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Character Names: Translations for Bianca Castafiore and Jolyon Wagg?

jock123
Moderator
#1 · Posted: 25 Sep 2016 13:00
We have had a suggestion by e-mail from René Alsemgeest in Utrecht, The Netherlands:

"On your informative page Names of 'Main Tintin Characters in Different Languages' I would add two extra columns for the characters Bianca Castafiore and Jolyon Wagg (Serafijn Lampion in Dutch)."

This sounds like good primary Tintinology! Throughout the literature on the works of Hergé, these two are generally considered part of the "paper family" of core characters.

It certainly is worth considering adding the columns, but it isn't possible until we have collected and collated the data; it may be that, for example, Castafiore remains Castafiore in all languages, but it's certainly worth finding out if that is the case.

So, as an exercise: using the list of languages on our existing names page, can you fill in any of the blanks for Castafiore and Wagg in those tongues?
RicardoOlcese
Member
#2 · Posted: 29 Jan 2019 00:33
I can add, for if it might be useful, that Jolyon Wagg is Serafín Latón in Spanish. Serafín is probably a direct translation from the original French. "Latón" has its own meaning in Spanish. Lata is can, a tin can. "Dar la lata" = "give the can" means, for some reason, to talk unending boring stuff, be a nuisance. Then "ser latón" means someone who "gives the lata" a lot. Thus, Latón = Big Nuisance.
Bianca Castafiore is Bianca Castafiore. It couldn't be in any other way. She's a trademark.
snowybella
Member
#3 · Posted: 29 Jan 2019 00:46
I haven't got the relevant books in Korean, but, to my memory, Castafiore's surname is "카스타피오레" (Ka-sou-tah-pee-ooh-reh). I'm not sure about Jolyon Wagg (yet); sorry!
RicardoOlcese
Member
#4 · Posted: 29 Jan 2019 00:48
snowybella
Gamsamida! Kumawo for your info! =)
Furienna
Member
#5 · Posted: 31 Jan 2019 13:01
Bianca Castafiore keeps her original name in the Swedish translations, and I wonder if most of the translations haven't done the same. However, Jolyon Wagg is called Serafim Svensson in Swedish. "Serafim" is from the original French name of the character, of course. "Svensson" though is a more interesting choice, because there is nothing punny about that name. Indeed, it is a very common surname here in Sweden. But it's been argued that this was the point. "Svensson" is some times used to mean "average Joe"', and yes, Jolyon Wagg is the most prominent character in the series, who is clearly married and has children.
snowybella
Member
#6 · Posted: 8 Feb 2019 00:37
I can now confirm that Jolyon Wagg is "세라팽 랑피옹" (Se-la-peng Lang-pi-ong; almost the same as the French), and Castafiore's name is "비앙카" (Bee-ang-ka).

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