please, lets keep it British!

[English]

This is picked up from a discussion on Book 5, but don't worry- there are no spoliers here!


The american editions are editted slightly so that american readers will understand them- words like " skip " are changed to "dumpster " and backwards and forwards become " backward and forward. " The children stop "going to the toliet" and start "visiting the bathroom."

Fine, it this helps people understand.

BUT

They ARE BRITISH SCHOOL CHILDREN!! If their characters are to develop fully they need to be left uneditted- small changes can make a big difference, and can change the feel of the book.

To give another example- Catcher in the Rye. This was originallt editted for a british audience , so that " ass " became " bottom " etc.... This is AWFUL!!!

Imagine if instead of saying "mate" they said "buddy" ....


I have listened to the Audio books, and the american editions are changed just enough to alter the feel of the book... URGHHHH.

[techjohn]

I agree. The British version is the original and best!

JKR wrote the books how they are because that's how she wants the story, so the best way is to read them like that. Such small changes can alter how the story is read, changing its' impact dramatically.

The original version is and always will be the way the story is intended

[gecko]

I wholeheartedly concur! I refuse to believe that American children won't know what's meant when it says 'going to the toiliet', so why bother changing that. It's good for them to learn that there are differences between English and American English. We learn that here in Holland, why shouldn't they? : )

[Lizzy Bennet]

I wholeheartedly concur! I refuse to believe that American children won't know what's meant when it says 'going to the toiliet', so why bother changing that. It's good for them to learn that there are differences between English and American English. We learn that here in Holland, why shouldn't they? : )

I believe there was a pretty active thread (up to a point--by all means, rejuvenate it or at least check it out) on a topic very similar to this one somewhere on this forum:

http://www.broomsticksandowls.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=752&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

Have fun!


~ Lizzy

[chiapetdiz]

i just finished re-reading book 4 and it's the only one i have that is the british release (ordered it from amazon.co.uk)

i didn't realize how different it was untill this time through. i completely agree that they should NOT be changing words around. i mean, grrrr. they think we're stupid or some thing. shouldn't they be expanding people's brains by making them think a little.

i just had a convo the other night about the difference between "English" and "American" it's quite funny when you think about it. or we could rename them "proper" and "improper" lol. ponder it for a bit, it's kinda funny.

[Gryffindor Student]

Hai Hai! Wakarimashita! Lets keep it British!

[Gryffindor Student]

Hey i was just going to say W a k a r i m a s h i t a...not s**t

[Charis]

i don't really understand what the big deal is. i mean, its not like this is the only book editing is done in. sure, the books have a more british feel if they're not edited. but its not like they're insulting us or anything by editing the book, they're simply making it more understandable for those of us who don't know that a "skip" is a "dumpster." true, everyone can figure out what "going to the toilet" means so that one was kinda pointless, but these books are meant to be enjoyed for the story. if JK had a problem with americanising them, then we would have heard about it. the storyline is not changed at all when they edit it, and thats whats most important. yeah, the feel of a book is important, but, personally, i don't see the problem with editing them. i definitley wouldn't mind reading the british versions, but i think its nice for some of the younger kids especially to be able to read them without having to ask someone what a skip is.

[gecko]

I personally think that one of the best things about reading books in foreign languages, is that you learn more about that language. I've read a lot of English books (for adults) yet I still learn some new words from reading Harry Potter. It's a book meant for children, and children (mind you, adults also ) have to learn things. At least that's what I thought : ) !

[Charis]

yeah, thats very true, it is a good way to get people to learn things about other cultures. but it could also turn people off if they have to go and find out what something means in order to understand the point of a particular sentence in a book. its not a good thing that people can be (and are) that lazy, but, looking at it from their and the marketer's point of view, I can understand and have no qualms about why the book would be edited.

i do think, though, that the editing should be toned down a little bit. I think that changing backwards and forwards to backward and forward is completely pointless. i say backwards and forwards all the time, and I'm american! and I'm sure there are many other changes made like that that make no sense. but there is other british "lingo" that many would not understand. i have no problem with those things being changed. if someone was very interested in learning about british culture from HP books, it is possible for them to buy the original british book.

[chiapetdiz]

i have a question! i'm assuming that measurements were changed for the american books. right? in ours, the wands are measured in inches.

my boyfriend is really curious about this, so if someone with the british version could tell me. (it's in book 1, chapter's name is Diagon Alley as well as other places)

[Gwared]

The British books use inches as wand measurements too, in fact British people more often measure their heights in inches so this isn't that big of a deal.

Also I read somewhere JK really regrets one Americanisation, the title of the first book.