Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Coulson
I have a question: I don't mean to offend any sensitivities about spelling or indeed grammar, but let's face it, there can be quite a difference between UK and US English and I was wondering if, when I finally make my first eBook purchase, does one have any choice of country in terms of the book's publishing? By this I mean, can one avoid US spelling such as color, favor etc?
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Well, theoretically you should find UK spelling in a book from a UK publisher and US spelling in a book from a US publisher. And in a sane world, you'd be able to choose whether to buy a book from a US publisher or a UK publisher, and so get your preferred version.
But with publishers enforcing the regional restrictions in their publishing contracts, your choice of publisher is probably restricted.
And even if you could choose, I 'm not sure how much care publishers are putting into doing trans-atlantic 'translations' these days.
The one book series I have paid attention to in this regard is Harry Potter. And there I think you would be rewarded by getting a UK version, when the ebooks eventually come out, and assuming that they do come in UK and US versions. (The US publisher has not only Americanised spellings, but has also made more significant changes in word choice, and even re-written a phrase or two.)
I think my rambling answer could be summarised as: Perhaps, but only if you're lucky.