Thread: What about the letter H?

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

By the way, in Russian translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, the character we call Helen of Troy became Елена (pronounced "Yelena"), yet for some reason Helen's daughter Hermione became Гермиона -- which is also the spelling used in the Harry Potter translations. (Yet in the original Greek, both Helen and Hermione start with the same sound.)

In russian translations Hudson river would be "река Гудзон", but Mr. Holmes' houseowner Mrs. Hudson would be "миссис Хадсон". As it's said in one russian joke - "понять нельзя, надо запомнить".