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LAST OF THE MOHICANS

The Last of the Mohicans ...

Translation question?

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susank2
Colonial Settler

USA

Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
August 25 2007

Status: offline

Posted - August 28 2007 : 09:13:30 AM

Does anyone know what the translation is when Chingachghook and Hawkeye are talking to each other on the George Road following the killings...when they talk about taking them to the fort? Also what are they saying to each other in the cave just before they all jumped into the waterfall?

Just an observation.....why do Chingachghook, Hawkeye and Uncas speak english to each other at the Cameron's cabin after Uncas comes out of the burned out cabin? Wouldn't it have been more natural for them to speak mohican to each other?

Thanks for answers!
Susan

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RedFraggle
Mohicanite

Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
October 13 2006

Status: offline

Posted - August 28 2007 : 1:38:47 PM

Good question. The script isn't much help on this one. All it says is:

CHINGACHGOOK to Hawkeye: Let's go.
[Then a fast exchange of Delaware. Cora's surprised to see it's Chingachgook's decision. Chingachgook looks at the survivors, gives his assent, starts off.]
HAWKEYE: Take you as far as the fort.

Probably even Michael Mann didn't know what he wanted them to say, other than a general "exchange" about whether to help the Munros and Duncan get to the fort. So I'd guess you'd either have to (a.) speak Delaware or (b.) know one of the people who wrote the lines to understand exactly what went on. Since I can't claim familiarity with either of those things, here's something from Cooper's book. I'm guessing the conversation was along similar lines in the movie.

Duncan watches Hawkeye, Uncas, and Ching draw apart from the rest of the group and begin talking in Delaware:
"Heyward, who now approached, could easily distinguish the earnest tones of the younger warrior from the more deliberate speeches of his seniors. It was evident that they debated on the propriety of some measure that nearly concerned the welfare of the travellers. . . . [Hawkeye], motioning with his hand, as if he conceded the disputed point, turned away, saying in a sort of soliloquy, and in the English tongue---'Uncas is right! It would not be the act of men to leave such harmless things [i.e., the Munro girls] to their fate, though it breaks up the harboring place forever. If you would save these tender blossoms from the fangs of the worst of sarpents [i.e., Magua], you have neither time to lose nor resolution to throw away! . . . These Mohicans and I will do what man's thoughts can invent, to keep such flowers, which, though so sweet, were never made for the wilderness, from harm.'"

My guess is that, in the movie, Ching and Hawkeye are debating on the "propriety" of helping Duncan and the Munro girls, as they do in the book. If the Hawkeye of the movie is meant to be anything like the one in Cooper's novel (which might be a stretch!), he doesn't actually want to help them. But "it's Chingachgook's decision," as the script says, and Hawkeye concedes to help them get as far as the fort.

Random thought: If Michael Mann's Hawkeye doesn't want to help Duncan and the Munro girls, I guess that could somewhat account for his testy attitude during the Riverwalk scene. I always thought his response about not being in any "d*mn militia" was a little catty.

As for at the Cabin...
Sure, it would make more sense for Hawkeye, Ching, and Uncas to speak in a native language, but I don't think the scene would have as much of an impact on us viewers if we had to read what they were saying. We can hear that Uncas is upset and confused when he says, "mirrors, tools, clothes..." in English. I don't think the effect would be the same if he said it in Delaware; viewers wouldn't be able to grasp the emotional pitch or the significance of the scene as readily if they had to read it in subtitles.

And welcome to Mohicanland, Susan!