Comments on: I say pyjama…

By: kassy

kassy — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:22:09 +0000

Hi, I’ve been reading your archives and just caught this post. I’m an American but I bought your book from Amazon UK just so I could read it in the correct English and not silly translated American. BTW, it took me only two days to read it, I thought it was fabulous!!

By: robyn

robyn — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:07:25 +0000

How very annoying that the editors think a translation is needed at all. It isn’t. As an American and a reader I read many book by British authors and have been able to understand the few differences. Most of the differences are obvious and immediately understood while others may take a bit of research. It adds to the flavor, or should I say, flavour? of the book.

By: Anna

Anna — Sat, 31 May 2008 22:34:24 +0000

After reading your book in Dutch (I live in the Netherlands) I wanted I had read it in English because reading a book in the language the author wrote it in is just better than a translated one. So I can’t see, just like you, why Americans need a translation;)

By: summer fever

summer fever — Thu, 29 May 2008 22:24:34 +0000

I would much rather read the UK version. I have no trouble reading your blog, for heaven’s sake. I doubt the book would be any harder for a diehard American like me. And I love the French bits you throw in too. What language do they translate that inot – Spanish?

I am now really bummed to find out they translated Harry Potter.

As for “gotten” apparently all English speaking folks used to say gotten (held over from the German roots of our language). The people who left England in the 1600′s and came here brought it with them, but then if fell out of favor and was eventually dropped in England. Hence the difference. I never fell out of favor here and the languages diverged at that point.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:57:15 +0000

PA: “French knickers” would be lingerie. Lingerie is any fancy, sexy underwear (usually a matching set or nightie /teddy).

Underpants, as stated above, are for kids and grandmas.

Panties are cute bottoms. Underwear can mean bra and panties together or just bottoms. Usually means boring, every day kind if unspecified.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:47:22 +0000

Ok. Here’s the deal: People don’t know what they don’t know. The average American is not exposed to British English much, if at all. An American version of the text allows more people to understand and enjoy the book without having to work hard figuring what the heck it says. Most people don’t pick up a book like this with the intent to learn a new language.

Does this mean Americans are ignorant and insulated? Well, ignorant no. Insulated? A bit. But if you plunked us down in the middle of Europe, I’m sure we’d learn a few languages.

That being said, I personally prefer the UK version of UK books by UK authors. If I were fluent enough in French, I would read the original French ditto.

A note in the front about spelling and punctuation with a glossary in back (for anything that context can’t clarify) would be sufficient for any text the author prefers not to translate.

Side notes:
Slippery dip??? What the heck is that?
Itsy Bitsy, please.
I live in Chicago–you got a problem with that? ;)
We have pop, not soda or coke.
They are subs, not hoagies.
I had to decide if my office uses Chicago or AP Style. I went with AP. Have you tried to use Chicago lately?

Petite: LOVE the blog. I’m glad to hear London and Paris are smoke free. I can visit now!!

By: Zerlina

Zerlina — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:46:59 +0000

Bravo! I’d missed the brilliant post by #264. If we lived in the same area, I’d have invited him to dinner next Wednesday along with my friend Francois Pignon, the talented matchstick model maker.

He could have shared his enlightened views with me and my friends over a nice meal. I would have loved to hear more about ‘puctuation’, ‘grammer’ and the ‘bastardiasation’ of the English language.

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 13:45:29 +0000

Perhaps they should call it La Petite Americaine and have done with it!

By: Anali

Anali — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 06:31:45 +0000

I had to pipe in too! Another American who wishes that the publishers would have left good and well enough alone. We could figure it out and we love reading and “hearing” your British voice.

By: Philippa

Philippa — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:09:01 +0000

I also am an American who prefers to read the British version — I buy up as many books as I can bring home any time I make it to the U.K. Thank goodness for amazon.uk.