Newer UK Edition of CoS Has Three Changes From Original Edition

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 43678

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "erisedstraeh2002" <bdmorrp at b...> wrote:
> I promised the group that I would identify changes made in the UK 
> adult paperback versions of the books as I make my way through them.  
> I've just finished CoS, and have three changes to report ...
....EDITED....
> 
> (1) When Harry meets Riddle in the Chamber, in the original edition, 
> Riddle asks Harry "...how is it that you - a *skinny boy* with no 
> extraordinary magical talent - managed to defeat the greatest wizard 
> of all time?"  In the newer edition, it reads:  "...how is it that a 
> *baby* with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the 
> greatest wizard of all time?" (Ch. 17, emphases mine to show the 
> differences).
> 
....EDITED...
> 
> (2) As Harry is running from the Basilisk in the Chamber with his 
> eyes shut, the original edition reads "*Voldemort* was laughing" 
> while the newer edition reads "*Riddle* was laughing" (Ch. 17, 
> emphases mine to show the differences).
> 
....EDITED...
> 
> (3) In Chapter 18 of the original edition, when Lucius Malfoy and 
> Dobby appear in Professor McGonagall's office, it reads:  "The elf 
> was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish 
> cleaning Mr. Malfoy's shoes.  Apparently Mr. Malfoy had set out in a 
> great hurry, for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his 
> usually sleek hair was disheveled.  Ignoring the elf bobbing 
> apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold eyes upon 
> Dumbledore.
> 
> 'So!' he said 'You've come back.  The governors suspended you, but 
> you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts.'"
> 
> The newer edition completely eliminates the paragraph about Dobby 
> polishing Mr. Malfoy's shoes and when Mr. Malfoy speaks, it 
> reads: "'So!' said Lucius Malfoy, his cold eyes fixed on 
> Dumbledore.  'You've come back.  The governors suspended you, but you 
> still saw fit to return to Hogwarts.'"
> 
> This change has me baffled - why would Dobby be with Lucius if Dobby 
> wasn't in the middle of performing a menial task such as shoe-
> polishing?  Why leave this out?
> 
> In addition, the newer edition also has Dumbledore telling Harry that 
> Voldemort is the last remaining *descendant* of Slytherin (Ch. 18), 
> but since we all know that JKR has already owned up to that error, 
> I'm just mentioning it as an aside.
> 
> I'll keep you posted as I make my way through PoA!
> 
> ~Phyllis

bboy_mn comments:

What I want to know is WHO is making these decisions? Then I want to
know WHY?

I hardly believe that the publishers are consulting JKR on all these
changes, and I certainly question whether some copy editor (or
whatever they are called) is qualified to rewrite a book with a plot
this complicated. There are subtle seemingly insignificant things that
eventually turn out to have major plot/story critical significants. 

Now I find, to complicate matters even more, that there are not TWO
english to english 'translations' of the book but three; British
English, Brit. to American English, and Brit. to Canadian English. Now
I have to wonder, how many other version of English are different? Are
the changes in the Australian English version that we don't know about? 

We recently discussed a good example of why copy editors shouldn't
presume that they know the book better than the original author. It
has come to light that the American version of PS/SS has Hagrid saying
that he has to get the giant motorcycle BACK to Sirius, then we find
out later, it was originally written to say, he had to get the
motorcycle put away. Obviously, a change by an American copy editor
who hadn't read the later books, and didn't realize he was changing
something significant.

I REALLY REALLY don't like this, REALLY. I think it is fine for copy
editors (or whatever they are called) to correct minor errors, but by
no means whatsoever should they be rewriting the book, and certainly
shouldn't be throwing out entire paragraphs. 

In the third example you gave, regarding Dobby, I think the missing
paragraph is critical. The mark of a good house-elf, as we find out
later, is that you don't see them, you don't know that they are there;
so for a house-elf to appear the way Dobby is in this scene, is
significant, very significant. Since house-elves remain hidden, it's
important to justify why Dobby is there.

I simple can't seen any justification that a copy editor could
possible come up with that could explain changing or leaving out this
paragraph.

I think JKR needs to sit down with the publishers and have a serious
talk with them, and maybe do some serious butt kicking while she's at it.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

bboy_mn