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Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China)
对角巷
Duìjiǎo-xiàng
对角 duìjiǎo = 'diagonal'.
xiàng = 'alley'.
Diagonal Alley
Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: Taiwan)
斜角巷
Xiéjiǎo-xiàng
斜角 xiéjiǎo = 'oblique angle'.
xiàng = 'alley'.
Oblique Angle Alley
Japanese
ダイアゴン横町
Daiagon yokochō
ダイアゴン Daiagon = 'Diagon'.
横町 yokochō = 'alley'.
Diagon Alley
Korean
다이애건 앨리
Daiaegeon aelli
다이애건 Dai-ae-geon = 'Diagon'.
앨리 aelli = 'alley'.
Diagon Alley
Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology)
Hẻm xéo hẻm = 'alley'.
xéo = 'oblique/slanting'.
Oblique Alley
Mongolian (previous)
Ташуу гудамж
Tashuu gydamj
ташуу tashuu = 'oblique, slanting, sloping'.
гудамж gudamj = 'street, alley, lane'.
Slanting Street
Mongolian (new)
Диагон гудамж
Diagon gudamj
Диагон Diagon = 'Diagon'.
гудамж gudamj = 'street, alley, lane'.
Diagon Street

'Diagon Alley' is a backstreet, hidden from Muggles' eyes, where magical shops are found. In English, the name of the alley is a pun: 'diagon alley = 'diagonally'. (For more information, see the section on Word play: Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley.)

How is 'Diagon' translated?

Four translations try to reproduce the pun in 'diagon':

Three translations simply give a phonetic rendition of 'Diagon'.

How is 'alley' translated?

All translators except the Korean present 'Diagon Alley' as a small side street.

(Korean appears thanks to "Hiro".)

(Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)

Chapter 4
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