Question for *AMERICAN* fans of the Harry Potter books?

[CutiePie2000]

As you all know, Book #5 is looming on the horizon, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!
I am very psyched to read this next book.

And now, my question, and I direct it to the Americans (because I live in Canada and I want to know what you all think!)

I'm not sure if you knew this, but in Canada, and Australia (being parts of the "British Commonwealth"), we received the books in the way that J.K. Rowling originally published them (cuz she lives in the British Commonwealth, too)
For example, Book #1 was called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (I think the movie in Canada was called "Philosopher's Stone", but I saw it in Australia and it was DEFINITELY called "Philosopher's Stone" there.

In the USA, Book #1, was called Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (as was the movie).

Also, in the "US Version" of the book, there were many other Americanizations in the book (which are detailed in
this article here).

Here's a small excerpt of said article:
__________________________________________
"So where the Harry of the British editions has a passion for pudding, especially jelly, the Harry adapted for America prefers dessert and Jell-O. Bad guys are "crooked" instead of "wonky"; "puff balls" replace "bobbles" and "complete lunatic" takes half the menace and all the energy out of "barking mad."

The British Potter checks a "timetable" for his beloved classes at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but dreads the "holidays." In the American versions, though, Harry's classes are listed in a "schedule" and it's "vacations" that force him to go home to his detestable foster family.

In perhaps the ultimate over-Americanization of all, "Father Christmas" becomes "Santa Claus." The good news, though, is that some words appear to be untranslatable. The kid disparaged as "ickle Ronnie" stays disparaged; the kid disparaged as "little Ronnie" would at least have a chance of someday growing up. "Ickle" stays, in both British and American versions.

"Shirty" stays, too, but it's italicized - apparently to make sure we understand it isn't a typographical error."
_______________________

So, to you Americans, how do you feel about this? Do you feel insulted? Do you feel somewhat cheated that you are not getting the "true, authentic experience" of reading Harry Potter, the way J.K. Rowling wrote it? I think people (no matter what country) are smart enough to glean from the context what the author means..they don't need to have a book's words altered for them.

Tell me what you think......please!

[adduncan]

Howdy!

I got hooked on HP when my husband informed me that Minute Maid (Coke subsidiary) was going to be involved in the promotion of the movies. We picked up a copy of the first book, just to see what the fuss was about. I happened to glance at the first pages before work one day. Three chapters and an hour later i was REALLY late!

I'm torn in half on this one: I can see that if you are not really familiar w/ British vernacular, you are going to get lost with some of the terminology. They really are two different languages. So I understand the need for some translation.

Personally, the British phrasing and expressions adds a subtle ethnic touch that gets lost in the translation. But then, I'm a big BBC-America nut and I love British culture.

On a similar note, I thought it was an excellent idea that only British actors and crew be involved in the making of the movies. For the same reasons: American expressions and pronunciation take away from the "feel" that Rowling originally created.

Adrienne (PNAM-2003)
Camped out by the mailbox waiting for Order of the Phoenix.....

[aephi alum]

I can sort of see the reasons for the Americanization - but yes, I do feel insulted that some editor arbitrarily decided that Americans don't know what a philosopher, a timetable, or pudding is.

One of these days I'll have to get hold of the unadulterated versions...

[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by aephi alum
I can sort of see the reasons for the Americanization - but yes, I do feel insulted that some editor arbitrarily decided that Americans don't know what a philosopher, a timetable, or pudding is.

What I also don't get is that while "timetable" and "schedule", mean virtually the same thing, Philosopher and Sorceror mean totally different things?
Like you would never lump Socrates (a Philosopher) and Gandalf (the Sorceror Wizard Dude from Lord of the Rings) together??

[lauralaylin]

I am not insulted at all. The changes are very small, and they don't take away from the story. I think it's silly to change these little things, but it's no big deal to me.

The one exception is the Sorcerer's Stone vs. Philosopher's Stone. I had no idea what the Philosopher's Stone was until the movie came out. I had never heard of the story behind it. But, if I recall correctly, there was a poll on Harry Potter For Grown Ups that asked if people knew what the Philosopher's Stone was before reading the book, and the British seemed to have heard about it more than the Americans. So that change I can sort of see.

Btw, only 70 days left! I don't know if I can wait that long. The movie comes out today, and I ordered it from Amazon. Dumb move on my part, it hasn't come yet for me, but I know someone who had it on Wednesday!

