US/UK versions

[mlfrasher at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 34217

rachel wrote:

>This may be a dumb question - but how do readers in the US feel about 
the slight translations that have occurred in the US versions? the 
most obvious being the PS / SS substitution (if anyone can shed any 
light on why "philosopher" was not deemed appropriate for the US 
market i'd greatley appreciate it - i'm very curious). 

I recently bought the UK special eds for this very reason.  Perhaps it's my 
personal 'glitch' and professional training that always drives me to the 
original - if I can manage it.  (The bindings are better too, and not just in 
the special eds.)  One of the few ways you can really get into a culture is 
through the language; and if you don't try to learn it, you won't understand 
the present-day perspective of those people, or much of their history.  This 
has been pretty evident in the current postings, and I believe this is true 
for American English speakers to British English. 

I wasn't surprised (but I was disappointed) when I learned that they changed 
the title from Philosophers to Sorcerers.  Philosophers aren't sexy.  
(Although I hear Kant had great legs, and Spinosa....jk!)  If I told my class 
we were going to talk about philosophers, I would watch their eyes roll back 
into their heads and tune out. (and these are college kids....)  The fact is, 
and I'm sure I'll have a lot of you who disagree with me on this, that 
America is not a nation of intellectuals - or perhaps I should rephrase - not 
willing to admit it has intellectual underpinnings.  I'm talking about on a 
mass scale here, as obviously the US has academicians etc., but frankly they 
(which includes me) live in a world that is very different from the everyday 
Jane and Joe.  The word "Intellectual" is practically a swear word (in part, 
thanks to Richard Nixon) and you can't get much more intellectual than a 
philosopher.  Now a sorcerer....well, that says action and intrigue, and 
something a younger audiance can understand much better than a philosopher.

I should add that reading the UK versions were a treat for me to learn a few 
new colloquialisms.  

margaraeta

intellectual (ewwwww), but loves a good beer and a fart joke....