# When translating works from British to American English, should the spellings be changed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092 "2010-07-09T13:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/1 "2010-07-09T13:33:37Z")
Words like “colour/color” or “programme/program.” Should they be changed, or should it be decided that We are smart enough to know wht the word means? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/2 "2010-07-09T13:37:31Z")
In what context is this “translation” taking place? A British book being published in the U.S. as a separate edition, the changes are usually made. What other scenario did you have in mind? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/3 "2010-07-09T13:42:25Z")
What does “translating” from British to American mean? What kind of works are so translated? If “lorry” and “lift” are changed to “truck” and “elevator,” then it would certainly seem strange and pointless to retain spellings like “colour.” I would hope we are smart enough to know what a lift is, no matter what colour it is. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/4 "2010-07-09T13:46:01Z")
I don’t think works should be “translated” from British English to American English at all. We sought out British editions of the Harry Potter books because we didn’t want to put up with the “Sorceror’s Stone” nonsense and the like. I get Penguin Books all the time, and they’re certainly not altered for an American audience. One of the joys of my British-translated _Asterix_ books is figuring out what the jokes (originally intended for a British audience) are about. Learning that other folks spell words differently (sometimes _very_ differently) and use different slang and grammatical constructions is part of the fun. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/5 "2010-07-09T13:50:56Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > We sought out British editions of the Harry Potter books because we didn’t want to put up with the “Sorceror’s Stone” nonsense and the like. Were there other changes besides the substitution of “sorcerer” for “philosopher”? > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Learning that other folks spell words differently (sometimes _very_ differently) and use different slang and grammatical constructions is part of the fun. I consider it part of becoming fluent in English. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/6 "2010-07-09T13:58:46Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Were there other changes besides the substitution of “sorcerer” for “philosopher”? There was something about ‘toilets’ and ‘bathroom’ - because in the US, if you’re in the toilets, you’re actually in the porcelain and/or pipes (admittedly, that sad ghost was often, but…). Mostly they kept British words (biscuit, jumper) unless it would lead Americans to interpret a different meaning. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/7 "2010-07-09T14:41:29Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Were there other changes besides the substitution of “sorcerer” for “philosopher”? Yes. > **[Differences and Changes in the Text – Harry Potter Lexicon](https://www.hp-lexicon.org/differences-changes-text/)** > > The text of the Harry Potter novels stayed almost the same over the ten years it took Rowling to write the saga. However, some variations and changes were made. A number of differences exist between the Bloomsbury and the Scholastic editions of the... ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/8 "2010-07-09T16:04:27Z")
As usual, Canada is stuck in the middle on this. We use American terminology in a lot of cases – truck, elevator, parking lot, motorcycle, scotch tape, etc. (instead of lorry, lift, car park, motorbike, cellotape, etc.), but use British spellings – colour, labour, cheque, etc. (instead of color, labor, check). Fun, fun, fun… ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/9 "2010-07-09T16:07:14Z")
Spellings, no. Words where there is a significant semantic difference, yes. (For instance, “suspenders” in American vs. British English). However if the book takes place in the United States and the characters are American, I would find it jarring if British spellings were used, even if the author was British. ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/10 "2010-07-09T16:10:39Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Yes. Thanks a heap **amanset** for pointing out those differences. They fascinate me, both for the differences and for the choices. As a native speaker of California English I hadn’t known for example that (at least in CoS) the UK “tank top” is the US “sweater vest”. I Googled “tank top” and quickly found a UK image – [oh, yeah](http://www.polo-shirts.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/61_spicy_tank_top-300x300.jpg) – that I could use to encourage more Californians to wear sweater vests in summertime. But (in H-BP) changing “Humph” to “Hmph”?! All credit due to who[m]ever was able to pad their timetabled hours by making such clarifications. And there are more (also from H-BP alone) that are, well, questionable – “as though it were encased” to “as though it was encased”, “woman called Narcissa” to “woman named Narcissa”, “motorbike” to “motorcycle”, “so short that they did not” to “so short they did not”, “looking out of the window” to “looking out the window”, etc. But not to spoil further your own enjoyment. I say to give the kids footnotes straight off. The sooner that they learn about the language and cultural differences in the English[-]speaking world, the sooner that they can appreciate classic art like the _Carry On…_ films. (“I could use a good scrubber.”) ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/11 "2010-07-09T16:11:42Z")
I think it’s something which people should be able to deal with. In fact, I would applaud those who appreciate and enjoy regional differences - in both spelling, vernacular, action, and custom. It’s a feature of our world, not a bug, and should be embraced in my opinion. Those who complain about how some folks talk different or spell things different or have slightly different customs or traditions are bores. Enjoy it! Especially in something so trivial as a bit of bedtime reading about a boy wizard. I think that in this day-and-age of the global village, “them folks talk difrunt to us” should be a celebration, not an obstacle. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/12 "2010-07-09T16:18:08Z")
