Harry Potter
How and why are the Harry Potter books different in the UK and US?
Why do the UK and US version of the Harry Potter books have different covers? Why are there different versions of the book? I know that they change some of the language to make it easier for those in the US to understand (i.e. some Americans don't understand some of the phrases used in the UK) but why do they have to change it? I think it should be printed the same as JKR wrote it no matter where it is released.
Some of the changes, as you mentioned, are changes to make the meaning clearer (using "sweater" in place of "jumper," for example.) Those changes are the equivalent of translating into another language.
Other changes are made to "dumb down" the books for American readership ("Sorceror's Stone" instead of "Philosopher's Stone.") Those changes are, in my opinion, unnecessary.
Personally, I would like it if the changes were kept to a minimum, but Scholastic apparently has enough power to make edits necessary for the U.S. editions.
 |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets JK Rowling $39.95 Time Remaining: 4h 57m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Half Blood Prince JK Rowling $54.95 Time Remaining: 5h 9m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban JK Rowling $42.95 Time Remaining: 5h 12m |
 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J K Rowling 2007 Unabridged $27.99 Time Remaining: 7h Buy It Now for only: $30.99 |
 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling Audio Books on Tape $8.95 Time Remaining: 7h 23m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets JK Rowling $39.95 Time Remaining: 8h 22m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Half Blood Prince JK Rowling $54.95 Time Remaining: 8h 32m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban JK Rowling $42.95 Time Remaining: 8h 34m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets JK Rowling $39.95 Time Remaining: 9h 43m |
 Harry Potter the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling $16.00 Time Remaining: 9h 43m Buy It Now for only: $16.00 |
 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling 2003 Unabridged $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 9h 48m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Half Blood Prince JK Rowling $54.95 Time Remaining: 9h 51m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban JK Rowling $42.95 Time Remaining: 9h 53m |
 Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J K Rowling 1999 Unabridged $34.38 Time Remaining: 10h 41m Buy It Now for only: $34.38 |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets JK Rowling $39.95 Time Remaining: 11h 50m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Half Blood Prince JK Rowling $54.95 Time Remaining: 12h 3m |
 Harry Potter Unabridged cassette lot of 3 books NIB 1266S1 $10.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 12h 4m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban JK Rowling $42.95 Time Remaining: 12h 6m |
 Harry Potter the Goblet of Fire Audiobook Cassettes $29.99 Time Remaining: 12h 35m Buy It Now for only: $29.99 |
 Harry Potter the Sorcerers Stone 6 cassettes NEW $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 43m |
 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling 1999 Unabridged $34.34 Time Remaining: 13h 34m Buy It Now for only: $34.34 |
 HARRY POTTER 12 CASSETTES OF GOBLET OF FIRE UNABRIDGED TAPES VERY GOOD CONDITION $8.98 Time Remaining: 14h 41m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets JK Rowling $39.95 Time Remaining: 14h 41m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Half Blood Prince JK Rowling $54.95 Time Remaining: 14h 53m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban JK Rowling $42.95 Time Remaining: 14h 55m |
 Harry Potter and the Half blood Prince CD Set Audiobook $59.99 Time Remaining: 15h 16m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J K Rowling 1999 Unabridged $15.99 Time Remaining: 15h 33m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 |
 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling 2003 Unabridged $5.00 Time Remaining: 15h 50m Buy It Now for only: $8.99 |
 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J K Rowling 2000 Unabridged Audio $22.00 Time Remaining: 16h 14m Buy It Now for only: $25.00 |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets JK Rowling $39.95 Time Remaining: 16h 51m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Half Blood Prince JK Rowling $54.95 Time Remaining: 17h 3m |
 Audio CD Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban JK Rowling $42.95 Time Remaining: 17h 6m |
 Harry Potter and the Half blood Prince by J K Rowling 2005 Unabridged $15.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 17h 19m |
 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling 2003 Unabridged $15.00 Time Remaining: 17h 23m |
 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling 2000 Unabridged $15.00 Time Remaining: 17h 27m |
 Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J K Rowling 1999 Unabridged $15.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 17h 29m |
 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling 1999 Unabridged $15.00 Time Remaining: 17h 31m |
 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J K Rowling 2000 Unabridged Audio $15.00 Time Remaining: 17h 33m |
 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling 2000 Unabridged $37.72 Time Remaining: 17h 57m Buy It Now for only: $37.72 |
 NEW Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling 2003 Unabridged $20.00 Time Remaining: 18h 2m Buy It Now for only: $25.00 |
 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling 2001 Unabridged $20.00 Time Remaining: 20h 48m |
 Harry Potter the Goblet of Fire JK Rowlings Audiobook FREE SHIPPING $7.99 Time Remaining: 1d 3h 19m |
 Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J K Rowling 1999 Unabridged $1.99 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 32m |
 Audio CD HARRY POTTER And The PRISONER AZKABAN JK Rowling $11.50 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 8h 39m |
 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows unabridged CD by JK ROWLING compact discs $20.50 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 11h 22m |
 HARRY POTTER COMPLETE AUDIO SET JK ROWLING 1 7 NEW $486.35 Time Remaining: 1d 12h 58m Buy It Now for only: $486.35 |
 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J K Rowling 2007 Unabridged $47.24 Time Remaining: 1d 13h 6m Buy It Now for only: $47.24 |
 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling 2003 Unabridged $6.99 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 6m |
 1 4 HARRY POTTER AUDIOBOOK LOT cassette tape goblet stone Rowling $37.95 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 54m Buy It Now for only: $37.95 |
 Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J K Rowling 1999 Unabridged $10.00 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 15m Buy It Now for only: $12.00 |
 Harry Potter and the Half Blood prince audiobook $18.00 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 34m Buy It Now for only: $30.00 |
 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J K Rowling 2000 Unabridged Audio $5.00 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 19m |
 Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets By J K Rowli $24.99 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 31m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |