Mission: crush the anti-semitic googlebomb

[louiselux]

I had a very enjoyable time at my friend's 40th birthday party tonight and was sorry to leave early so I could go to bed. But here I am anyway, not in bed.

I'm getting a bit cheesed off with my US edition of The Charioteer, as I'm fairly sure they've replaced the word 'fat' with the word 'heavy', which I understand is US usage. There are a few other things too, like dumb for stupid, sore for annoyed and guy for bloke, which I'm guessing are replacements too. I suppose I just don't see the point - because if you're reading a book about WW2 Britain, wouldn't you want it to reflect the language and usage of that time and place, rather than change it? Why change it?


Mission: crush the anti-semitic googlebomb: Jew~Jew~Jew~Jew~Jew~Jew~

Comments

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

I'd be cheesed off, too...particularly since "fat" and "heavy" have different conotations. "Guy," yes...that's probably a replacement (and yes, *I* would want the version that said "bloke")

Oddly enough, my copy (somewhere up in the attic) is a British edition. *g*

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Is heavy a pc way of calling someone fat in the US? That's the useage I was assuming, as the book is quite obviously referring to a fat or plump woman and child. But in fact, I haven't checked the UK edition so I could be totally wrong! But it seemed to fit with the other changes. I'm pretty sure a UK serviceman of that time wouldn't say 'dumb' to mean stupid.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Is heavy a pc way of calling someone fat in the US?

Yes, but heavy has a slightly less judgemental sense to it, whereas fat is just...fat.

And no, re: "dumb" - even in the early eighties, my US-obsessed British husband always had this ironic tone whenever he used the word "dumb," like he was saying "Oh look! I'm using a Yank word!" *g*