Foreign Language Decks

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Jul 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Le_Corsair	03 Jul 2003
I have seen ads for decks with titles in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portugese and Dutch (not all simultaneously, of course!) But I am wondering about decks in languages other than these. Are such decks made? What decks have you seen, and in which languages? Do you own any? Which ones? For purposes of this thread, any language already mentioned above is disqualified! Thanks! Bob :THERM :OL :CL :WL :SL

baba-prague	03 Jul 2003
There are decks in Czech, Russian and Hungarian for sure - I have some! We also have a very old Oracle deck (though only part of it) in whch one of the four languages is Serbo-Croat (no, sadly I can't understand it). Of course, don't forget the decks in Japanese - a lot of those I think, and some of them very nice too.

Diana	03 Jul 2003
Oh, thanks to baba-prague I have the most wonderful Czech deck. The Lasenic deck: http://www.volny.cz/minormajor/06tarotlasenic.htm It's probably one of my greatest treasures when it comes to Tarot. I would not trade it for ANYTHING. But there's no writing at all on the cards. But the little white book is in Czech, so I hope this counts!

fairyhedgehog	03 Jul 2003
I know French doesn't count, but I'm posting this anyway ;) I've got the Ancestral Path tarot in French and it is a treasure. It's a beautiful deck anyway, and being in French just makes it more special. I've seen a lot of Russian decks on ebay but I prefer decks in a language I know. (English, French, or possibly even Italian would do.)

Gerbear	03 Jul 2003
You can add Polish, Swedish and Chinese to the list.

Cerulean	03 Jul 2003
The ones that I have use English subtitles on the cards but all the books are in Japanese or Chinese symbols. My guess is that it pays tribute to the 'Western' style or novelty value of the card designs. I own four Japanese decks: Kabbalah 78 card set with yellowish backgrounds, but a plaid pink and black card back and illustrated pips; the Passion, Miracle and Amano, with non illustrated minor cards, only figures on the courts and majors...and I have one Chinese deck, the Pandora Tarot, and it has interesting, but nonscenic minors. On a cross cultural note, the Ukiyoe by U.S. Games Inc. has Japanese characters as well as a playing card French suit motif usually in the minor cards...I think the majors also have Japanese language writing on the English cards.

felicityk	03 Jul 2003
I have a Russian deck (Kluev Magic Tarot), a Polish deck (Jasniak Tarot, with titles in Polish and English) and a Japanese deck (Tarot of Wicca, with titles in English). Felicity

truthsayer	03 Jul 2003
i have a arcus arcanum, margarete peterson and ?? deck in german, le chat deck in french, and a miracle deck in japanese. has anybody noted whether or not you could still read the cards even if the deck wasn't in your native language? i think i could read most of mine given time to meditate each card through.

The Foreign Language Decks thread was originally posted on 03 Jul 2003 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.