Sorcerer stone v Philosopher Stone WAS: Hermione

[Miles]

> Beatrice:  I don't really have an answer here, but I wonder if it is
> not so much that publishers were "dumbing" things down as they may be
> used to different marketing strategies?  Perhaps children are viewed
> as more powerful consumers in the US than they are elsewhere.
> Perhaps publishers in the US are used to children having disposable
> income/money and see children / teens as more apt to make their
> purchasing decisions independent of their parents, as opposed to
> children / teens whose parents are either more involved or make the
> purchases outright?  Or perhaps those countries simply don't consider
> children as viable consumers?

Miles
I doubt that there is a big difference in US or UK children having and 
spending their own money. If you'd consider the first HP books originally 
written for an audience of about 10-12 years, I really doubt that the 
average kid would decide about what books they buy and read without their 
parents - but the parents wouldn't decide without the kids.

I can't say anything about the UK, but the German edition was published 
parallel to the US edition. German children have a considerable amount of 
own money and choose themselves what they do with it (along with their 
parents). The German publishing house is a leading publisher for children's 
books, and they know about marketing. They had no problems with using the 
"original" term, although "Stein der Weisen" is not directly connected to 
schools for magic. In 1998, "Harry Potter" didn't sell a single book as a 
trade name, it was still a insiders' tip.

Anyway, I think it's not less an infamy to change the title of the book for 
the US market, than to publish the book in the UK only with the initials and 
without the full name of the author, to cover up that she is a woman.

Miles