Article in the Daily Mail - Anthony Mealing and Mary Mouse

[Wolfgang]

@Wolfgang And Mr. Goons name is Mr. Goon in the new translation, I read. Suppose not a good way to transfer jokes ... In the old translation his nickname was "Weg-da" 1:1 engl. "Away-there" ...

I think Clear-Orf can be translated as Weg-da, although it should read Clear off of course ...

[Soenke Rahn]

By the way Dick Kirrin was not renamed, because his name is not Thick.

That's not correct. Dick became Richard in the German books, and to avoid confusion they reanamed Richard Kent to Hardy Kent.
The audioplays before the late 70ies TV-serialisation use the German names of the books, Julius, Richard, Georg(ina) (completely differently pronounced in German), and Anne (also differntly pronunced).
After the TV-serialisation in which the English names were kept in the German versions Europa started to produce new ausioplays in which the English names were kept, and the 4 dubbers of the children were used for this production as well. There's a nice blooper in the second audio play (Five go of to camp), in which Professor Crabbler (Mr Luffy) Adresses Julian with Julius.
For those who like unnecessary information - Ute and Oliver Rohrbeck, who dubbed Anne and Julian have also been involved in the production of the old ausdioplays, in Smuggler's top they were Marybelle and Sooty Lenoir, in Five run away together they were Jennifer Mary Armstrong and EWdgar Stick. They took also part in some of the FFO audioplays and Secret Seven, Oliver Rohrbeck als had a leading role in the Tina and Tini series (The treasure hunters/The boy next door).

Yes, you are right. In the Books, he was renamed but in the common tapes (audio dramas) etc. he was not renamed. In the books to the film he was also not renamed. On the Fanpage he is also not renamed, so yes I forgot it. I bought a used German Famous Five book, in it all names where struck out and replaced. Often I read in German reviews that the people are nerved that the characters in the book do not have the names like in the audio dramas etc.

[Wolfgang]

Do you think it would be better and possible to bugfix the German books to a good Arnold children book? Or do you think it would better if there would exist something in the near of a 1:1 translation?

I'd prefer a complete new translation of the Adventurous Four books and the Secret series. I don't think that charcters of the Secret Series and Adventurous Four are interchangeable, they're much too different in their characters.

[Soenke Rahn]

@Wolfgang And Mr. Goons name is Mr. Goon in the new translation, I read. Suppose not a good way to transfer jokes ... In the old translation his nickname was "Weg-da" 1:1 engl. "Away-there" ...

I think Clear-Orf can be translated as Weg-da, although it should read Clear off of course ...

Yes, you are right! "Away there" was to etymological translated.

[Soenke Rahn]

Do you think it would be better and possible to bugfix the German books to a good Arnold children book? Or do you think it would better if there would exist something in the near of a 1:1 translation?

I'd prefer a complete new translation of the Adventurous Four books and the Secret series. I don't think that charcters of the Secret Series and Adventurous Four are interchangeable, they're much too different in their characters.

If I will find the time, it could be an interesting exercise/training. I could place it to the Famous Five translation. So I suppose, the presumption could increase.

[Soenke Rahn]

There's a nice blooper in the second audio play (Five go of to camp), in which Professor Crabbler (Mr Luffy) Adresses Julian with Julius.

I thought it was like Timotheus. If I have it right in my mind Mr. Luffy named Timmy, Timotheus. I thought it was an erudite language, because a professor and so on. --- Latinized. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; But such blooper sounds typical for Europa Audio production.

[Katharine]

Thanks for the explanations about the German translations of the FFO books. It all sounds rather involved and complicated. I hadn't really appreciated how much humour relating to names there is in the books, not just Fatty and Goon as names, there is also the joke about Mr. Hick holding a cup (hiccup), I wonder if that would translate, or maybe it's just been cut out?

[Soenke Rahn]

I hope Wolfgang knows it. It's time ago that I read the books. Which book/chapter is it?

[Wolfgang]

Thanks for the explanations about the German translations of the FFO books. It all sounds rather involved and complicated. I hadn't really appreciated how much humour relating to names there is in the books, not just Fatty and Goon as names, there is also the joke about Mr. Hick holding a cup (hiccup), I wonder if that would translate, or maybe it's just been cut out?

