Gili Bar-Hillel Semo (; born Gili Bar-Hillel on 19 October 1974) is an English-

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

translator Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''trans ...

from

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, best known for translating the ''

Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven Fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...

'' series into Hebrew.

Biography

Bar-Hillel is the daughter of

Maya Bar-Hillel Maya Bar-Hillel (; born 1943) is a professor emeritus of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Known for her work on inaccuracies in human reasoning about probability, she has also studied decision theory in connection with Newcomb's ...

, a professor of psychology at the

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. It is the second-ol ...

, and the granddaughter of philosopher and linguist

Yehoshua Bar-Hillel Yehoshua Bar-Hillel (; 8 September 1915 – 25 September 1975) was an Israeli philosopher, mathematician, and linguist. He was a pioneer in the fields of machine translation and formal linguistics. Early life and education Born Oscar Westreich ...

. Her mother frequently lectured in the United States and as a result she spent a lot of time there as a child, learning to read English before Hebrew. Bar-Hillel studied at

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) is a Public university, public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Located in northwest Tel Aviv, the university is the center of teaching and ...

, and

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, and received a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in dramatic writing and

dramaturgy Dramaturgy is the study of dramatic composition and the representation of the main elements of drama on the stage. The role of a dramaturg in the field of modern dramaturgy is to help realize the multifaceted world of the play for a production u ...

. She lives and works in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

,The Child and the Book 2007
,

Boğaziçi University Boğaziçi University (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Boğaziçi Üniversitesi''), also known as Bosphorus University, is a Public university, public research university in Istanbul, Turkey, historically tied to a former American educational insti ...

and is married with three children.

Career

Before translating the ''Harry Potter'' series, Bar-Hillel was editor of children's books for the Israeli publishing house Keter, worked for the major Israeli newspaper ''

Haaretz ''Haaretz'' (; originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , , ) is an List of newspapers in Israel, Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The paper is published in Hebrew lan ...

'', directed plays, and produced radio programs.Gili Bar-Hillel
Greenmanreview.com She is a member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and has been from before she translated the ''Harry Potter'' series. She has also translated books by

Jacqueline Wilson Dame Jacqueline Wilson (' Aitken; born 17 December 1945) is an English novelist known for her popular children's literature. Her novels have been notable for tackling realistic topics such as adoption and divorce. Since her debut novel in 1969, ...

Diana Wynne Jones Diana Wynne Jones (16 August 1934 – 26 March 2011) was a British novelist, poet, academic, literary critic, and short story writer. She principally wrote fantasy and speculative fiction novels for children and young adults. Although usually d ...

and Noel Streatfeild, and adapted an annotated edition of '' The Wizard of Oz'' for Hebrew readers. As well, she also reviewed picture books for the Israeli women's weekly '' LaIsha'' for several years. In 2012 Bar-Hillel founded Utz Publishing, where to this day she continues working as owner and editor in chief.

''Harry Potter'' series

Bar-Hillel began translating the series in 1999, starting with ''

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the first novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series and was Rowling's debut novel. It follows Harry Potter, a young wizard who disco ...

''.When Harry’ met Hebrew
Cleveland Jewish News, Sarah Bronson, October 18, 2007 Since the success of the series, Bar-Hillel has been described as a "bona fide Israeli celebrity" with a "nationwide" reputation. Because of the enormous popularity of ''Harry Potter'', her work has come under close scrutiny by the Israeli public, especially for any deviations from the original text. The translation process was made more difficult by not knowing how the plot would develop in later books, the gender of certain characters, and the problem of how to translate various issues that are not necessarily cross-cultural, such as references to food and religion. When the seventh book was released, Bar-Hillel flew to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

ahead of the book's launch, purchased a copy and read it on the plane back to Israel. At the Jerusalem International Book Fair in 2007, a large audience gathered to hear her talk about the translation process, with fans elbowing their way in for autographs and photos. She told reporters: "It's ridiculous, this is something that never happens to translators. The attention I've received is because I'm translating ''Harry Potter''. It's Harry, not me".

Translated books

''Harry Potter'' series by

J. K. Rowling Joanne Rowling ( ; born 31 July 1965), known by her pen name , is a British author and philanthropist. She is the author of ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume fantasy novel series published from 1997 to 2007. The series has List of best-sell ...

:* ''

'' :* ''

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the second novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The plot follows Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ...

'' :* '' Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' :* ''

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwar ...

'' :* '' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' :* ''

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series, and takes place during Harry Potter's sixth year at the wizard scho ...

'' :* ''

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the seventh and final novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publish ...

