Reading LOTR Aloud, Foreign Language Edition
estelanui inquired about the possibility of reading LOTR aloud in foreign languages. While it isn't possible for us to organize complete parallel foreign language readings, what we thought we would do is select a passage from each chapter as we go along that can be read in other languages.
The readings will be on a first come, first serve basis for each foreign language- in other words, only one person may read in German or French or Italian (or whatever language).
If you are interested in participating, please comment here, and do check to be certain that no one else has signed up to read your language. Otherwise, the same guidelines apply as with the English language reading. Please complete readings by this Friday (7/18) and I will list all the readings in a separate post in the community.
Behind the cut is the passage we selected from Chapter 1 (this copied and pasted from my text file of LOTR so the formatting looks a tad odd).
But Bilbo had not finished. Seizing a horn from a youngster near by, he blew three loud hoots. The noise subsided. _I shall not keep you long,_ he cried. Cheers from all the assembly. _I have called you all together for a Purpose._ Something in the way that he said this made an impression. There was almost silence, and one or two of the Tooks pricked up their ears.
_Indeed, for Three Purposes! First of all, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits._ Tremendous outburst of approval.
_I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve._ This was unexpected and rather difficult. There was some scattered clapping, but most of them were trying to work it out and see if it came to a compliment.
_Secondly, to celebrate my birthday._ Cheers again. _I should say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo. He comes of age and into his inheritance today._ Some perfunctory clapping by the elders; and some loud shouts of 'Frodo! Frodo! Jolly old Frodo,' from the juniors. The Sackville-Bagginses scowled, and wondered what was meant by 'coming into his inheritance'. _Together we score one hundred and forty-four. Your numbers were chosen to fit this remarkable total: One Gross, if I may use the expression._ No cheers. This was ridiculous. Many of his guests, and especially the Sackville-Bagginses, were insulted, feeling sure they had only been asked to fill up the required number, like goods in a package. 'One Gross, indeed! Vulgar expression.'
_It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history, the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake; though the fact that it was_ my _birthday slipped my memory on that occasion. I was only fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so important. The banquet was very splendid, however, though I had a bad cold at the time, I remember, and could only say 'thag you very buch'. I now repeat it more correctly: Thank you very much for coming to my little party._
Obstinate silence. They all feared that a song or some poetry was now imminent; and they were getting bored. Why couldn't he stop talking and let them drink his health? But Bilbo did not sing or recite. He paused for a moment.
_Thirdly and finally,_ he said, _I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT_. He spoke this last word so loudly and suddenly that everyone sat up who still could. _I regret to announce that ñ though, as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you ñ this is the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!_
He stepped down and vanished. There was a blinding flash of light, and the guests all blinked. When they opened their eyes Bilbo was nowhere to be seen. One hundred and forty-four flabbergasted hobbits sat back speechless. Old Odo Proudfoot removed his feet from the table and stamped. Then there was a dead silence, until suddenly, after several deep breaths, every Baggins, Boffin, Took, Brandybuck, Grubb, Chubb, Burrows, Bolger, Bracegirdle, Brockhouse, Goodbody, Hornblower, and Proudfoot began to talk at once.
I know that I will really enjoy hearing our beloved Tolkien's words in different languages, so thank you, Estelanui, for the suggestion.
The readings will be on a first come, first serve basis for each foreign language- in other words, only one person may read in German or French or Italian (or whatever language).
If you are interested in participating, please comment here, and do check to be certain that no one else has signed up to read your language. Otherwise, the same guidelines apply as with the English language reading. Please complete readings by this Friday (7/18) and I will list all the readings in a separate post in the community.
Behind the cut is the passage we selected from Chapter 1 (this copied and pasted from my text file of LOTR so the formatting looks a tad odd).
But Bilbo had not finished. Seizing a horn from a youngster near by, he blew three loud hoots. The noise subsided. _I shall not keep you long,_ he cried. Cheers from all the assembly. _I have called you all together for a Purpose._ Something in the way that he said this made an impression. There was almost silence, and one or two of the Tooks pricked up their ears.
_Indeed, for Three Purposes! First of all, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits._ Tremendous outburst of approval.
_I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve._ This was unexpected and rather difficult. There was some scattered clapping, but most of them were trying to work it out and see if it came to a compliment.
_Secondly, to celebrate my birthday._ Cheers again. _I should say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo. He comes of age and into his inheritance today._ Some perfunctory clapping by the elders; and some loud shouts of 'Frodo! Frodo! Jolly old Frodo,' from the juniors. The Sackville-Bagginses scowled, and wondered what was meant by 'coming into his inheritance'. _Together we score one hundred and forty-four. Your numbers were chosen to fit this remarkable total: One Gross, if I may use the expression._ No cheers. This was ridiculous. Many of his guests, and especially the Sackville-Bagginses, were insulted, feeling sure they had only been asked to fill up the required number, like goods in a package. 'One Gross, indeed! Vulgar expression.'
_It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history, the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake; though the fact that it was_ my _birthday slipped my memory on that occasion. I was only fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so important. The banquet was very splendid, however, though I had a bad cold at the time, I remember, and could only say 'thag you very buch'. I now repeat it more correctly: Thank you very much for coming to my little party._
Obstinate silence. They all feared that a song or some poetry was now imminent; and they were getting bored. Why couldn't he stop talking and let them drink his health? But Bilbo did not sing or recite. He paused for a moment.
_Thirdly and finally,_ he said, _I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT_. He spoke this last word so loudly and suddenly that everyone sat up who still could. _I regret to announce that ñ though, as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you ñ this is the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!_
He stepped down and vanished. There was a blinding flash of light, and the guests all blinked. When they opened their eyes Bilbo was nowhere to be seen. One hundred and forty-four flabbergasted hobbits sat back speechless. Old Odo Proudfoot removed his feet from the table and stamped. Then there was a dead silence, until suddenly, after several deep breaths, every Baggins, Boffin, Took, Brandybuck, Grubb, Chubb, Burrows, Bolger, Bracegirdle, Brockhouse, Goodbody, Hornblower, and Proudfoot began to talk at once.
I know that I will really enjoy hearing our beloved Tolkien's words in different languages, so thank you, Estelanui, for the suggestion.