In the old translation Mr Hick became became Mr Schluck, and his nickname is Schluckauf (= hiccup). In the new translation Mr Hick remains, but his nickname is Hickhack (= bickering).
In the old translation people are addressed as Herr, Frau, Fräulein, in the new translation Mr, Mrs and Miss.

[Wolfgang]

There's a nice blooper in the second audio play (Five go of to camp), in which Professor Crabbler (Mr Luffy) Adresses Julian with Julius.

I thought it was like Timotheus. If I have it right in my mind Mr. Luffy named Timmy, Timotheus. I thought it was an erudite language, because a professor and so on. --- Latinized. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; But such blooper sounds typical for Europa Audio production.

... "Julius, erinnere mich bitte, wenn ich schneller als 70 fahre" ...
He doesn't address him later with Julius, but I have to admit Professor Krabbler isn't much involved with the children, so it's possible he didn't have to address him throughtout the audioplay again...

[Katharine]

Thanks for the translation of names, can't see the logic behind Mr. 'Hiccup/Bickering'. I'm wondering how books translate into English? I think the only book I've ever read was Emile and the Detectives. From what I remember it flowed very well, and left in original references to the country it was based in. Not all of it I understood at the time, but that didn't bother me, I think it would have been silly to try and make it read as though it were an English story.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks for the translation of names, can't see the logic behind Mr. 'Hiccup/Bickering'.

It probably refers to the fact that Mr. Hick gets into a lot of arguments with people.

Regarding translations from German into English, I've read Bambi by Felix Salten and Heidi by Johanna Spyri (the latter was translated from Swiss German) and both retained a German flavour because of the names etc.

[Katharine]

I'd forgotten about Heidi, I've read that too, and never even realised it was a translation. Again there were quite a lot of references to the way of life that I didn't understand, as I was only a child when I read it, but I didn't struggle to read it. I wonder how accurate the translation was though?

[Soenke Rahn]

Thanks for the translation of names, can't see the logic behind Mr. 'Hiccup/Bickering'. I'm wondering how books translate into English? I think the only book I've ever read was Emile and the Detectives. From what I remember it flowed very well, and left in original references to the country it was based in. Not all of it I understood at the time, but that didn't bother me, I think it would have been silly to try and make it read as though it were an English story.

Suppose, the reason was that it plays in an old time in Germany and if I have it right in my mind there is a Berlin dialect in the German version, maybe there is also an London dialect or something like it in the English translation? But I have never seen the English translation. --

I suppose that the most things are good translatable, because English and German are similar, especially in the old times. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tyndal E.g. so it would be possible to translate The Ten Commandments 1:1. A translation I have made some years ago:

