Last week marked the 20th anniversary of the first publication of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It also marked Leith-based Itchy Coo / Black & White Publishing’s 15 years in the book trade, and they plan to celebrate by publishing a Scots version of Rowling’s classic – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stane – in October.
Famously written in several Edinburgh cafes by J.K. Rowling, who has lived and worked in Scotland throughout her writing career, it’s fitting that after being translated into an astonishing 79 languages around the world, Itchy Coo’s Scots translation will be language number 80.
“Mr and Mrs Dursley, o nummer fower, Privet Loan, were prood tae say that they were gey normal, thank ye awfie muckle. They were the lest fowk ye wid jalouse wid be taigled up wi onythin unco or ferlie, because they jist widnae hae onythin tae dae wi joukery packery like yon.”
Translator Matthew Fitt said: “It’s a book I’ve always wanted to translate.”
An acknowledged expert in the field of Scots language education, Matthew has written numerous children’s books and translated a number of titles into Scots, including Roald Dahl’s The Eejits and Chairlie and the Chocolate Works and David Walliams’ Mr Mingin and Billionaire Bairn. He is a co-founder of the award-winning Itchy Coo, the Scots language children’s imprint at Black & White Publishing.
Matthew’s forthcoming Scots translation of J.K. Rowling’s extraordinary adventure story will break new ground and is sure to earn a place in the hearts of young Scots readers and Harry Potter fans, alike.
Since 2002, Itchy Coo has been wowing young readers and challenging old attitudes with bold new translations of books by Roald Dahl, Julia Donaldson, David Walliams, Alexander McCall Smith, A.A. Milne and others – and done it all in the wonderful Scots language which has the power to engage, excite and entertain readers of all ages.
For further information about Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stane, please contact Lina Langlee: lina@blackandwhitepublishing.com or 0131 625 4500.
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