> [@bup](#): > > There was something about ‘toilets’ and ‘bathroom’ - because in the US, if you’re in the toilets, you’re actually in the porcelain and/or pipes (admittedly, that sad ghost was often, but…). > > Mostly they kept British words (biscuit, jumper) unless it would lead Americans to interpret a different meaning. This is true for books 2-7, but there are quite a lot of changes in book 1. As for translating between different versions of English…eh, there’s no right answers, I guess. I’ve mentioned before that I’m into fandom (ie, reading and writing fanfiction). My fandom is American, but there are quite a lot of British people (plus smaller numbers of Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders) active in the fandom and this is a biiiiig issue that people argue over all the time. I think most people agree that if you’re not American, you need to get one to check your diction, just to get the characterizations correct. Some people like to use American English in the dialog and their own native version of English in the narrative, which is, imho, incredibly distracting and weird. Spelling is more controversial. Most of the Commonwealth sorts flat out refuse to change their spelling to American spellings, and that’s sort of where the issue stands. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/13 "2010-07-09T16:20:39Z")
I say no. The spelling is part of the culture. I oppose things like changing _lorry_ to _truck_ as well. I like getting into the characters’ and authors’ headspace. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/14 "2010-07-09T16:30:28Z")
Well, Philosopher -\> Sorcerer was just moronic, but in general I’m in favour of translating to the locally appropriate spellings. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/15 "2010-07-09T16:35:37Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > What does “translating” from British to American mean? What kind of works are so translated? > > If “lorry” and “lift” are changed to “truck” and “elevator,” then it would certainly seem strange and pointless to retain spellings like “colour.” > > I would hope we are smart enough to know what a lift is, no matter what colour it is. That _should_ read: > [@](#): > > If “lorry” and “lift” are changed to “truck” and “elevator,” then it would certainly seem strange and pointless. 😉 Then again, I’d prefer to read an original British edition than one that’s been dumbed down by “translation.” I wish I could read other languages so I could read a lot more in the original. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/16 "2010-07-09T17:17:28Z")
This reminds me that when The Hardy Boys series was first published in England in the 50s, many Americanisms were changed to their British equivalents. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/17 "2010-07-09T17:55:52Z")
I’ve posted it before but I’ll post it again - here is a [link](http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/rants.htm#corn)to Lindsey Davis’ (the author of the Falco books set in ancient Rome) rant on the subject of “translating” books for the American market. To quote her final word: > [@](#): > > But the underlying assumption that British books have to be modified for the American market needs to be rethought. It’s loathsome. Nobody would ask for this to be done in reverse. Britons accept faucets and such, and tackle US books written in a strong argot because that’s an essential part of their flavour. (Come to that, we accept Ian Rankin and Christopher Brookmyre being indelibly Scottish, even impenetrably Scottish…) > > So, what I am being asked to do if I change words or phrases for American editions is to pretend I am not English and to obliterate my ‘voice’ - yes, that great ideal, beloved of US writing classes. I don’t believe you would dare to expect this of a Spanish or French author, or a Latin American or Japanese author. Nor do I believe that an American author writing about a distinct region, using some of the patois of a native people or the street talk of a particular city, would - or even could - be asked to modify their vocabulary for other Americans. It would be denying cultural identity, absolutely politically incorrect. So is it right that an anaemic Mid-Atlantic tone is regularly applied to British books - and that this is accepted, even by British authors, as a proper thing to do? > > No. > > Let’s get it straight now. I will correct mistakes, inconsistencies and passages that even I can’t understand in retrospect. Otherwise, don’t even ask. The Falco books are English in origin. Their ‘voice’ is not only English, but narrowly defined on occasions right down to the bolshie British Midlands, in the mid Twentieth Century, with influences from BBC Radio and middleclass girls’ education. This voice is crucial. If it means readers have to stretch themselves, then gung ho and jolly good show. Bolshie is another word implying the onset of a colourful argument; that will be obvious from the context. Enough said. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/18 "2010-07-09T18:08:45Z")
There is no “should”. If the total market for two separate editions is greater than a single one, it will be done, simply to increase profit. I don’t think the spellings really matter, but if you are going through the effort to Americanize words where the semantic meaning would be confusing (biscuit/cookie etc) then you might as well Americanize the spellings while you’re at it, for the US edition. > [@from\_a\_to\_z](#): > > I say to give the kids footnotes straight off. That’s a cool idea, for adults too. I wouldn’t mind reading the UK edition anyway, I’m sure I could figure out most things, but having footnotes would make it more interesting and fun. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/19 "2010-07-09T18:16:17Z")
Well, this has been enlightening, and a little upsetting. I had not realized that such translations were so common, and I’m now annoyed that I’ve probably read a number of such amended works. Is this mostly a new (last few decades) thing? I recall reading the _Narnia_ books as a youngster and encountering the British usage of “torch” for the first time, but having no trouble understanding it. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/20 "2010-07-09T18:38:18Z")
Another way to look at this is translating any type of English For instance when I was in Georgia I visited the home of [Joel Chandler Harris](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Chandler_Harris). He wrote the [Uncle Remus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Remus) stories. Interestingly enough they had for sale at the site, the original books as written and the books translated into modern English. The original were written in what used to be referred to as a “negro dialect.” This opens up a question, should these books be translated. The books are very hard to read. Actually if you read them out loud they are very easy to read, it’s just when you read them silently. But anyway, you get my point. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092.md?page=2)