1. Und Gott redete alle diese Worte:
1. And God talked all these words:
2. Ich bin der HERR, dein Gott, der ich dich aus Ägyptenland, aus dem Diensthause, geführt habe.
2. I am the LORD, your God, who guided you out of the Egyptian land, out of the house of servitude.
3 Du sollst keine anderen Götter neben mir haben.
3. You shall have no other gods besides me.
4 Du sollst dir kein Bildnis noch irgend ein Gleichnis machen, weder des, das oben im Himmel, noch des, das unten auf Erden, oder des, das im Wasser unter der Erde ist.
4. You shall not make yourself any image nor any likeness, neither of it, that is above in heaven, nor of it, that is beneath on earth, or of it, that is in the water under the earth.
5 Bete sie nicht an und diene ihnen nicht. Denn ich, der HERR, dein Gott, bin ein eifriger Gott, der da heimsucht der Väter Missetat an den Kindern bis in das dritte und vierte Glied, die mich hassen;
5. Pray to them not and serve them not. For I the LORD your God, am a zealous(e) God, haunting the misdeed of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation, of them who hate me;
6 und tue Barmherzigkeit an vielen Tausenden, die mich liebhaben und meine Gebote halten.
6. and do mercy on many thousands, who love me and keep my commandments.
7 Du sollst den Namen des HERRN, deines Gottes, nicht mißbrauchen; denn der HERR wird den nicht ungestraft lassen, der seinen Namen mißbraucht.
7. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD, your God; for the LORD will not let him unpunished who misuses his name.
8 Gedenke des Sabbattags, daß Du ihn heiligest.
8. Remember the Sabbath day, that you hallow him.
9 Sechs Tage sollst du arbeiten und alle dein Dinge beschicken;
9. Six days you shall labour and dispatch all your things.
10 aber am siebenten Tage ist der Sabbat des HERRN, deines Gottes; da sollst du kein Werk tun noch dein Sohn noch deine Tochter noch dein Knecht noch deine Magd noch dein Vieh noch dein Fremdling, der in deinen Toren ist.
10. But on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God; on it you shall do no work, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger, who is (with)in your gates.
11 Denn in sechs Tagen hat der HERR Himmel und Erde gemacht und das Meer und alles, was darinnen ist, und ruhte am siebenten Tage. Darum segnete der HERR den Sabbattag und heiligte ihn.
11. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and the sea and all, what is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed him.
12 Du sollst deinen Vater und deine Mutter ehren, auf daß du lange lebest in dem Lande, daß dir der HERR, dein Gott, gibt.
12. You shall honour your father and your mother, so that you live long in the land that the Lord your God gives you.
13 Du sollst nicht töten.
13. You shall not kill.
14 Du sollst nicht ehebrechen.
14. You shall not break wedlock.
15 Du sollst nicht stehlen.
15. You shall not steal.
16 Du sollst kein falsch Zeugnis reden wider deinen Nächsten.
16. You shall not talk false witness against your neighbour.
17 Laß dich nicht gelüsten deines Nächsten Hauses. Laß dich nicht gelüsten deines Nächsten Weibes, noch seines Knechtes noch seiner Magd, noch seines Ochsen noch seines Esels, noch alles, was dein Nächster hat.
17. Let yourself not lust after your neighbour's house. Let yourself not lust after your neighbour's woman, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his_ass, nor all, what your neighbour has.

But there exits also books, It would be very difficult. E.g. Paul Mars: The Sam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Maar -- in it the weekday. have a key role. There is a more folk-etymological view it in the story which is really important:

Sonntag - Sunday ---- a sonniger (engl. sunny) day -- translatable
Montag - Monday --- On this day you will meet Mr. Mon --- translatable
Dienstag - Tuesday --- This day is a Dienst (engl. work) day, workday for you. -- maybe a Do it day or toil day but not really good translatable
Mittwoch - Wednesday --- Mitte, (engl. middle) of the week.
Donnerstag - Thursday --- Donner = thunder; thurs is the name of the God Thor, the God of thunder ... -- translatable
Freitag - Friday --- a day you should have free time --- translatable
Samstag - Saturday --- On this day comes the sams (maybe in engl. satu(r)), if all the things above happens.

So it would not really elegant to translate it.

It is sad that a lot of good German books are not translated I would say. e.g.

Jim Knopf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Butto ... ine_Driver" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Das Sams (see above)
Pumuckl http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumuckl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
TKKG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TKKG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But Momo (also a book of Michael Ende) could be something for you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momo_%28novel%29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Wolfgang]

Montag - Monday --- On this day you will meet Mr. Mon --- translatable
Dienstag - Tuesday --- This day is a Dienst (engl. work) day, workday for you. -- maybe a Do it day or toil day but not really good translatable
Mittwoch - Wednesday --- Mitte, (engl. middle) of the week.
Donnerstag - Thursday --- Donner = thunder; thurs is the name of the God Thor, the God of thunder ... -- translatable
Freitag - Friday --- a day you should have free time --- translatable
Samstag - Saturday --- On this day comes the sams (maybe in engl. satu(r)), if all the things above happens.

So it would not really elegant to translate it.

It is sad that a lot of good German books are not translated I would say. e.g.

Jim Knopf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Butto ... ine_Driver" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Das Sams (see above)
Pumuckl http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumuckl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
TKKG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TKKG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But Momo (also a book of Michael Ende) could be something for you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momo_%28novel%29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but many names of the day have a different meaning and origin than the ones you gave, http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wochentage ... Wochentage, although it's true that German and English have the same roots.
Believe it or not TKKG has been translated into English and several other languages, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TKKG.
I used to like them, but I think the later books, and many audioplays not based on books, are quite weak. But I happen to like the the name of a chemical factory: NOSIOP