US/UK language differences

Interesting. It’s clear that the manuscript was given separate copy edits by American and English editors. Both copy editors seem to have taken liberties that I find annoying.

For example, at 315 we find

US: was a small, stout, bespectacled man
UK: was a small, bespectacled man

Jeers to UK for that one. Why not leave “stout” in there? the “it’s a synonym for beer” argument doesn’t hold water (as it were) b/c JKR is a UK writer…

At 369 we find:

US Harry recognized Voldemort at once.
UK Harry recognized Riddle at once.

As I’ve pointed out before, the distinction may be important. Not sure whether the UK or US c/e is at fault, but one of them is!

The US copy editor seems to think US readers are rather dense:

85 US everybody’s in mortal danger UK everybody’s in mortal peril
112 US Madam Malkin, the owner, said UK Madam Malkin said

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