The Translation of 'Owl' in Harry Potter

 

Scops Owl

 

(For the romanisation of Chinese and Japanese, see Transliteration. To understand the writing systems of CJV, see Writing Systems.)

 

When Harry slips out to Hogsmeade (Book 3 'Snape's Grudge'), Ron obligingly pretends to check out the owls in the post office. One species mentioned is a 'tiny little scops owl'. The Eurasian or Common Scops Owl is officially known as Otus scops. This and several other types of Scops owl are found in the Orient.

 

SCOPS OWL
	English	China	Taiwan	Japan	Vietnam
OFFICIAL NAME	Scops Owl	红角鸮 hóng-jiǎo-xiāo 'red horned owl'	角鴞 jiǎo-xiāo 'horned owl'	コノハズク ko-no-ha zuku 'tree-leaf horned-owl'	cú mèo nhỏ 'small cat owl'
The Scops Owl as translated in the Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese versions of Harry Potter
Bk 3 Ch 14: 'Snape's Grudge'	Scops owl	小吟游诗人猫头鹰 xiǎo yìn yóu shī-rén māotóuyīng 'small reciting wandering poet owl'	紅角鴞 hóng-jiǎo-xiāo 'red horned owl' (official name of Scops Owl)	コノハズク konoha-zuku 'leaf owl' = official name for Eurasian or Common Scops Owl	con cú Nhí 'a very small/young owl' (slang)

1) The Chinese version uses an expression which means 'a small reciting wandering poet owl'. This is a hilarious mistake on the part of the translator, who has confused the Scops Owl with the word 'scop' (pronounced 'shope', 'scope', or 'scop'), meaning an old English poet or bard! (Thanks to Brian Hughes for pointing this out.).

2) The Taiwanese version uses the official Chinese name of the Common Scops Owl. (Note that this is the official Mainland name for the Scops Owl, not the official Taiwanese name).

3) The Japanese version also uses the official name of the Common Scops Owl. Coincidentally, this was used for the screech owl in the Eeylops sign.

4) Vietnamese uses a colloquial expression which means a 'tiny little owl'.