Have you noticed that Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, and Percy all call Mrs. Weasley Mom in the first book but they call her Mum in all the others.

Not a big deal, but it's something to mention!

I'm sure it's just a function of who did the editing for the US edition... one thought it was important enough to Americanize, and the rest did not.

What makes me angry is when translators change character names and stuff that's not necessary.

I've never noticed that before, but I'm sure it's there because of the American translators, as samsmom explained. Then again I'm sure it also depends on which books you're reading? Which language do you read them in? It probably isn't that way in the ones published in Britain, but if you're reading the ones that was published in America it's probably there.

I have all the books that are British versions and all that are American versions. But it has it in both, I think. I can re-check, but I'm almost positive its in both.

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Ummmm. I have never noticed that before. When I saw this thread, it made me go and see my Harry Potter books, and You are right. It does change from Mom to Mum. Maybe J.K. Rowling did not notice that she changed it. That would make sense.

I have the UK versions and in all of the books it's spelt Mum.
Perhaps, if you're thinking of the American versions, they changed the spelling of Mum in the first one because they also changed the title. I mean, it's supposed to be Philosopher's Stone but they changed it to Sorceror's stone. I have no idea why this was necessary, but hey Anyway, I haven't noticed that but if it's true then it is weird.

I saw that too! And have any of you noticed while rereading the 2nd book at first they say that Justin is in Hufflepuff and then they sya that he is in Gryffindor and then they sya that he's in Hufflepuff again.

Hehehe ... mom ... hehehe ... i'm sorry, i just giggle every time i see that word ... mom ... hehehe ...

Ok, laughing fit over *giggle* i've never noticed that before and i've got the UK versions. Maybe it's just in the american versions? I dunno what they change in the american versions, so it's possible.

hehehe ... mom ... don't worry little_aussie_witch, i dunno why they changed the title either!

Really? I've never paid that much attention to the "mom" or "mum" spelling. That's really weird though, proabably American publishers trying to "Americanize" the books. Which is stupid by the way. I honestly think that the books should be left the way they were when JK wrote them; it's just not the same when they change spellings for different countries.

Hi samsmom. I was just interested to know what character names have been changed within the different translations of the books. I've never noticed that before.
Thankyou!

Not likely - Rowling is not some ignorant schoolgirl who doesn't notice anything.

I think that they had an intern American Editor who had no idea that there was a different between Mom and Mum. He probably thought it was a mistake made by Rowling or the printer. (Also not likely but it's an amusing aspect towards this unanswerable topic)

buahhahaha jiggery-pokery. that was funny.

i have never noticed the mom spelling. i have books that were baught (sp? i can't spell. buahaha) in australia, is that the british version??

oh well.

much love!!

Sorry guys! I'm kind of stupid lol. This really doesn't matter does it? Lol.

Oh, well. If it does, then yay!

In the first book it was mom in the american edition becasue that is how the american publishers wanted it.

But J K Rowling didn't like it she said that the books needed to have that "British" feeling so the american publishers agreed to have it chagne to mum.

In an effort to clean up the forums before the release of the final Harry Potter book, this thread is going to be locked and archived. Please do not open another thread on this topic; you will have plenty of places to discuss all aspects of the books after the forums reopen.

If there are any questions, please let me know via PM! Thanks!

passerby
VTM Forums Moderator