# When translating works from  British to American English, should the spellings be changed?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092>\
**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:** 4\
**Page:** 4

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/61 "2010-07-13T18:09:02Z")

</div>

> [@spark240](#):
>
> **Barchetta** , are you saying that dumbing-down is fine if it’s for children?

No. I’m saying it _can_ be, though I hardly consider “dumbing down” as the best way to classify it.

I’m also not willing to blame them for changing that word considering it’s in the title–if they thought it likely the former name would lessen sales, I’m certainly not going to blame them for what amounts to an insignificant change.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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 13, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/62 "2010-07-13T20:10:42Z")

</div>

> [@Red\_Barchetta](#):
>
> Think the kids noticed or cared?

My favorite niece noticed. So did my best friend’s oldest son.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/63 "2010-07-13T20:26:50Z")

</div>

> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> My favorite niece noticed. So did my best friend’s oldest son.

How exactly did they “notice”? Unless they were told beforehand or read about it, I can’t see how they could possibly be aware of the change.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092/64 "2010-07-13T20:47:21Z")

</div>

The only time I ever was confused by British English was reading the Wolfenden report in high school law, and not being able to figure out what the heck a ‘gaol’ was. 😕

But alas, apparently even the British use ‘jail’ now, so that’s a moot point. I read a version of Robinson Crusoe that was annotated for 18th century jargon the reader might not understand. An annotated “Lord of the Flies” I had attempted to decipher Piggy’s cockney accent (and also, pointed out to me that it _was_ a cockney accent he was supposed to have, something that was lost on me). Could you not put endnotes in a British work released in the U.S.? That seems like a nice compromise without damaging artistic integrity.

Why was “Sorcerer” changed “Philosopher,” anyhow? Do Americans not know what a sorcerer is? :dubious:

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-translating-works-from-british-to-american-english-should-the-spellings-be-changed/546092.md?page=3)