Why was the title of the first Harry Potter book changed from "Philosopher's Stone" to "Sorcerer's Stone" for American readers?
by 
Ed the Jetpacking Headbanger
ANSWERS: 8
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The word Sorcerer in the US means a Wizard, while my online dictinary says a Philosopher is a 'somebody who seeks to understand and explain the principles of existence and reality'. Perhaps it is a Britisicim matter, where a word in the US means something different, or is written different than what it is in the British isles. ^_^ Like, sweater - jumper, sidewalk - pavement.
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Philosophy is as confusing and obscure to the average American as sorcery.
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don't be offended, we are used to watered down left-overs in our librayies fro example, stephen hawking endeavourd into makeing the simplest and most complete physicis book for the general public, and it was in english...even hawking comment that his publisure had it translated into "american"
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According to Wikipedia, it was believed that American children wouldn't want to read a book with such a big word in the title.
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It may have been felt that more Americans -- adults as well as children -- are interested in sorcery than in philosophy. And I'm afraid that may be true.
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There were many changes made to book #1 because it was believed that Americans were too dull to understand the cultural references. +5
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I think it may be because of the negative connotations of the Philosophers Stone. It is said to have the effect of a youth potion but the way to make it involves blood sacrifice. Or it could be that Americans are considered too stupid to be able to read the entire word, or too dull witted to be interested in anything connected with thte word "philosophy".
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Because England thinks of America as its dumb, drunk second-cousin. It wants to improve us, but it talks down to us. Stupid island, looking smugly at us over its roast beef.
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