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SEPTEMBER 13, 2003 at 3:27 PM
Posted by JAMES
Source: alt.fan.harry-potter
between American and British editions of the Harry Potter novels required quite an amount of hits on the Delete key or many bottles of White-Out on the American publisher's part - changes range from the ridiculous to the mildly understandable, and number in the hundreds.
While I am not quite sure that this is the definitive list of exactly all of the edits undergone to make the American books more theoretically sellable, it must be the closest thing we have to it now.
Some words and phrases found in the British novels that haven't shown up in the American books:
* Shan't
* Bobble hats
* Cooker
* Sellotape
* Fringe
What these words have been translated into in the American volumes:
* "Shan't" - translates to "Won't
* "Bobble hats" - to "Bonnets"
* "Cooker" - "Stove"
* "Sellotape" - "Scotch Tape"
* "Fringe" - "Bangs" [hair]
A huge thank you to Nick for sending us this excellent tip.
Reader Comments (51)
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Chief Brain Washer
Points: 2881
Chogiiiirl says:
Wow! That's a lot of editing. I really would like for them to have kept more of the phrases and words British. I still feel it is an incredible insult to the American intelligence to change so many phrases in the books. Most of these can be understood by using the context of the word/phrase. The novels may take a little more time to read this way, but I think that the gaining of knowledge would be worth it to American fans.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 3:36 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
quidditch_queen says:
Hello, oviously they shouldn't change that but i don't see the problem. I mean, it's not a crime, isn't it? Well, anyway, what's the big deal? I don't get it. If i'm wrong tell me please.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 3:37 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
quidditch_queen says:
It's better if they put the British words because that's how JKR writte the book but if they want to change the words... I prefer the British books.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 3:39 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 399
Rhiannon Silverflame says:
Arrrrrrgh!!!!
I'm still opposed to the changing of slang terms, but that's mildly understandable compared to the complete overhaul of paragraphs. Seems like they made a serious effort to dumb down the US editions in spots, and that really upsets me.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 3:41 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
quidditch_queen says:
I think that they shouldn't change ANYTHING because they start changing the words and then start changing phrases so they are changing the story too! I don't agree with this kind of editions.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 3:57 PM EST
Witch
Points: 917
Slytherin_Punk says:
I would like to see those words in the american books but i doubt i would know waht they are talkin about.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 4:04 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1856
Rupert Baby says:
I personally prefer to read the Britiish versions of the books even though i am american, i think the british-english launguage is really quite fascinating and i love British books in fact right now i ma readin Lord of the Flies its nothing compared to HP but it is pretty interesting and it is not edited so all of those fairly weird words are in it and i understand it perfecty fine!
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 4:33 PM EST
Metamorphmagus
Points: 37946
tonks black says:
I thought shan't was a shakespear word..but i thought i remembered fringe and sellotape but that could of been from one of my british friends.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 4:50 PM EST
Witch
Points: 687
amdorn says:
I am American. I read almost all of the listed changes on this website. While some of the changes were ridiculus, Happy Christmas to Merry Christmas and mummy to mommy, some were definitely needed.
For instance, I had no idea what gormless, cock-crow, scarpered, or haring meant. I would have found reading the books very difficult if these words were not changed and I am an adult. I know that some children would not have the attention span to look up these words. I am not happy with the number of changes to the books. But I did notice that the number of changes is reducing as more volumes are released.
Other changes that I noticed are in grammar. I did not realize that the British slang left out so many small words; the, from, on. I have no opinion about it.
The changes were made, and now there is nothing we can do except perhaps request fewer changes in the future.
All I know is that if people really want to buy the "original" text they should simply go to amazon.co.uk.
At least now the public knows there are some significant difference between the editions.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 5:23 PM EST
Witch
Points: 750
siriusgurl says:
I find this very interesting. Since I'm Canadian I have the UK versions but For the first book I read both PS and SS and I was kindda annoyed at the changes from PS to SS. Anyway I really don't think their needed since I'm 14 and I understood every single word other then "taking the mickey", but for that I just asked my dad and sis what they thought and I came to a reasonable conclusion. And even if you have trouble with a few words it kindda improves your vocabulairy. But whatever...
