A slight tweak in language across editions of Harry Potter significantly alters a particular scene’s impact.
Despite sharing English as their predominant language, the UK and the US have numerous variations in their versions of English. Not only are some words spelt differently, but others also carry completely different meanings depending on which side of the pond you’re on.
Devotees of the JK Rowling books may have noticed some distinctions between the texts released in the UK and those across the pond in the US. For instance, what is titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the UK goes by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone stateside.
However, a detail-oriented fan has shown light on a less evident alteration that could spark a good laugh, depending on your interpretation of the terms used.
Devin, broadcasting her discovery on TikTok, revealed that one episode, in particular, showcases how “British English and American English are sometimes two very different languages”.
She explained in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, there’s a segment where Fred and George Weasley abruptly leave school, leaving behind a “portable swamp.” The narrative describes an arduous clean-up process during which Filch, the Hogwarts caretaker, is tasked with aiding students in traversing the marsh.
In the UK edition of the book, it’s mentioned that Filch had to “punt children across the swamp”. For most Brits, this paints a rather sensible picture, as punting refers to a type of boating in a punt – a long, flat-bottomed boat.
However, any Americans reading the UK versions of the book might find themselves puzzled, just like Devin was, because the term “punting” would suggest something entirely different to them.
Devin explained: “Punting is a very specific move in American football in which a kicker – a punter, it’s a dedicated role – takes the football and kicks it across the field as far as it could possibly go.
“So, as a child, I was assuming that Filch was just kicking children down a hallway. And because I had already suspended my disbelief because this is a fictional book about children wizards, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is fine’.”
Some commenters noted that “punting” is also a term used in rugby, but it’s generally easier for Brits to use context clues to determine which meaning of the word JK Rowling intended, while Americans are largely unfamiliar with the boating term.
Others were left utterly astonished by Devin’s disclosure. One individual remarked: “I legit thought he was drop-kicking those kids all these years,” and another confessed: “It totally made sense bc of how much Filch hated the students. Of course, he was drop-kicking them! Even after I realised it was a different kind of punting; I still couldn’t stop picturing the drop-kicking.”