The American Editors are Idiots! Is JKR an American Editor, therefore, an idiot?

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 16165

Doreen wrote:

> Sorry, but JKR made ALL of the editing changes "by herself."
> 
<snipped JKR quote> 

JKR:

> I have had some criticism from other British writers about allowing 
any
> changes at all, but I feel the natural extension of that argument is 
to go
> and tell French and Danish children that we will not be translating 
Harry
> Potter, so they'd better go and learn English.

JKR again:

 And they were literally words 
that
> meant something utterly different - like 'jumper', which means 
'pinafore
> dress' in America. 

Doreen adds:

> Ahem ... does this make JKR an idiot?

Our Lady and Creator is, of course, not an idiot, but She is not 
omnipotent nor infallible.  I respectfully disagree with her judgment, 
and I doubt her complete honesty ("mum" is not "literally [a word] 
that mean[s] something different).  Sorry, but I do.

I also don't think this kind of change is comparable to translating 
the books into French and Dutch.  Translating expressions like 
"jumper" or (this one made me laugh) "pop my clogs" (what Harry, 
according to Hermione, wisely failed to do upon seeing the Grim (PoA 
6)--the U.S. translates it as "kick the bucket") is more comparable to 
translating to a foreign language, though I think a glossary would 
have been a more enjoyable solution; also, in both of these cases, 
context would rapidly make it clear.  Just think:  if I hadn't bought 
the UK edition, I never would have learned the expression "pop one's 
clogs," and just think how much less meaningful my life would be.

Amy Z

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 The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that
 stood alone in the middle of the grounds.
                 -HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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