'' * '' Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'' (A part of the ''Harry Potter'' series) * '' Quidditch Through the Ages'' (A part of the ''Harry Potter'' series) * '' The Tales of Beedle the Bard'' (A part of the ''Harry Potter'' series) * '' Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'' (A part of the ''Harry Potter'' series) Oz books by L. Frank Baum: *

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' is a 1900 children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. It is the first novel in the Oz series of books. A Kansas farm girl named Dorothy ends up in the ma ...

(annotated edition) * '' The Marvelous Land of Oz'' *

Ozma of Oz ''Ozma of Oz'' was the third book of L. Frank Baum's List of Oz books, Oz series, published in 1907. Publication The full title of the first edition read ''Ozma of Oz: A Record of Her Adventures with Dorothy Gale of Kansas, Billina the Yellow ...

* Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz *

The road to Oz ''The Road to Oz'' is the fifth book in L. Frank Baum's Oz series. It was originally published on July 10, 1909 and documents the adventures of Dorothy Gale's fourth visit to the Land of Oz. It was followed by ''The Emerald City of Oz'' (1910) ...

* The Emerlad City of Oz * The Patchwork Girl of Oz * Tik-Tok of Oz Other books (partial list): * '' Howl's Moving Castle'' by

* ''

Double Act A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters' ...

'' by

* '' Ballet Shoes'' by Noel Streatfeild * '' The Annotated Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, annotated by Michael Patrick Hearn * ''

Peter and Wendy ''Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up'', often known simply as ''Peter Pan'', is a work by J. M. Barrie, in the form of a 1904 play and a 1911 novel titled ''Peter and Wendy''. Both versions tell the story of Peter Pan, a mischievous ...

'' and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie: translated and added Hebrew annotations * '' Predictably Irrational'' by

Dan Ariely Dan Ariely (; born April 29, 1967) is an Israeli-American professor and author. He serves as a James B. Duke Professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. He is the co-founder of several companies implementing insights f ...

* Misbehaving by

Richard Thaler Richard H. Thaler (; born September 12, 1945) is an American economist and the Charles R. Walgreen Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In 2015, Thaler was p ...

* Cakes in Space by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre *

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! ''Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!'' is a children's book, children's picture book written and illustrated by Mo Willems. Published by Disney-Hyperion in 2003, it was Willems' first book for children, and received the Caldecott Honor. The plot ...

Mo Willems Mo Willems (born February 11, 1968) is an American writer, animator, voice actor, and children's book author. His work includes creating the animated television series '' Sheep in the Big City'' for Cartoon Network, working on '' Sesame Stre ...

* Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by

Lauren Child Lauren Margot Peachy Child (born Helen Child; 29 November 1965) is an English children's author and illustrator. She is best known for the Charlie and Lola picture book series. Her influences include E. H. Shepard, Quentin Blake, Carl Lar ...

* The Hundred and One Dalmatians by

Dodie Smith Dorothy Gladys "Dodie" Smith (3 May 1896 – 24 November 1990) was an English novelist and playwright. She is best known for writing '' I Capture the Castle'' (1948) and the children's novel '' The Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1956). Other work ...

Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to: * Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers * Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny ** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...

by P. L. Travers *

Goblin Market ''Goblin Market'' is an 1862 Narrative poetry, narrative poem by Christina Rossetti. It tells the story of sisters Laura and Lizzie, who are tempted with fruit by goblin merchants. In a letter to her publisher, Rossetti claimed that the poem, w ...

Christina Rossetti Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English writer of romanticism, romantic, devotional and children's poems, including "Goblin Market" and "Remember". She also wrote the words of two Christmas carols well k ...

* Nimona by ND Stevenson *

The Catcher in the Rye ''The Catcher in the Rye'' is the only novel by American author J. D. Salinger. It was partially published in serial form in 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its theme ...

by JD Salinger

Awards

Bar-Hillel received a Geffen Award for her translation of ''

'':The Geffen Award, 2008
, Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasty * Best Translation of a SF&F book (2008): Gili Bar-Hillel Semo for Translating the book: ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' by J.K. Rowling, published by Yedioth Books. Books translated by Bar-Hillel have won several Geffen awards: * 2008: ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' by J. K. Rowling, translated by Gili Bar-Hillel, published by Yedioth Books. * 2015: ''

'' and '' Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz'' by L. Frank Baum * 2017: '' Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'' play script

References

External links

Gili Bar-Hillel's blog

Biography and booklist

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

Utz Publishing website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bar-Hillel, Gili 1974 births English–Hebrew translators Harry Potter in translation Harvard University alumni Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni Jewish Israeli writers Israeli people of Austrian-Jewish descent Israeli translators Living people Literary translators