Rumors: Deathly Translations and Alternate Titles

With the release of the title of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Thursday, it is interesting to see how media worldwide has translated the title. Our friend Martin over at RedFlu.com has compiled a list of some of them.

In Brazil, the new book has been called “Harry Potter e os Santos Mortais”. In spanish it is “Harry Potter y los Santos Mortales”, in Catalan Spanish it is “Harry Potter i Les Reliquies” and in Italian, “Harry Potter e i Santi Mortali.”

French sources have reported two titles, “Harry Potter et la Sanctification de la Mort” and “Harry Potter et la Mort Sanctifie.” In in Germany, the title has so far been translated four different ways, “Harry Potter und die todliche Weihung,” “Harry Potter und die todlichen Heiligen,” “Harry Potter und die todliche Heiligkeit” and “Harry Potter und die Todgeweihten.”

While these are translations by media sources only and have nothing to do with anything official, it is interesting to see what meanings of the words “deathly” and “hallows” that other sources around the world are jumping to.

Meanwhile, El Cronista de Salem from HarryLatino.com has done some research into the patents archives at patent.gov.uk and has discovered some interesting facts.

On December 5, 2006, “The Deathly Hallows” was registered by Field Fisher Waterhouse, interestingly, without the “Harry Potter and”, possibly so as not to draw attention.

However, on the same day, the same party also registered these titles: “The Deadly Veil” (not Deathly) and “The Heart of Ravenclaw.”

Is it possible these are the other two titles that J.K. said she was considering last month? If so, it’s possible they shed some light into what happens in the course of Book 7.

However, it’s also possible that they were not under real consideration as titles and they mean nothing at all.

Finally, HPANA has reported an anonymous tip that Barnes and Noble, like many other book retailers, is taking reservations for Book 7, but unlike the others, Barnes and Noble’s Bookmaster system, their inventory management database, is displaying a release date of 7/7/07. While this date is the fervent hope of many Harry Potter fans, there has been no kind of info from anywhere else that this date is in any way accurate.