Question from a translator

[MirceaPricajan]

Hi, I'm working right now on translating The Gunslinger into Romanian and I stumbled across sharproot. Can someone give me a description of this plant so I can find the appropriate term in Romanian? I have the feeling it's not something that really exists--or maybe it does, but the term's use is restricted to a certain area. No dictionary, no encyclopedia, no internet search has it mentioned in that context. Thanks.

[Moderator]

I've forwarded your question on to Steve as I couldn't find a description in Robin Furth's Concordance. I'll respond here when I hear back from Steve as others may be interested in this as well.

[MirceaPricajan]

Thank you very much. I really don't like that habit some translators have of just letting out the things they don't understand. So... thanks again. Waiting patiently.

[Bev Vincent]

I would have suggested that King made the word up, but I see that Gregory Benford also uses "sharp-root" in his book Against Infinity.

[Spideyman]

In Vol 2 Of Robin Furth's Concordance under mid world dialects: Mid World Argot- Sharproot- this is one of Mid World's crops V:1, V:151

It is mentioned in Wolves of calla also:

Tian was blessed (though few farmers would have used such a word) with three patches: River Field, where his family had grown rice since time out of mind; Roadside Field, where ka-Jaffords had grown sharproot, pumpkin, and corn for those same long years and generations; and Son of a Bitch, a thankless tract which mostly grew rocks, blisters, and busted hopes.


No pictures

[MirceaPricajan]

Yes, there are more instances of sharproot in DT4. I counted at least 9 of them. And since it's a custom to carve pumpkins AND sharproots for Reap I'll say it must be something that resembles a pumpkin, but that grows in the ground.

[demorgan]

Im curious, maybe its a bean of some type( just guessing).

[rose key]

I don't know why, but I always had the feeling it was a relative of rhubarb, or the Mid-World word for it. Didn't they make or eat sharproot pies at some point?

And Spidey, you're a wealth of information! I picture you sitting at your computer surrounded by your critters and the walls lined with bookshelves filled with Stephen King books. (This is what I wish I was surrounded by right now instead of at work-so I guess I'm projecting my imaginary perfect place onto you!!)

[Haunted]

A gourd?

[Moderator]

None of the above. Here's Steve's response:

Sharproot is the Mid-World equivalent of a radish, but much hotter. In some taverns, men would have sharproot-eating contests, the loser standing for drinks...or, if broke, having to drink from the spittoon. Those Mid-Worlders, always classy.
Steve