The made-up names of the different locations and things in the series are ridiculously difficult to read in the Scottish language edition.
The tales of the greatest wizarding world might be a little confusing for first-time readers. But it can get ten times more difficult if you decide to pick up a Scottish edition of the "Harry Potter" series!
The iconic story of the boy wizard by J.K. Rowling has amassed fans across generations and nations and has been translated into over 88 languages. It is one of the most translated books in the world and yet the Scottish version has been baffling readers lately. There are several made-up names in the novel for different locations and things, which are ridiculously difficult to read in the Scottish translation.
TikTok user @lucybethharris shared a video of the Scottish "Harry Potter" book and read out a few things from the pages which are sure to confuse even a die-hard Potter fan. The names of the spells, magical items, locations, sports, and creatures in the original English version were already non-existent in real dictionaries. The Scottish translation has made up these names all over again.
The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is imagined to be located in the Scottish Highlands, hidden from the eyes of the regular folks, known as Muggles, in the "Harry Potter" books. However, the words invented by the author have been switched dramatically in the Scottish version and the TikTok user made sure to point them out in the video.
Thankfully, Harry’s house name remains Gryffindor but the other houses weren’t shown the same mercy in the translation. Malfoy’s house Slytherin was changed to Slydderin which is relatively easier to understand, but Hufflepuff has transformed into Hechlepech. And last but not the least, Ravenclaw has become Corbieclook.
You might flip the pages of Scottish "Harry Potter" books and wonder what exactly is the Bletherin Bunnet. But it’s the good old Sorting Hat that was responsible for assigning houses to the students at Hogwarts. The official translator Matthew Fitt deserves some special credit because he has worked extra hard to re-work the Bletherin Bunnet's song for the students while keeping the rhymes intact.
The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is called Hogwarts Schuil O Carlinecraft and Warlockry and the thrilling game of Quidditch has been translated into Bizzumbaw.
As the TikTok user shared how the terms have changed in the Scots language edition of Harry Potter, Potterheads were in utter disbelief.
Plenty of people preferred the Scottish terms and names over the English ones and some even wanted to buy the Scottish version to see “if they can decode them or not.”
There have been other changes in the publication history of Harry Potter books as well. The American version published the first book in the series under the title "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," believing that the American audience won’t understand what the "philosopher" in the original title meant. One option for the first book's title was "Harry Potter and the School of Magic" but fortunately the idea was dismissed.
Just arrived Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stane, the Scot’s version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 😄 pic.twitter.com/qKIMg3yJMS
— Tracy ann M (@unicorn13x) October 8, 2022
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