Question

[ailsa_clare]

Why do Americans change the names of English books?

Like, why is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone called the Sorcerer's Stone. Does America not know about the philosopher's stone? Why would changing it to Sorcerer make it any clearer if you did not have the original concept? And I mean, I've never read an American version of Harry Potter,

Comments

[ailsa_clare]

There's another comment bellow that links to an explanation of The Golden Compass difference... which is actually quite interesting as it goes!

But yeah its incredibly sad. Though I do know in Britain a lot of advertisers/ tv producers seem to have a low opinion of the general public's intelligence and that saddens me too (and I happen to think its a self-fufilling prophecy- if you dumb things down because you think people are stupid, then people will become more stupid, non?). I also read somewhere as well that 'abstract' or 'complex' book titles are less likely to sell but with the Philosopher's Stone it seems so odd, especially as the book is for children and some contains and explanation of the stone within!

[fidgetgirl]

as one of those pathetic americans (unfortunately) i wish i had a good answer for you. but i don't. i don't understand it, and i don't approve of it or like it. but i guess i'm in the minority. i'd have preferred them to keep it the philosopher's stone, and the northern lights (which i had known about when i first read it as the golden compass, and couldn't understand why they did it then either). i think i'm in the minority though, sadly, but i think that's because i generally don't like the US and would much rather be in any other country other than america, but well, yeah. i wish i had a good answer for you. i don't think it's necessarily because american publishers think it's too english, but i think they change whatever they do because they think we as stupid americans wouldn't understand and therefore wouldn't try to understand if we were given the "english version" to read. sadly, i think americans are just too bloody stupid and it makes me want to kick all of us, heh. but, well, i know where you're coming from, because i feel

[ailsa_clare]

i don't think it's necessarily because american publishers think it's too english, but i think they change whatever they do because they think we as stupid americans wouldn't understand and therefore wouldn't try to understand if we were given the "english version" to read.

I dunno, I guess I see it as part of a wider trend where English shows are Americanised (such as The Office and QAF etc). And I don't have a particularly low opinion of American's intelligence in comparison to everyone else's intelligence. But I spose that could be an opinion of mine that might be challenged when I actually live there for a year!

[fidgetgirl]

that is definitely happening, english things being americanized (unfortunately). i don't really think it's because we're dumb persay, or not exactly, it's just that i think they see americans and english as two entirely separate beings with very little in common, or very little that's able to be recognized or something. i don't think i'm explaining my thoughts on it very well. but then i think i'm one of the few americans who definitely prefers anywhere else other than the US to be or whatever. where will you be living over here in the states? sounds interesting. anyway, hope you're doing well and having a good day/week. talk to you later.

[xmirax]

Yeah, it's frustrating because not only do they release Americanised versions of British books here but there's like, no way to get the British versions should we want them.

[ailsa_clare]

Is it not possible to order them from amazon.co.uk? Because I have to admit I was planning on ordering some things from the american amazon and was curious about whether that was actually possible or not.

[xmirax]

mmm I did poke around a while ago trying to see if I could order the UK version of the HP books but I kept getting redirected from the UK Amazon site to the US one :/ Had similar problems trying to see if I could get stuff off the UK iTunes too lol.

[sky_dreamer47]

Here's an explanation of the Northern Lights/The Golden Compass thing. :)

[ailsa_clare]

Awesome! Thanks, that's actually really quite interesting. And I absolutely love your icon by the way, so pretty :)