[HPforGrownups] Re: US & UK editions; dumbing down?

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 35599

In a message dated 22/02/02 06:47:21 GMT Standard Time, muellem at bc.edu writes:


> And honestly, I think even I, the "dumbed-down" American 
> knows what "Mum" means!  They really didn't need to change that to 
> "Mom".  But, again, the point was that the story is intact -- it is 
> not like a plot change or anything.  
> 
> 

Now that's a really stupid change (IMHO, she says, moderating her tone 
rapidly). A British child could just as easily say sweater as jumper (though 
the latter is IMO, more likely): they are synonymous British terms. But a 
British kid would never, never say 'Mom', unless they were deliberately 
putting on an American accent. That crosses the border, from replacing 
confusing terms ( and BTW, why does this conversation keep referring to 
'slang'?: as I understand it many of the replacements are for standard terms) 
to embracing a specifically American mode of expression.

Eloise ( who has issues of cultural identity on her mind at the moment)


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