Harry Potter and the Asuult Forum
These aren’t exactly new Mongolian translations—they aren’t even new to me translations; I’ve actually been researching this set of translations since 2018! Other higher priorities have kept popping up though and I am only now managing getting back to them. Don’t take that to mean that they aren’t interesting! Quite the contrary if anything: their context is somewhat complicated and so take extra effort to dig into.
These Mongolian translations were originally posted chapter-by-chapter on the Asuult Forum and are an excellent example of “fan translations”. I think it is worthwhile distinguishing “fan translations” from other unauthorized translations, like Armenian for example, which, to the best of my knowledge, was motivated by profit. These were produced by individuals who remained (mostly) anonymous—perhaps to protect themselves—and simply wanted to share Harry Potter with individuals who were unable to traverse the linguistic barrier. Truly, they are a labour of love with little tangible benefit in return.
The first two books were translated by “Davaa D.”—that is a first name followed by a last initial. I think it’s safe to assume that the last name was not included as a precaution against legal complications. The other five books were translated by “CROFT” (a username on the forum).
Since their original posting on the Asuult Forum, at least the first two were confirmed published in proper book form—@mcallister_alaskagrown was able to get his hands on them (jealous!) and was kind enough to share photos with me—and they were also complied into a PDF set by another Asuult user, “Boldkhuu B.” I actually was able to exchange some emails with Boldkhuu and he confirmed most of the details I’ve provided here; he also said that as far as he knew both translators were amateurs. I’m not sure he was aware that Davaa D. translations were published physically—at the time I certainly wasn’t either. They came as quite a surprise!
One intriguing fact is that the front matter of the printed Chamber of Secrets says that Prisoner of Azkaban is part of the series. Which means that perhaps there’s at least one more Daava D. translation out there? Perhaps that’s why they stopped posting translations—because they were actually publishing them? Keep an eye out!
Although the print PS doesn’t have an ISBN, the print COS does have one: 99929-5-576-7. The ISBN is actually well-formed in that the check digit is correct for ISBN-10 and 99929 is a group number for Mongolia. However, the hyphenation is incorrect; it should be 99929-55-76-7 and as of right now, 55—the registrant identifier—is not assigned. So, I think it’s case of someone making up a plausible ISBN for credibility.
I have listed the publication date of the digital compilations as ‘2011’—this is my best guess as to when Boldkhuu B. assembled and made the files public so treat it with suspicion. And definitely don’t interpret it as the date the translations were original posted to the Asuult Forum!
Boldkhuu B.’s digital compilations all have covers included which unauthorized digital copies like this sometimes don’t. What’s notable is that only three of them are altered copies of officially published covers—four are original and kind of cool. I doubt any were used with permission; but for two of them, POA and OTP, a reverse image search revealed their origins: “Dark Castle” by Ayca Tanrikulu and Phoenix by Losmios respectively.
One last note of interest: the title of the physical Davaa D. publication is different as you’ll see in the table below—the distinction is a between “Philosopher’s Stone” and “Sorcerer’s Stone”.
I don’t host or link unauthorized translations on potterglot.net so don’t look for the digital copies here. A little Google-fu should find them for you without too much difficulty.
2022-08-01 Addendum: I neglected to mention that Davaa D. translated from Russian—it is stated on the copyright pages of both print books. Based on a discussion on the Dialogue Alley Discord with someone I consider an expert, based on the translation of the Sphinx Riddle in Goblet of Fire, it seems likely that CROFT also translated their books from Russian.
| Title: | Харри Поттер ба гүн ухааны чулуу (print) Харри Поттер ба Шидтэний чулуу (digital) |
| Transliteration: | Kharri Pottyer ba gün ukhaany chuluu Kharri Pottyer ba Shidtenii chuluu |
| Translator: | Davaa D. |
| Published: | 2002 (print) 2011 (digital) |
| Publisher: | “Номын хишиг” Хэвлэлийн газар (print) Boldkhuu B. (digital) |
| Purchase From: | ? (print) can be found online (digital) |
| Title: | Харри Поттер ба Нууц өрөө |
| Transliteration: | Kharri Pottyer ba Nuuts öröö |
| Translator: | Davaa D. |
| Published: | 2002-08 (print) 2011 (digital) |
| Publisher: | Boldkhuu B. (digital) |
| Purchase From: | ? (print) can be found online (digital) |
| Title: | Харри Поттер ба Азкабаны хоригдол |
| Transliteration: | Kharri Pottyer ba Azkabany khorigdol |
| Translator: | Asuult Forum member CROFT |
| Published: | 2011 (digital) |
| Publisher: | Boldkhuu B. (digital) |
| Purchase From: | can befound online (digital) |
| Title: | Харри Поттер ба Галт цом |
| Transliteration: | Kharri Pottyer ba Galt tsom |
| Translator: | Asuult Forum member CROFT |
| Published: | 2011 (digital) |
| Publisher: | Boldkhuu B. (digital) |
| Purchase From: | can be found online |
| Title: | Харри Поттер ба Фениксийн бүлгийнхэн |
| Transliteration: | Kharri Pottyer ba Fyeniksiin bülgiinkhen |
| Translator: | Asuult Forum member CROFT |
| Published: | 2011 (digital) |
| Publisher: | Boldkhuu B. (digital) |
| Purchase From: | can be found online |
| Title: | Харри Поттер ба Фениксийн бүлгийнхэн |
| Transliteration: | Kharri Pottyer ba Erliiz Khuntaij |
| Translator: | Asuult Forum member CROFT |
| Published: | 2011 (digital) |
| Publisher: | Boldkhuu B. (digital) |
| Purchase From: | can be found online |
| Title: | Харри Поттер ба Үхлийн шүтээн |
| Transliteration: | Kharri Pottyer ba Ükhliin shüteen |
| Translator: | Asuult Forum member CROFT |
| Published: | 2011 (digital) |
| Publisher: | Boldkhuu B. (digital) |
| Purchase From: | can be found online |
