Hmm, this is an interesting story. I’m conflicted about whether to agree or disagree about the “rightness” of the kid’s actions. So I’m not really commenting about that. But I did want to mention to the people who are anxious to see the official translation be released:

They need to print the books and distribute them, too… It’s not just translating. There’s probably a whole lengthy process between when books are done being written/translated and when they are available to buy. Remember: Book 7 wasn’t available to buy immediately after JKR announced that she had finished it!

Keep your patience, everyone… ;)

Personally I am disappointed in this result, whereas I commend JKR and the publisher for not gutting the kid’s parents for something he had done, I do think there should have been some repercussions for his blatant disregard of the law, community service or something. You guys act like illegal activity is ok, as long as you agree with it and that is wrong. True enough that the kids intentions might have been innocent enough, but the fact is you do not have the right to tell the owner of something what they should do with it {as long as that something is legal of course} or how fast they should do it in. I have no clue why it takes so much longer to translate it from English to whatever language it might be going into, but the fact is that the time line is irrelevant, that is how long the powers at be think it should take and since it is their property, they have the right to make that choice. Illegal activity should never be just disregarded, that tells other people down the line that it is ok for them to do it too and it just dominos down hill from there. Something should have happened to the kid to show him and others that there will be repercussions for breaking the law. Maybe not to the point of crippling the kids parents financially or putting the kid behind bars, but there are other ways to get the point a crossed and they should have been explored.

John B.

even though I am not involved in the publishing industry I have my own speculations about the question why does the translation of the book take so long ?>

I think that it’s not the translation itself that takes until October – there is the translation and the spellchecks, plus perhaps some arrangements when it comes to translations of character names and item names. also the layout has to be organized (the chapter pictures need to be done and selected, too). when all of the necessary preparations are done and alright – then the datas for the book can get transferred to the printing press. and when the pages are printed, cut and bound – then the book is ready for sale. (don’t beat me when I missed steps in publishing process, the above is all guesswork)

Well more then likely she had a good laugh about it. If you think about it a 16 year old kid translating a couple hundred page book to French in around a week is pretty good and the translation being semi professional too. That pretty dam impressive. But since it was illegal maybe they should make him to community service that or just give him a job.

There is a difference between “right and wrong” unfortumately to copy copywrited material is wrong,in this case official translation hadnt taken place for release !!! Unfortunately the THE TOTAL BLAME LAYS WITH THE PUBLISHING HOUSE FOR THAT COUNTRY ! there waqs a promise that the book would be available on the 21st day of July, eager fans wished to read it ! This young man was able to translate to his language and was willing to share.HE DID ! is being helpful a problem ? I do hope not ! (IF THE PUBLISHING HOUSE CANNOT PROVIDE, THEN THEY ARE AT FAULT.) I WISH THE YOUNG MAN EVERY KIND THOUGHT AND PRAISE HIM FOR HIS KIND HEART.

When I first heard about this, my friend had told me that when his younger brither went to visite his grandparents in Quebec he had called and tried to read somethings to him before he had read the english version. I am a very loyal HP fan and I think the kid that did this had good intentions. BUT what he did was illeagal and it should be dealt with accordingly. It was not his place to translate the book and he should have more patients and respect for the translated version. I do congradulate him on being able to translate it so well but it was not his place to do so. I admire him but he should have kept his translated version to himself. I’m rather dissapointed that they decided against punishing him. They should have given him communitty hours or something. The people who have to tranlate the books must been under a lot of pressure to get the book out and have it translated properly, think of how upset they were when they found out that a 16-year-old boy did it faster than them. He should have more respect for the people that do that for a living.

Well, i WON`T say a Thing about if what that kid did is right o wrong… but it really calls my attention that a Kid can translate faster that the translators. My original language is Spanish (sorry any mistake in my english) and in our case is even worse. Some of you can say… JUST WAIT TWO MONTH for your book… but in spanish it taks 8 MONTH… people that is nearly a YEAR!!! The only way for wait the last book without earing any spoilers is locking ourselves in a bunker with water and food.

Almost every fan page in spanish already translate Deathly Hallows to Spanish WHY SALAMANDRA (the editorial) can`t do it faster??? We are not asking for two weeks, or a month… but 8 months is a joke.

Again sorry all the mistakes that must be in my words

What I think a lot of you guys are missing was this was done without contractual obligations, in other words what ever the kid thought it meant was what he put down. He did not have to go back to the original source and say is this ok? I would surmise that the biggest reason most of you have to wait is that as it is being translated, the translators have to go back to Jo’s representatives and ask if their translation is ok and that the reason why some countries have to wait so long is that they only do one language at a time. It sucks I grant you, but the fact is that is the way it is done. I am sure every language that the book is sold in would be able to get it out faster than this kid if it was just up to them, but it is not, the have to translate it, get the translation ok’d though Jo’s representatives and then print it on paper, that takes time. All the kid had to do was read, translate it in his head, type it out and post it on the net. If he had to go through the same hoops as the publisher, who is under contractual obligations, had to then it would probably have taken as long, if not longer.

John B.

I, too, have a split view of it…it is right to translate something to help your friends. However, once he posted it on the Internet, it became wrong. Honestly, how many of us would do the same things to help our families or friends? I probably would! I am glad that he won’t be sued. I do think that some sort of minor punishment (community service would suffice) is fair, and for all we know, he did get something like that.

Good form him, and I think exactly as MND, I’m from Costa Rica and I don’t have to wait 8 months for the official translation due to the a fan translation!...This guy just gave some happyness to French people!!!!, leave him in peace!

if jo and the publishers were really worried about cutting into their profits they would be suing public libraries. three months is really not that long to translate 600 pages of material, translating is incredibly painstaking work. this kid is not going to stop people from buying the book; i seriously doubt anyone into potter enough that they absolutely can’t wait till october won’t want to read the official version when it comes out(multiple times.) i serously can’t believe that anyone is genuinely upset about this. personally i can’t wait to see the cover art when it finally comes out.

YES!!!!! I was hoping that it would turn out this way, and for everyone out there who’s questioning this guy’s actions, go back to read OotP, and think of the parallelism between that & the DA.

I completely agree with you AngelusMx!

The whole thing is silly. If a large publishing house has a distribution method that is so out of date that a devoted 16 year old fan can out produce them, the world is upside down.

Yeah for the young fan! A victory for common sense.

Translating only appears simple to people who never have to do it. To become a good translator it takes years of formation and education at university. It is very subtil complex, full of traps and nasty surprises.

After having translated a text, a more experienced and knowledgeable person has to revised the translation. Corrections have to be made and the text is again revised. This goes on for as long as necessary.

Once the text has been approved by people in authority, it has to follow the same lenghty process as any book has to go through before publication. Why does it take eight months in Spanish is beyon my knowledge.

The boy was wrong, eventhough he was well intentioned.

I am now waiting for the last and final book on the world of Harry Potter. Who did what and who does what and what happened after God knows what. Then it will all be over, finally.

Those last years were absolutely marvelous.

Thank you Jo.