Re: Starwars XX part 2 - Rob's Translation

> Þrípíó segir, “Vit vǭrum á skipi, er bardagi tóksk.

> 3PO says, “We were on a ship, where a battle took place.

> 3PO says, “We (two) were on a ship, which took part in
> fighting.

The last clause could be either 'where a battle took place'
or 'when a battle began/took place'. If we had <þar er>, it
would definitely be the former; if <þá er>, the latter.
Here, with no adverbial 'helper' the relativizer <er> is
ambiguous between place and time. One could argue that
since there is no other mention of time in the immediate
context, while <á skipi> is clearly locational, <er> is
probably locational; that gives Rob's version. Jackson's
own translation indicates that he had in mind the temporal
interpretation. (He wrote 'broke up', but I'm sure that
this was supposed to be 'broke out'.) I don't see anything
in the context to force this interpretation; the passage
makes equally good sense either way. The only argument that
I could muster in favor of 'when' is a general impression,
which may be inaccurate, that temporal <er> is a little more
common than locational <er>.

> En Lúkr tók ina blóðga kǭpu Artús, ok þar fann boðit
> skrifat af Leiu konungsdóttur.

> And Luke took the bloody cloak of R2, and there found the
> the message written by Princess Leia.

> And Luke took the bloody cape of R2, and found there a
> message written by Lea, daughter of the king.

Rob's right with 'the message': <boðit> has the postposed
article.

> Hann tók til at lesa þat.
> He did read that.
> He began to read it.

I agree with Grace: here <tók til> is 'began'.

> “Eigi em ek rúnmeistari,” segir Lúkr, “En segja þessi orð,
> ‘Hjálpa mér, Víga-Óbívan Kvægganson; þú einn þørðir at
> hefna mín.’

> “I am not an expert in runes,” says Luke, “But these
> wordes say, 'Help me, Slayer-Obiwan, son of Kvaegan; you
> alone have-the-courage to avenge me.'

> “I am no rune master,” says Luke, “But these words say:
> ‘Help me, Slayer Obiwan Kvaeggan’s son; you alone dare to
> avenge me.’

Note that <þørðir> has i-umlaut (front mutation) of <o> to
<ø>: that marks it as a past subjunctive, so it's 'you alone
would dare to avenge me'.

> Ek kann eigi at lesa fleiri orð, því at þau eru skrifuð
> vándslega ok hraðlega.

> I can not read several words, because they are badly and
> swiftly written.

> I am not able to read more words, because they are written
> badly and hastily.

<Fleiri> is indeed 'more'.

> Mér sýnisk, at Leia konungsdóttir sé lengi dáin.”
> It seems to me that Princess Leia is long dead.”
> Seems to me that Lea, daughter of the king, be long dead.”

Old Norse expects the subjunctive <sé> here because <sýnisk>
implies some uncertainty, but English doesn't use its
vestigial subjunctive in this fashion, so I'd go with Rob's
version.

> “Hverr es Leia konungsdóttir?” segir Lúkr, “Eða hvat manna
> es hon?”

> “Who is Princess Leia?” says Luke, “What person is she?”

> “Who is Lea, daughter of the king?” says Luke, “What
> person is she?”

Note that <manna> is genitive plural: <hvat manna es hon?>
is literally 'what of people is she?'. Zoëga s.v. <hvat>
has <hvat manna ertu?> 'what sort of a man art thou?', which
would make it 'what sort of person is she?'

> Þrípíó tók til at svara, en Artú bað hann þegja, segir,
> “Eigi es at dylja frá þér.

> 3PO began to answer, but R2 bade him be silent, says,
> “(It) is not to conceal from you.

> 3PO started to answer, but R2 bade him be silent, says,
> “(It) is not to conceal from you.

'[It] is not to be concealed from you'; see Zoëga s.v.
<vera> (6).

> Þetta boð es ætlat honum, en engum ǫðrum.
> This message is intended for him, and no others.
> This message is intended for him and no other.

You're both right: <engum öðrum> is ambiguous between 'no
other' (masc. dat. sing.) and 'no others' (masc. dat. pl.),
and both make sense here.

> Villtú sýna mér þá leið, es kømr til hússins þessa manns?”
> ...
> Will you show me (the) way then, which goes to this man’s
> house?”

Here <þá> is the demonstrative: 'Will you show me the/that
way that goes to this man's house?'.

> “Vissulega,” segir Lúkr, “Ef þú segir frá ǫllum, es
> skrifuð eru á þessu boði.”

> “Certainly,” says Luke, “If you say from all, which are
> written on this message.”

> “Certainly,” says Luke, “If you tell me all which is
> written in this message.”

There's no 'me' in the ON; it's more or less 'if you relate
all [things] that are written in this message'.

Brian