Chapter 18: Dobby's Reward
| Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China) | ||
| 多比的报偿 Duōbǐ de bàocháng |
多比 Duōbǐ = 'Dobby'. 的 de = connecting particle 报偿 bàocháng = 'recompense, reward'. |
Dobby's Recompense |
| Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: Taiwan) | ||
| 多比的獎賞 Duōbǐ de jiǎngshǎng |
多比
Duōbǐ = 'Dobby'. 的 de = connecting particle 獎賞 jiǎngshǎng = 'award, prize'. |
Dobby's Prize |
| Japanese | ||
| ドビーのごほうび Dobii no go-hoobi |
ドビー Dobii = 'Dobby'. の no = connecting particle ごほうび go-hōbi = 'reward' |
Dobby's Reward |
| Korean | ||
| 도비의 보답 Dobi-ui bodab |
도비 Dobi = 'Dobby'. 의 -ui = possessive. 보답 (報答) bodab = 'repayment, reward'. |
Dobby's Reward |
| Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology) | ||
| Phần thưởng cho Dobby | phần thưởng (分賞) = 'reward, recompense'. cho = 'for'. Dobby (pronunciation: Đốp-bi). |
Reward for Dobby |
| Mongolian (previous) | ||
| Доббигийн шагнал Dobbigiin shagnal |
Добби dobbi = 'Dobby' (-гийн -giin Genitive form). шагнал shagnal = 'reward, prize'. |
Dobby's Prize |
| Mongolian (new) | ||
| Доббигийн хүртсэн шагнал Dobbigiin ankhaaruulag |
Добби dobbi = 'Dobby' (-гийн -giin Genitive form). хүртэх khürtekh = 'to receive (from a superior)' (-сэн -sen past tense). шагнал shagnal = 'reward, prize'. |
The Prize that Dobby Received |
Dobby's reward was to be released from slavery to the Malfoys thanks to a stratagem on Harry's part.
How is 'Dobby' transliterated?
As discussed at Chapter 2, Dobby's name is represented phonetically or alphabetically in all translations.
- The characters for 'Dobby' in the Chinese versions mean 'many' + 'compare', but this is irrelevant because they
are used solely for their sound value, not their meaning.
- Japanese ドビー Dobii and Korean 도비 Dobi ignore the double consonant in the spelling 'Dobby'.
- Both Mongolian translations retain the double consonant (Добби dobbi). Mongolian readers would pronounce it this way, making a slight catch or pause in front of the 'b'.
- In the pronunciation footnotes in the original translated instalments, the Vietnamese translator similarly gives the pronunciation Đốp-bi, with a doubled consonant.
How is 'reward' translated?
Setting Dobby free was Harry's way of thanking him for all that he had done. Several translations err on the side of 'a prize', whereas the actual sense is that of being rewarded for a good deed — warning Harry of the danger that awaited him at Hogwarts and helping him avoid it. (While Dobby's heart was in the right place, his methods were somewhat questionable.)
- The Chinese and Taiwanese versions use different words for 'reward'.
- 報償 (Trad.) / 报偿 (Simpl.) bàocháng in the Mainland translation refers to a reward or recompense (often monetary) for one's efforts.
- In the Taiwanese translation, 獎賞 (Trad.) / 奖赏 jiǎngshǎng (Simpl.) refers to a prize or award (also often monetary) given to a winner or successful person.
- 報償 (Trad.) / 报偿 (Simpl.) bàocháng in the Mainland translation refers to a reward or recompense (often monetary) for one's efforts.
- The Korean term 보답 bodab (written 報答 in Chinese characters) has the sense of returning someone's favour. A possible alternative is 보상 bo-sang, as in the Mainlan Chinese translation, which has two possible meanings:
- 報償 is a reward given to a winner or successful person.
- 補償 is indemnification or compensation.
- 報償 is a reward given to a winner or successful person.
- The term used in the Vietnamese translation, phần thưởng, refers to an award for merit or achievement. It corresponds to the Chinese characters 分賞.
- The Japanese uses the term ごほうび go-hōbi, meaning a reward (also often monetary) given in praise.
Interestingly, it uses hiragana in preference to Chinese characters (ご褒美), an illustration of the fluidity of Japanese writing. Hiragana is chosen partly because 褒美 hōbi is rather difficult to write and not commonly used, and partly because go-hōbi (which is made up of the honorific go- plus the word hōbi 'reward') is a common everyday expression that is used even to children. By writing it in hiragana, the translator conveys the everyday tone of 'a reward for being good boy'. Using characters would have conveyed a stiffer, more official tone. (For information on the Japanese writing system, see CJV Writing Systems). - The Mongolian translations use the word шагнал shagnal, referring to a prize or award given for merit.
(Korean appears thanks to "Hiro".)
(Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)
| ⇚ Chapter 17 |  |