CD listening - UK/US words

[flying_ford_anglia]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C2755
From: flying_ford_anglia
Subject: CD listening - UK/US words
Date: 6/24/00 12:34 pm  (ET)

Yeah, it's me again! But don't worry, I'm out ALL night, and unable to
reach a computer... until about 4am BST :)

Well folks, I finally settled down to listen to the CD version of Book 1,
and I have a few comments:

I really like Jim Dale's style and marvel at the way he switches from
voice to voice.

I wasn't expecting Professor McGonagall to have an accent, but Jim gives
her a passable Edinburgh-Scottish brogue, which veers occasionally into
Welsh, via Montgomery Scott ("I cannae hold her much longer, Professor!").

His Hagrid is exactly what I expected - a West Country accent: gruff,
vaguely-uneducated Bristolian.

The Dursleys are also spot on: common Ex-Londoners trying to sound
well-spoken.

Anyway, my question relates to the slight Americanisations in the first
few chapters. Here are a few examples that stuck out for me:

- Hagrid's hands are like "trash can lids" [dustbin lids];

- Harry's hair has "bangs" [a fringe];

- Mr Dursley's face goes as red as a "beet" [beetroot];

- Harry's glasses are held together with "Scotch tape" [Sellotape].

I'm sure there are other British words they didn't change [e.g. chipolata,
later on], which also seems odd.

If I read a book by an American author, I would know what beets, bangs
and trash cans were, and I think the use of those words would enhance
the American 'feel' of the story.

I just wonder why they bothered to make the changes at all? The only
reason I can think of, is that 9-12 year old American kids are assumed
not to know the UK meanings. Is that the case?
How does Scholastic decide what is and isn't likely to be understood?

Neil