Dossier: Italian
Introduction
For most Italian readers Asterix is published by Mondadori. Who knew that the first print of Asterix was made by Linus in 1967 (see sample below)? (who knows the name of the translator of this edition?).

Regular editions
Non Italian readers could asks themselfs why Italians also like Asterix so much. In almost every story our Gaulish friends are fooling the Romans. Is it funny for Italian readers to read what happend with their ancestors? The translator had a marvellous solution; in the Italian editions the Romans speak with the accent of the city of Rome and that's, ofcourse, much fun for those who don't live in Rome. Here is a sample...

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piano! sò prigioniero per finta! io sò un romano de roma!
piano! sono un prigioniero per finta! io sono un romano di roma!
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aò dura ancora tanto la passeggiata?
allora dura ancora tanto la passeggiata?

S.P.Q.R.
On the first page where we find the map of France we see a Roman banner with S.P.Q.R. which means "Senatus Populus Que Romanus" (The senate and people of Rome). The Italian translator made a great pun about it and translated it into "Sono Pazzi questi Romani". The latter can be translated to "These Romans are crazy".

Linus versus Mondadori
Asterix in Britannia, April 1967.
Supplemento di Linus

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Comparing text:

Edition Linus...



... and Mondadori