I'm farther down the list now and I just wanna say that oddly enough I understood some phrases better, before they changed it and that is it just me but I'd rather they say, and I myself am more likely to say "go to the loo" then "have a pee". And also some of that was just shortening the sentence not making it easier to read.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 5:41 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
quidditch_queen says:
I speak spanish and i'm reading the British version of the book 5°, obviously in english. It's not that hard! It's hard to me because the english it's not my first lenguage but i can read it! I prefer to read the British versions too.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 6:24 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 547
ivanlo says:
I'm American though I want the British editions. When all the books are out I'll get the boxed set imported.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 6:33 PM EST
Points: 363
Hedwig says:
I have read both versions of the books and would not read anything other than the original writing again. I think it is a big mistake not to leave them the way they are intended to be. :)
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 6:54 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1303
wahnaroo22 says:
I have to admit, I wouldn't know that "fringe" meant bangs. They should edit some of the words, but us Americans can figure out what most mean! ; )
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 7:22 PM EST
Witch
Points: 742
TigerEyez says:
i knew the majority of those, because my other fav books are british, maybe you've heard of them. The first one in the series is Angus, Thongs, and Full-frontal Snogging. I definitely recommend this book. Well, anyway, they have a dictionary in the back, so I know what all those words mean already. But, i don't remember them talking about scotch tape, I remember "Spellotape" but not scotch tape.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 7:39 PM EST
Points: 790
M. Sebastian says:
What surprises me is that some of the "translations" aren't even really accurate. A "crumpet" is quite different from an "English Muffin". A "newsreader" and a "reporter" are not the same. Interesting not see what changes have been made in Order of the Phoenix.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 8:13 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 603
Padfoot7 says:
Wicked! Personally, I think they should leave the books be. It takes away some of that English charm that we have all grown accustomed to.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 8:21 PM EST
Squib
Points: 164
FideliusCharm8 says:
That's a lot of editing! I wish I had the British version so I can really read the differences.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 8:43 PM EST
Animagus
Points: 19544
Sirius-Ella says:
Wow come to think of it thats real helpful as i
am very interested in the british language..find
it very enthralling!
-sirius-ella-
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 9:00 PM EST
Points: 616
Minister of Magic says:
Mty 1st language is Spanish and my second one is American English.
I've read Books 1-4 in American moslty without any problem, but when reading the Order of the Phoenix (which used many British words) I had to use the dictionary to get the meaning of some words. But in my opinion the books should be in the Orignial version, and well, I've always prefered the British accent. Anyways, the more OotP has been "educative" to me because I've learned some of British words.
Posted Sep 13, 2003 at 11:05 PM EST
Transfiguration Professor
Points: 2990
Choralee says:
After reading all the American editions (purely out of necessity really) I have begun the arduos but well worth it project of collecting all the books in the original UK version published by Bloomsbury. I do not want the Raincoast set from Canada - just the original, published-in the-country-where-it-was-written books. And I can say with all sincerety and a bit of knowledge on the subject that the books are better in meaning and point when read in the original state.
I find it to be a huge insult to the American people that Scholastic feels it has the right to decide what we can or cannot understand. Since when do they control free speech? And what gives them the right to change JKRs words just to suit American sensibilities? Not that I do not love my country (America is great!) but our current national language started as British english, was bastardised a couple hundred years, and now has the shape and form of the most difficult language to learn on the planet! Scholastic needs to grow up, reread our country's history, understand that people deserve the real thing, and stop editing JKRs books before publishing them. The only other versions of her book should be foreign languages! Not British english and American english! They are both english!
Posted Sep 14, 2003 at 12:15 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 397
Tarotx says:
These books were originally marketed to young children in the US and since it's hard enough to get them to read I'm sure the publishers wanted to make it as comfortable as possible.
The books are slowly becoming more British because American children will read Harry no matter since they are into the series. I think by the 7th book there will be only one English version.
Posted Sep 14, 2003 at 1:33 AM EST
Witch
Points: 657
Wotcher_Tonks says:
I think it is rather sad that Scholastic see the need to change the books at all.
Posted Sep 14, 2003 at 2:02 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 399
Rhiannon Silverflame says:
American readers who want the British editions and can afford to spend a little bit on shipping might want to consider the option of ordering from Amazon.ca or Chapters.ca. The Canadian editions are identical to the UK editions, but are probably a bit cheaper to order. (It's where I get mine; after currency conversion it's really not much more than ordering domestically from Amazon.com.)
Posted Sep 14, 2003 at 2:32 AM EST
Head House Elf
Points: 2756
Dobby says:
I agree DogStar*! I wish that they would sell the British ones in America! I would rather read them than the ones we have! (do they really think that we are too stupid to figure the words out for ourselves?!)
Posted Sep 14, 2003 at 11:15 AM EST
Points: 790
M. Sebastian says:
If you think changes are getting less with each book, think again. I just made a comparison last night of the American audio version of OotP compared to the British book version. You would not believe the word and sometimes sentence structure changes I found. Not in words Americans might not understand, but in things like changing "would be" to "was", "to watch" to "and watching" and on and on and on. I was amazed that someone would find this necessary as the original language was perfectly understandable. I only did the first chapter and found so many changes I gave up counting. Wonder what the publisher's explanation is.
Posted Sep 14, 2003 at 11:56 AM EST
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