois. Nous avons abordé notre thème sous des perspectives différentes : d’un côté, nous avons analysé les images dans deux livres, puisque les manuels font souvent partie de chaque leçon de français ; de l’autre côté, nous avons fait un questionnaire que nous avons distribué aux professeurs à travers les médias sociaux et par email. Nous avons également étudié les données récoltées aux cours des entretiens avec trois professeurs de français au lycée suédois, pour savoir comment les professeurs intègrent des images dans la pratique. Selon les résultats de notre étude, il nous a été possible d’affirmer que l’image est un outil qui n’est pas omniprésent, mais qui est parfois utilisé afin de rendre les leçons plus variées. La photographie est le type d’image le plus répandu dans la pratique des professeurs et dans les manuels ; le format numérique est le plus fréquent en tenant en compte de la révolution technologique et de l’habitude des jeunes à travailler avec les ordinateurs. Cependant, l’image n’est pas un outil indépendant. Elle est très souvent complétée par d’autres outils didactiques et sert principalement à accompagner la lecture, à développer l’expression orale et le vocabulaire et aussi à illustrer des phénomènes culturels. En conclusion, il ressort de notre mémoire, qu’il est important que le professeur accompagne le travail avec des images avec des instructions et des commentaires, afin de rendre l’apprentissage plus efficace.

The hand of God is over their hands (Q. 48:10) : on the notion of covenant in al-Ṭabarī’s account of Karbalāʾ

This article is an analysis of the story of the killing of Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī at Karbalāʾ in 61/680, as it is presented by Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad b. Jarīr al-Ṭabarī (d. 310/923). The main argument is that the notion of the divine covenant, which permeates the Qur’an, constitutes a framework through which al-Ṭabarī views this event. The Qur’anic idea of the covenant is read in structural/thematic continuity with the Hebrew Bible account of the covenant between Yahweh and the Hebrew people, which has, in turn, been traced back in its basic form to Late Bronze Era treaties between rulers and their vassals.   The present study focusses on four speeches ascribed to Ḥusayn during the encounter he and his group had with the vanguard of the Kūfan army led by al-Ḥurr. These are analysed in accordance with their use of Qur’anic covenant vocabulary. They are also categorised within the broader framework of the eight standard characteristics of Ancient West Asian and Biblical covenants, as presented by George Mendenhall and Gary Herion, which have recently been developed in a Qur’anic context by Rosalind Ward Gwynne. This article argues that al-Ṭabarī’s Karbalāʾ narrative presents the pact of loyalty to Ḥusayn as a clear extension of the divine covenant.