Although the last chapter of J.K. Rowling's Harry
Potter book series Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows was officially on sale globally on July 21, it's the
English version. Some enthusiastic Chinese fans have bought it, but
most Chinese are still waiting for the Chinese language version,
expected in late October.
However, many fans just can't wait another three months. Despite
the fact that translation rights and publishing rights for the
Chinese Harry Potter book series were exclusively obtained
by the People's Literature Publishing House, a translated version
of the book has appeared on the Internet in less than a week. Many
industry insiders are now wondering if this will alter Chinese
publication standards in China, and finally also address the piracy
issue.
After the English language version of the book was released,
many Chinese Harry Potter fans voluntarily formed Internet
translation groups. To date, 29 of the 36 major chapters of
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows have been
professionally translated. Various Chinese online forums and blogs
posted and spread the text around the Internet. Indeed, a few
groups even claimed that they have already completely translated
the book.
In order to ensure a professional quality translation,
translation group members were carefully selected by veteran
Harry Potter fans, all of whom supervised Harry
Potter fan clubs or Bulletin Board System forums, China.org.cn
learned. All of them had to take exams to qualify. Some are high
school or university students, the rest are white-collar employees
in foreign enterprises or even Chinese youngsters living or
studying abroad. Most of them have never met each other in
person.
Such Chinese Internet translation campaigns sprouted into
existence when the last Harry Potter books were
introduced. A few webmasters controlling the Harry Potter
fan sites explained to CCIDnet, China's famous IT portal, that they
are trying to meet the demands of tens of thousands of Chinese fans
who just can't wait until October. They said that the translation
is just a preliminary text and for sharing purposes only, it is not
for commercial use.
The miscellany of young translators also said that they are
doing the translation simply because they love the book. None of
them want even a dime in payment, because it would be, according to
them "an insult to our beloved Harry Potter". In fact, one
of the young translators was quoted as stating, "If anyone asks for
money for this, he is not really a Potter fan," reported
an initiator of a translation group.
But those translation works may infringe upon the copyright laws
in China and the rest of the world. So some translation groups have
been disbanded, while others have ceased updating and uploading
information. Yet the work continues.
Yang Hong, deputy director of the Guangzhou Copyright
Association, said that even though the Internet translation was for
sharing purposes only, it has already challenged the exclusive
translation and publishing rights of the Chinese publishing houses.
He said that good intentions couldn't guarantee that illegal book
brokers would not make use of those translations to print illegal
pirated books. This would hurt the interests of both the author and
the publishers.?
Among Chinese Harry Potter fan clubs, 52Harrypotter.com
is one of a few sites which call for fans to stand against the
Internet translation.
Putting aside the piracy controversy, insiders said this
phenomenon might become a vanguard for new standards in the Chinese
publication industry. Yang Hong said that a publisher could publish
two translated versions of a foreign book like Harry
Potter. The Internet version is a fast version, like fast food
for fans who want to read the book as soon as possible. Later, the
higher quality, professional translation could be a classic. Both
will sell well, he added.
But Harry Potter fans said they never thought about
financial gains. They said that if the publisher wished, they would
give their translated version to the publisher for free and for
reference. They noted that complaints concerning translation
mistakes were widespread in the publisher's previously translated
Harry Potter books. This is because Chinese translators
may not be intimate with British culture and customs.
Officials from the People's Literature Publishing House said
that they have reported this illegal problem to relevant
authorities, such as the General Administration of Press and
Publication. Wang Ruiqin, executive editor of the publishing house
who brought the Harry Potter series to China, said she
could understand her fans' urges and passions. But she added that
it is also a challenge for the publishing house to hold anyone
responsible for the illegal translation.
"We are facing a group of net citizens who have committed a
serious infringement. The problem is that one person may have just
translated one paragraph. If we sue, then we may have to sue tens
or hundreds of fan translators for one single translated version.
Furthermore, we cannot know how widespread the translation really
is or how much damage it has caused," she admitted.
The official Chinese version of Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows was scheduled to be released on October 28 of this
year. The professional translators Ma Ainong and Ma Aixin are two
sisters. Both worked together to translate several of the previous
Potter books. They started working on the official Chinese
translation the day the book was released worldwide.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, July 27, 2007)
