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Q135: Character with a translated later name

yamilah
Member
#1 · Posted: 7 Feb 2007 13:50
Some distinct characters were given 'identical' translated names such as:
- Pedro = Pietro = Piotr
- Muller = Miller.

Which same character was later called after a translation of his earlier name?

Please quote both names, their common meaning, and languages involved.
jock123
Moderator
#2 · Posted: 7 Feb 2007 15:57
I think you might want to review the rules of the quiz:
02. Questions should be based on the English language colour edition Tintin books
and re-formulate your question to abide by this; you can’t assume that anyone will have the books neccessary to answer for foreign languages, otherwise this could be deemed an impossible question under Rule 09, and you would forfeit a point.

Update: I should also have said that, given the possibility that the issue can be settled with the English books only, that you might offer a clear assurance that it is so.

Please amend your question, or if that isn’t possible, re-post a new question within the rules.

Would members please refrain from submitting answers until this is done - thanks!

Further Update: As we have had no further input from yamilah after more than 24hrs, would someone other than yamilah like to throw in another question?

I will leave this thread open for the moment, in case yamilah is away or indisposed, so that he can add some info about the question and its answer - the possibility being that the question isn't reliant on books other than in English, and therefore shouldn’t be docked a point.
yamilah
Member
#3 · Posted: 8 Feb 2007 15:01
The clue is name #1 minus its last letter 'z' is a Dutch word and name #2 or 'pseudonym' a Spanish or Portuguese one.
Both render 'parazoan' or 'poriferan'...
(their origins aren't connected with the nationality or origin of the related character, though...)

NB: this character's name and 'pseudonym' feature both in the English versions & in this site's Tintin Characters Guide.
Ranko
Member
#4 · Posted: 8 Feb 2007 16:21
Sponsz - Spons - Sponge - Dutch?
yamilah
Member
#5 · Posted: 8 Feb 2007 17:11
Ranko
Sponsz - Spons - Sponge - Dutch?

Yes, 'spons' is Dutch for sponge.
see http://dictionary.reference.com/translate/text.html (English to Dutch)
Balthazar
Moderator
#6 · Posted: 8 Feb 2007 18:59
So presumeably - to clarify Ranko's answer rather than to seek to poach his point - Esponja, Sponz's alias name in Tintin and the Picaros, also means sponge, but in Spanish or Portugese?
yamilah
Member
#7 · Posted: 8 Feb 2007 20:18
Well done, both! Colonel Sponsz from The Calculus Affair (p.49, panel 11) turns into Colonel Esponja in The Picaros (p.15-C3). Dutch 'spons' = Spanish or Portuguese 'esponja' = English 'sponge'.

see http://www.majstro.com/Web/Majstro/spVert.php?teVertalen=spons&gebrTaa l=eng&bronTaal=dut&doelTaal=eng

As Sponsz is drawn with a quiff just like Tintin, maybe there are some language-connections between them too?

The origins of the Colonel's names match those of the early exotic names given to Tintin:

- Portuguese Tim-Tim (1936) matches a syllabic or TEXT-linked Tintin.
- Dutch Kuifje (1943) matches a quiffed or IMAGE-linked Tintin.

Considering Sponsz wants to merge 'TEXT'-linked Borduria into 'IMAGE'-linked Syldavia, maybe some cryptic "Tintin" can also merge some syllables into his silhouette, not to speak about a constrained writing*?
edcharlesadams
Trivia Challenge Score Keeper
#8 · Posted: 8 Feb 2007 22:45
I think both Ranko and Balthazar deserve a point, but since Ranko was first with the answer of Sponsz, he can set the next question.

As a reminder to everyone, please keep your questions as clear and unambiguous as possible.

Ed
toydreamer
Member
#9 · Posted: 9 Feb 2007 23:59
Okay, bring on the next question! Been reading through them all and you people take no prisoners! Tough questions, but I'll give 'em a crack.

Is there anyway of getting notified when a new question appears? or do you just have to keep checking?

This topic is closed.