[AlphaSigOU]

Don't forget, many Americans have never left their zip codes, so are totally unfamiliar with British idioms and slang.

Many moons ago (fifty, to be exact), Ian Fleming wrote the first book of the adventures of Britain's most famous secret agent, James Bond. The series was popular in England and Europe, with a small, devoted fan base in America.

It was not until 1960 when Life magazine published an article on President John F. Kennedy's ten most favorite books; number 7 on the list was Fleming's From Russia with Love. That's when 007 mania began taking off.

Fleming's first book, Casino Royale was full of Britishisms and a few French words thrown in for good measure. (Fleming, like his alter ego James Bond, was fluent in French, German and Russian.) When first issued in paperback in the USA, the title was altered to You Asked For It and the dialogue Americanized, since the publishers thought at the time 'Americans wouldn't know how to pronounce Casino Royale'.

Some of the American editions of Fleming's books had chapter titles changed; in is second book, Live And Let Die, one chapter title in the original book read: "N***** Heaven". The American edition changed it to a more benign "Seventh Avenue". (Ya gotta remember this was the early 50s, not the PC culture of today.)

[FuzzieAlum]

There is such a thing as a philosophers stone, though (well, mythologically), and there is no such thing as a sorcorers stone. It's like saying, "They're never heard of unicorns, so we'll call them horn-horses."

The philosophers' stone was an alchemical concept - it was supposed to be able to turn lead into gold.

I as a reader am very insulted. That's why I buy the Canadian editions.

[sugar and spice]

I wouldn't necessarily say that I was insulted, but I think it's stupid. We had this discussion on another board, and everybody said that, when they were younger, they picked up lots of things from British culture just by reading books written in Britain . . . they didn't need them to be "Americanized," they figured things out as they read. And I think the publishers are not giving American kids of today nearly enough credit.

For whoever asked why it was changed from "Philosopher's Stone" to "Sorcerer's Stone," it was because the publishers thought that American children would find the word "philosopher" off-putting and boring, where "sorcerer" sounded way more interesting and more likely to induce kids to read it.

[rainbowbrightCS]

personaly i have tried to read the british version, and i kept getting stuck, i had to get my friend (who is a Brit) to translate, the book should be fun to read, so if they change is to the vanacular it is fine by me....

Chris

[Lady Pi Phi]

Nope. In Canada it was Called the Philosopher's Stone. Book and Movie.

edited to add: I'm so glad I read the British version.

[SilverTurtle]

I don't know if insulted is quite the right word, but I do think it was unnecessary.

In the American movie "HP & The Sorceror's Stone" the cast definately refers to the actual object as the sorceror's stone. I asked my friend (an American living in London) if it was philosopher's stone when he saw it in England. & he wasn't sure. He thought it was until I asked him, because I couldn't imagine them filming all of those scenes twice just to change the one word.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by SilverTurtle
I couldn't imagine them filming all of those scenes twice just to change the one word.

I think they actually did, though.

My nephews have the video (Canadian version) and not only is the title "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, but the cast definitely call it the Philosopher's Stone in the movie, too.

[sarahgrace]

Eh...I don't care too much...and I don't think it would be too hard to get my hands on a British version if I really wanted to...

Sarah

[MoonStar17]

I have been quite obsessed with Harry Potter and I have ordered my copy of book #5 already!!

As for the changes. I think for some it might be appropriate, considering that you have to think of it as what the majority is. Sad reality is that majority of people who will read one of JKRowling's books will NOT know how to understand the language found in HP.

Also, younger children who are being read HP might get lost in the words, still somewhat older children will be able to figure it out if they are reading the words and are able to understand the context of the passage and/or sentence.

Still, as for me I would LOVE to get a hold of the Brittish copies, I find the language very interesting and I love how they talk on the movies, very authentic to the characters that JKRowling created.

I cant wait for book #5!!!!

[CutiePie2000]

If you want to get Harry Potter books in the "British" or "Canadian" format (they're the exact same kiddies, but the Canadian will be cheaper for you Americans),

You can order from:

www.amazon.ca (Please note the " .ca ", not .com !! .ca means Canada, so that is the Amazon site for Canadian orders) or
www.chapters.ca (which is kind of like your Barnes & Nobles or BORDERS)