MCLC: Xila (4)

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Chen Jiongguang <chenjiongguang at gmail.com>
Subject: Xila (4)
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Xila is from Hellas and Yadian is from Athèna (modern) or Athènai
(ancient).

It's a general practice to drop the final sigma in translating ancient
Greek names of persons and locations, such as Herodotos into Xiluoduode(s)
and Socrates into Sugeladi(s). It's probably because these sigmas were
ubiquitous in ancient Greek and translating all of them into si would seem
aesthetically horrible to Chinese ears, especially when you have a list of
names. Our earlier translators were also flexible with word endings which
are declinable, so it makes perfect sense to translate Athènai by its stem
Athèn-. And Yadian seems like a perfectly normal translation for Athèn-.

While most European translators chose to stick to the nominatives, earlier
Chinese translators opted for the word stems, so often the genitives would
give you some explanation. And there's really nothing unusual here I
think...

--
CHEN Jiongguang | 陈炯光
Mastérant en Lettres classiques
ENS de Lyon