Chapter 14: The Unforgivable Curses
| Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China) | ||
| 不可饶恕咒 Bù kě ráoshù zhòu |
不 bù = 'not'. 可 kě = 'able'. 饶恕 ráoshù = 'pardon, forgive'. 咒 zhòu = 'spell, curse'. |
The Unforgiveable Curse |
| Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: Taiwan) | ||
| 不赦咒 Bú shè zhòu |
不 bú = 'not' 赦 shè = 'pardon'. 咒 zhòu = 'spell, curse'. |
The Unpardonable Curse |
| Japanese | ||
| 許されざる呪文 Yurusarezaru jumon |
許されざる
yurusarezaru = 'unpardonable' (許す yurusu = 'to pardon, forgive'; 許される yurusareru = passive 'to be forgiven, pardoned' 許されざる yurusarezaru = 'to not be forgiven, pardoned' - literary-style negative). 呪文 jumon = 'spell'. |
The Unpardonable Spell |
| Korean | ||
| 용서받지 못할 저주 Yongseobad-ji moshal jeoju |
The Unforgiveable Curse | |
| Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology) | ||
| Những lời nguyền không thể tha thứ | những = plural marker lời nguyền = 'oath, jinx'. không thể = 'impossible'. tha thứ = 'forgive, pardon'. |
The Unforgiveable Jinxes |
| Mongolian (new) | ||
| Уучилшгүй шившлэг Uuchilshgüi shivsleg/span> |
уучилшгүй uuchilshgüi = 'unforgiveable'. шившлэг shivshleg = 'charm, spell, invocation'. |
The Unforgiveable Spell |
The unforgiveable curses are the 'Imperius curse' (forcing people to your will), the 'Cruciatus curse' (torturing people), and Avada Kedavra (the killing curse).
How is 'curses' translated?
The word 'curse' is put into plural form only by the Vietnamese translator (những lời nguyền, where những marks plurality).
How is 'unforgiveable' translated?
The curses are called unforgiveable because use of them cannot be forgiven. Most translations put the verb in the active form, that is, 'cannot forgive'.
- The Chinese translation from Taiwan uses the succinct form 不赦 bú shè 'not forgive'.
- The Mainland translator uses the slightly wordier 不可饶恕 bù kě ráoshù 'cannot forgive'.
- The Vietnamese translator uses an even more self-explanatory expression, không thể tha thứ 'impossible to forgive'.
- The Mongolian translator uses the ending -ш- -sh-, which, combined with the negative -гүй -güi, emphasises the impossibility of forgiving.
- Japanese uses the passive form 許され yurasare- 'be forgiven'. This is followed by the literary-style negative (with the Classical/formal ending -ざる -zaru 'not'). This can modify other words but does not occur at the end of sentences. It has a weightier, more literary tone than the ordinary negative 許されない yurusarenai.
For a similar style of title, see The Unbreakable Vow and The Unknowable Room.
(Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)
| ⇚ Chapter 13 |  |