“Ann an toll anns an talamh, bha hobat a’ fuireach. Cha b’ e toll grod, salach, bog a bh’ ann a bha làn de chinn bhoiteagan agus boltradh roilleach, agus cha b’ e toll tioram, lom, gainmheach a bh’ ann anns nach robh suidheachan no càil ri ithe: b’ e toll-hobait a bh’ ann, agus tha sin a’ ciallachadh cofhurtachd.”
The first Scottish Gaelic translation of JRR Tolkien's fantasy adventure The Hobbit has been completed by a professor at the University of Aberdeen.
Moray Watson, a professor of Gaelic and translation - and a lifelong Tolkien fan - started work on A' Hobat before the start of the Covid pandemic.
The translation was supported by the Gaelic Books Council.
Tolkien's book was first published in the 1930s and was later adapted for a series of films by director Peter Jackson.
It follows the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, who is invited to join a dangerous quest led by a wizard and a group of dwarves.
Prof Watson's translation has been published following several edits.
He said: "I've read the book in at least nine languages so far.
"Whenever I learn a new language now, I always check to see if there is a translation of The Hobbit."
He added: "Every single time I read it, in every single language, I get to experience the deep, rich joy of discovering Tolkien's world."
The academic said it was a privilege to "delve deeply" into story's original maps, runes and illustrations when he was triple checking translations before publication.
Prof Watson said: "It's no wonder people fell in love with this book, and continue to do so nearly 90 years after it was first published.
"I'm very lucky to have had the chance to work with it and I hope that people enjoy it."
The professor is now working on a Gaelic translation of HG Wells' adventure story The Time Machine.
The Glasgow-based Gaelic Books Council has previously published translations of George Orwell's Animal Farm and stories by Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin.
I would love to mention the University of Aberdeen's post on this as I spent my year abroad at Aberdeen 😄 and because it adds additional information on the translator and mentions...
In addition to The Hobbit translation, the Centre is supporting a book co-edited by Professor Watson which features a set of essays from translators and scholars on various aspects of the translation process.
If that would entail translation work on The Hobbit that might be of interest as well... Can't seem to find any info on this yet, though.
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