[the_old_crowd] British vs. American Editions (was Re: Database...)

[pennylin]

Hi --

Like Scott, I'm not very far into my re-read using the UK edition.  The only phrase I was completely unfamiliar with was "take the mickey out of" ....... but checking my UK/US Lexicon, it means to razz or give someone a hard time.  

I just switched over to individual emails on the main list today (which may be premature since I was out for 3 hrs this morning and came back to 60 messages).  Anyway, one of the questions posed was why Ron is all of a sudden referring to Harry as "mate," *all the time.*  He did use that term once in GoF, and I've heard Fred & George use it a few times.  But, the difference was startling with OoP.  Darrin on the main list wonders whether this is a term that an adolescent male wouldn't pick up and use much with his buddies until he was 15/16.  Any comments?  That was one of the things that my friend Nancy mentioned bugged the hell out of her with OoP (the constant use of the term "mate.").  I liked it though!  I notice Harry uses it occasionally, though it seems to be primarily something that comes out of Ron's mouth.  Would there be any reason for the difference there too (i.e., why Ron uses it so frequently and Harry so sparingly)?

Penny

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