Thursday 17 December 2009

Christmas translation


Dear friends,

It's almost Christmas, and I just wanted to wish everyone who reads this blog a very merry and harmonious Christmas and a peaceful and happy New Year.

To celebrate a long and busy year, how about a little translation game? The challenge is to translate a four-line poem by Harryette Mullen from her wonderful collection Sleeping With The Dictionary:

Ask Aden

Are aardvarks anxious?
Do dragons dream?
Ever see an eager elephant?
Newts are never nervous, are they?

If anyone would like to have a go, do post your version in the comments, in any language, or if you're the retiring type, email me in private with your version - you can find my email address on my website. I'd love to read them.

2 comments:

sunny south coast said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sunny south coast said...

Sorry, momentary editing snafu. Christmas challenge update: thanks and kudos to Adriana (insert bad pun about alliterativeness here), who has kindly said I may post her translation for the delight of Italian readers everywhere:

Chiedi a Clio

Come camminerà il canguro?
Lo lodi mai, il leone?
Istigare gl'istrici è indicato?
Ohibò, che orate occhieggi oggi?