[HPforGrownups] Re: The Stephen Fry versions of the Potter books.

[Shelley]

No: HPFGUIDX 192365

On 5/31/2013 11:00 AM, John wrote:
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>> Geoff:
>>>> Shouldn't be since they were written in UK English originally..
>>>> <vbeg, waving Union Jack kept over from the Jubilee celebrations>
>>>>
>>>> Glad to hear from another UK resident; whereabouts are you?
>> AJM:
>>> I live in Yelverton, Devon - about 10 miles from Plymouth.  I'm
>>> actually quite surprised there aren't more UK fans on the list,
>>> especially as the books were written in the UK.
>> Geoff:
>> I suspect it's because the fanfic group probably caught on more
>> rapidly over there in the US.
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>> We're not a million miles apart - I'm in Minehead; I've been on the
>> group raising (hopefully) interesting questions and thoughts about
>> all matters Potter since 2003.
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> Hi All.
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> I'm another Brit, who has just joined this group. Glad to see I'm not the only bloke from our 'quaint little island' here.;o)
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> ...
> Being an admirer of many American authors and as a fanfiction.net member I'm fully used to the Americanisms often present in US fan fiction set in the British Wizarding World. Nevertheless I was very disappointed that the books and resultant audiobooks had been so 'mucked about with' by Scholastic, something which as far as I know didn't happen in either Canadian or Australian versions.
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> I feel that the 'alterations' whilst perhaps making comprehension of meanings easier for young American readers is actually a bit condescending. It almost amounts to saying 'You're not intelligent enough to work this out sweety'. :o(
Many of us here in America agree with you- it would have been nice to 
read a British novel in Brit-speak, rather than have it Americanized. It 
would have felt more authentic to have Harry put on his trainers.

But I suspect the move was one of politics- changing the words makes 
them "not the same exact book", meaning that both sides of the pond 
would gain additional sales from people wanting both versions, however 
slight the differences might have been.

Shelley