So even though it’s above my level (I’m currently preparing for the JLPT N2 and this is predominately N1), I’ve decided to (super slowly) begin reading the Japanese translation of the Lord of the Rings (partly because there still is a LOT of N2 grammar, partly because I love LOTR and just want to do it). I made a Quizlet already for vocab and phrases from the cinematic version of The Fellowship to help me get through, and now I’m tackling the book.
So I have a question of something at the end of the first sentence: 袋小路屋敷のビルボ＊バギンズ氏が、百十一歳の誕生日を祝って、近く特別盛大名祝宴を催すと発表した物で、ホビット村は大騒ぎ、噂はそれでもちきりでした。,
I get everything except for the very last phrase, 噂はそれでもちきりでした. In the original, of course, it says, “there was much talk and excitement” but I don’t see how それでも makes sense here, and I have no idea what ちきり is supposed to mean.
I’d love too! Unfortunately, I have too many other things on my reading list right now and I think it would be too high above my level. I did a rewatch of the movies in Japanese though which I enjoyed but I have to admit that I was still using English subtitles for that one.
I hope that I’ll be able to follow you at some point in the future, though.
I was also hoping that I could read A Song of Ice and Fire again in Japanese, I imagine the difficulty would be similar. Apart from it being above my level, I’m slightly worried if I will be able to enjoy it as much as I would want to though. I loved the language that is used in LoTR and ASoIaF are written and I’m not sure how well this works in the translated version. What is your impression so far?
One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them – how well does that one work in Japanese?
There’s a lot lost in the translation, to be sure, but I feel as though it were translated as best as it could have been. There’s just a different feel to it in English. What’s more, it’s (surprisingly) more accessible in English, as a lot of the archaic terms in Japanese are not recognized by my Japanese colleagues (which means it’s oh-so-fun for non-natives trying to read it, hah!)
Also, this is the translation for the Ring’s engraving:
I really must rewatch the Japanese version again, I couldn’t even remember those lines anymore…
I think I’ll eventually do the same as you: first watch the movies and get through them somewhat well with just Japanese subtitles. That alone should take me a year anyway And then eventually I’ll try and tackle the books.
I would be interested in hearing how long it took you to read all the books eventually (if you really go through all of them) and what progress you feel you made by reading them. But most importantly, I wish you a lot of fun while doing it.
Well, like I mentioned earlier, I did make a Quizlet that followed the Japanese subtitles of the first movie. I’ll soon do the same for the other two. If you’re interested in rewatching them, you might want to use that list to help you recognize high-level vocabulary.
Also, I’ll so definitely be posting on here when I finish! (It’s basically the only place I could brag about such a feat and be understood in what that really entails.) I imagine it’ll take me a good few years to do so, though.
Let me know when you start! We can trade off notes and discuss the grammar and such, if you’d like! :3
Awesome, I had a look already yesterday and that does indeed sound like a nice idea. The list is also not too long so it is not too scary, maybe I’ll really do that at some point (after the JLPT and after some current reading projects).
I’m looking forward to hearing from you whenever you made it, then we’ll celebrate here, no matter how long it takes you
Thank you, I will definitely do that! It will take me a while to get there but when the day comes, I’ll let you know.
And then eventually I’ll try and tackle the books.