I started out writing a post on Pig Latin, which I probably will still do, but this post is about translations of modern children's literature into Latin.
The earliest example that I know of is the 1960 translation of "Winnie the Pooh" into Latin by Alexander Lenard. "The House at Pooh Corner" was translated into Latin in 1980 by Brian Staples. I used to have a recording of excerpts from "Winnie Ille Pooh", but it's long gone. "Winnie Ille Pooh" is a lot of fun even if you don't know Latin (I don't) when you follow along with the English version.
Here's an article in the satirical linguistic journal Specgram that quotes from Winnie Ille Pooh
http://specgram.com/CXLVIII.4/04.buendia.pooh.html
Maybe someone will turn "Winnie The Pooh" into a lipogram. "Winni A Pooh". Ursus would be used for bear, and for a touch of Latin. It might be hard to come up with a name for Eeyore though.
For Dr. Seuss there's the wonderful "Cattus Petasatus".
http://www.amazon.com/Cattus-Petasatus-Cat-Hat-Latin/dp/086516472X#reader
"Green Eggs and Ham"has also been translated into Latin.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/989557/posts
And of course there is Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis:
http://www.amazon.com/Harrius-Potter-Philosophi-Lapis-Philosophers/dp/1582348251#reader
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I was singing songs from Winnie The Pooh this morning! And I wonder if it was hard to translate Dr. Suess books into Latin, seeing as it all has to rhyme.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Bob !! :>) keep it up @ the blogs I am enjoying reading them...Cyndy
ReplyDeleteLatin is the only language my (soon to be former:)) school offers, but I was dismayed when I realized how little I have retained - I could hardly make out the green eggs and ham sentences.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the comments!
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