(no subject)

[doyle]

Checking out a post on hp_essays about Britpicking - because some of the Harry Potter fic I was reading last night was fantastic but had an Americanism every couple of paragraphs1, and dumpsters and diapers2 and candy stores in a British setting just bring me to a screeching halt - and am I understanding the comments right? The books were translated into American English? :boggles: I knew the title of Philosopher's Stone was changed but assumed the text had been left alone. That just seems odd.

1: Yep, aware of the irony in this since I'm plenty guilty of sticking Briticisms into Buffy fic.

2. Uh, the nappies/diapers were on a baby, they weren't the kind for grown-ups.

Comments

[imation23.livejournal.com]

It does really throw me when I come across the Trio studying for 'midterms' and 'finals' in fic. I know they changed things for the American versions but I don't think they changed British slang or things as basic as getting 'homework' instead of 'assignments'. When I come across stuff like that in fic I usually back out because often it means the author hasn't been paying enough attention to what they're writing.

OTOH when I *do* come across fic like cantinera's, which manages Britishisms perfectly, I am doubly pleased.