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The alt.fan.harry-potter FAQ










How To Pronounce Hermione



This is a question often asked by those who have not read book four. In the fourth book JKR lets Hermione pronounce her name phonetically. It is pronounced this way:


Her-my-oh-nee




The Harry Potter Encyclopaedia has a pronunciation guide to most of the names and words in JKR universe. Follow the Link and you'll be in the G section of the Encyclopaedia - scroll down and you'll be able to visit every part of it!






The Difference between the English and the American Editions


It is widely known that the English edition of Harry Potter Book 1 is called Harry Potter and the Philosophers stone, while the American Edition is Called HP and the Sorceress Stone.

The question is: What is the actual difference between the editions? And why?


The Difference


This is an easy answer. Apart from the cover and the title only some words have changed. It is a translation much as any other (i.e. into Swedish or German) but the interesting part is that there should be no need to translate a book from English to American. But nevertheless the American editors felt the need to translate the book. A few word have changed (carrousel changed too roundabout) but there is no great difference. Ron still has British character since he is still allowed to say "Blimey".


Why


That is the question asked most frequently in combination with the latter. Why does anyone feel the need to translate from English to American? The languages are so similar that it sounds like a waste of energy.

The most logical answer would be that there over the years have come different uses in the languages and that (although small by any standard) most American children would have problems understanding the English children since they speak as children do in Great Britain and not in the USA.

The other possibility would be that the books seem more realistic if the words are common words and not words that only English children use, and therefore seem strange to American children - though they understand the story and it doesn't harm the plot.


This is the American cover for the Sorcerers Stone, it is possible to see the cover for the English edition on the main page.





The Inscription on the Banner

The Inscription on the banner is Latin and translated to English says:

Never tickle a sleeping Dragon

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