Screech Owl

 

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

 

Screech owls are not found in Asia or Europe, being confined to the New World. The most common screech owl is the Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio). The word 'screech owl' is also used in the U.K. as another name for the Barn Owl (see Barn Owl). It is, of course, possible that the author is referring to the Barn Owl, but we will assume, along with the translators, that she means the Screech owls of the Americas.

SCREECH OWL
	English	China	Taiwan	Japan	Vietnam
OFFICIAL NAME	'Screech owl' (refers to several different species)	NOT FOUND IN CHINA 鸣角鸮 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' - the common Chinese translation for 'screech owl'	NOT FOUND IN TAIWAN 鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' - the common Chinese translation for 'screech owl'	NOT FOUND IN JAPAN	NOT FOUND IN VIETNAM
The Screech Owl as translated in the Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese versions of Harry Potter
Bk 1 Ch 5: 'Diagon Alley' (Eeylops)	Screech	鸣角枭 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	このはずく konoha-zuku 'leaf owl' = official name for Eurasian or Common Scops Owl	Screech (pronunciation: Xờ-rit)
Bk 1 Ch 10: 'Hallowe'en'	screech owl	长耳猫头鹰 cháng-ěr māotóuyīng 'long-eared owl' = alternative scientific name for Long-eared Owl	鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	このはずく konoha-zuku 'leaf owl' = official name for Eurasian or Common Scops Owl	con cú 'owl'
Bk 4 Ch 28: 'The Madness of Mr Crouch'	screech owls	长耳猫头鹰 cháng-ěr māotóuyīng 'long-eared owl' = alternative scientific name for Long-eared Owl	鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	メンフクロウ men-fukurō 'masked owl = barn owl'	con cú mèo 'cat owl' = the official name of the Scops Owls
Bk 5 Ch 2: 'A Peck of Owls'	screech owl	长耳猫头鹰 cháng-ěr māotóuyīng 'long-eared owl' = alternative scientific name for Long-eared Owl	鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	コノハズク konoha-zuku 'leaf owl' = official name for Eurasian or Common Scops Owl	con cú rít 'screaming owl'
Bk 5 Ch 14: 'Percy and Padfoot'	screech owl	长耳猫头鹰 cháng-ěr māotóuyīng 'long-eared owl' = alternative scientific name for Long-eared Owl	鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	コノハズク konoha-zuku 'leaf owl' = official name for Eurasian or Common Scops Owl	con cú mèo 'cat owl' = the official name of the Scops Owls
Bk 5 Ch 14: 'Percy and Padfoot'	screech owl	长耳猫头鹰 cháng-ěr māotóuyīng 'long-eared owl' = alternative scientific name for Long-eared Owl	鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	コノハズク konoha-zuku 'leaf owl' = official name for Eurasian or Common Scops Owl	con cú mèo 'cat owl' = the official name of the Scops Owls
Bk 5 Ch 26: 'Seen and Unforeseen'	screech owl	长耳猫头鹰 cháng-ěr māotóuyīng 'long-eared owl' = alternative scientific name for Long-eared Owl	鳴角鴞 míng-jiǎo-xiāo 'calling horned owl' = common translation for 'screech owl'	コノハズク konoha-zuku 'leaf owl' = official name for Eurasian or Common Scops Owl	cú mèo 'cat owl' = the official name of the Scops Owls

(1) In the Eeylops sign, the two Chinese-language versions both employ a conventional translation of 'Screech Owl' (not an official scientific term but an established translation). The Japanese translator substitutes a different species, the Common or Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops). The Vietnamese version simply uses the English word Screech.

(2) Screech owls carry Harry's Nimbus 2000 in Book 1 Chapter 10 ('Hallowe'en') and again appear at Book 4 'The Madness of Mr Crouch'. They also appear quite commonly in Book 5.

The Taiwanese version continues to use the common Chinese translation for 'screech owl'.

The Japanese version sticks with the word for Scops Owl, although the word メンフクロウ men-fukurō, meaning 'barn owl', makes an appearance at Book 4.

The Mainland Chinese version switches over to the Long-eared Owl (长耳猫头鹰 cháng-ěr māotóuyīng) -- a completely different bird -- and keeps it up right through to Book 5

The Vietnamese version uses the everyday word for 'owl' (no specific species) in Book 1 and a term referring to the Scops Owls in Book 4. In Book 5, 'screech owl' is also somewhat cavalierly translated as con cú rít 'screaming owl'!