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Why is 'Where's Wally' called 'Where's Waldo' in the USA?
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CarryOn123
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#1
I was watching the promo for the next Black Mirror The Waldo Moment programme and somehow got onto thinking about Where's Wally/ Waldo now it's bugging me why there are two different titles XD
Does anyone know?
Does anyone know?
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dendodge
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#2
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#2
I can think of three possible reasons, but they may all be wrong:
But those are all guesses. It's something that's bugged me too. My money's on number 3 if I had to pick any of them.
- "Wally" is an insult, so they changed it
- Wally isn't a common name in the US (not that it is here either)
- They couldn't get permission to license the name "Where's Wally?", so they picked a slightly different, but original, name
But those are all guesses. It's something that's bugged me too. My money's on number 3 if I had to pick any of them.
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Gotzz
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#3
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#3
Continuing the pattern started with its introduction to the US, Wally got a new name (Waldo) and it seems, a new attitude with every country he was introduced. In some countries, Waldo retained the whimsical "˜w' in his name: For example, in Germany, he's Walter ("Wo ist Walter?") and in Norway, he's Willy ("Der hvor er Willy?"). But in France, he became Charlie ("Ou est Charlie?"), in Denmark, Holger and in Israel, Effi. According to Wikipedia (and therefore not entirely to be believed), American Waldo is a hipper, more "tech-savvy" traveler, while British Wally is a bit of a dork.
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CarryOn123
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#4
(Original post by dendodge)
I can think of three possible reasons, but they may all be wrong:
But those are all guesses. It's something that's bugged me too. My money's on number 3 if I had to pick any of them.
I can think of three possible reasons, but they may all be wrong:
- "Wally" is an insult, so they changed it
- Wally isn't a common name in the US (not that it is here either)
- They couldn't get permission to license the name "Where's Wally?", so they picked a slightly different, but original, name
But those are all guesses. It's something that's bugged me too. My money's on number 3 if I had to pick any of them.
Like you said I think it's more than third one if anything but it's still a bit confusing as to why and have been for ages, apparently when I was 4 and in America I kept asking the shop workers why Wally was called Waldo and they got really confused and thought I was just a crazy little English girl XD
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CarryOn123
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#5
Ahhhh a thankie that shows there's more names but I still don't get why XD Like Harry Potter's name didn't change but the title of the philosopher's stone changed to the sorcerer's stone O.o
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dendodge
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#6
(Original post by CarryOn123)
Ahhhh a thankie that shows there's more names but I still don't get why XD Like Harry Potter's name didn't change but the title of the philosopher's stone changed to the sorcerer's stone O.o
Ahhhh a thankie that shows there's more names but I still don't get why XD Like Harry Potter's name didn't change but the title of the philosopher's stone changed to the sorcerer's stone O.o
Personally, I had more trouble with the name "Hermione"
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Ronove
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#7
(Original post by CarryOn123)
Ahhhh a thankie that shows there's more names but I still don't get why XD Like Harry Potter's name didn't change but the title of the philosopher's stone changed to the sorcerer's stone O.o
Ahhhh a thankie that shows there's more names but I still don't get why XD Like Harry Potter's name didn't change but the title of the philosopher's stone changed to the sorcerer's stone O.o
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ttoby
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#8
(Original post by CarryOn123)
Like Harry Potter's name didn't change but the title of the philosopher's stone changed to the sorcerer's stone O.o
Like Harry Potter's name didn't change but the title of the philosopher's stone changed to the sorcerer's stone O.o
Not sure about Wally/Waldo though. I'd imagine in general they'd change names like this because a name might say something about a character in a certain culture, but in another culture/language they'd need a different name to get the same effect.
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CarryOn123
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#9
(Original post by dendodge)
That one was because they thought American children were too dumb to know what a philosopher was. Seriously.
Personally, I had more trouble with the name "Hermione"
That one was because they thought American children were too dumb to know what a philosopher was. Seriously.
Personally, I had more trouble with the name "Hermione"
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I had so much trouble with learning how to pronounce Hermione before the films
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CarryOn123
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#10
(Original post by Ronove)
Here in Denmark he's called Holger. 'Where's Wally?' is 'Hvor er Holger?'. The 'h' in 'hvor' isn't pronounced so it's not a case of it sounding better, though I guess it looks more appealing as a title that way still.
Here in Denmark he's called Holger. 'Where's Wally?' is 'Hvor er Holger?'. The 'h' in 'hvor' isn't pronounced so it's not a case of it sounding better, though I guess it looks more appealing as a title that way still.
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Manitude
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#11
(Original post by CarryOn123)
I remember how pissed off my cousins were at that, I had to send them a British copy cos of how offended they were XD
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I had so much trouble with learning how to pronounce Hermione before the films
I remember how pissed off my cousins were at that, I had to send them a British copy cos of how offended they were XD
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I had so much trouble with learning how to pronounce Hermione before the films
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CarryOn123
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#12
(Original post by ttoby)
I know with that one, it's because the publisher thought readers would mistake it for being a book about philosophy. At the time JK Rowling was desperate for it to be published so she reluctantly went along with the change.
Not sure about Wally/Waldo though. I'd imagine in general they'd change names like this because a name might say something about a character in a certain culture, but in another culture/language they'd need a different name to get the same effect.
I know with that one, it's because the publisher thought readers would mistake it for being a book about philosophy. At the time JK Rowling was desperate for it to be published so she reluctantly went along with the change.
Not sure about Wally/Waldo though. I'd imagine in general they'd change names like this because a name might say something about a character in a certain culture, but in another culture/language they'd need a different name to get the same effect.
That makes more sense to me now, I asked my mumma as well (she only just came in from work) and she said the same thing as when we were out in America my aunt said it was cos Wally is an insult in some states but also Waldo is a more common abbreviation for Walter than Wally.
I think the answer has been discovered!
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Cadders1990
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#13
(Original post by CarryOn123)
I remember how pissed off my cousins were at that, I had to send them a British copy cos of how offended they were XD
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I had so much trouble with learning how to pronounce Hermione before the films
I remember how pissed off my cousins were at that, I had to send them a British copy cos of how offended they were XD
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I had so much trouble with learning how to pronounce Hermione before the films
p.s. I also pronounced Hagrid as Haygrid!! ooops
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dendodge
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#14
(Original post by CarryOn123)
I remember how pissed off my cousins were at that, I had to send them a British copy cos of how offended they were XD
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I had so much trouble with learning how to pronounce Hermione before the films
I remember how pissed off my cousins were at that, I had to send them a British copy cos of how offended they were XD
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I had so much trouble with learning how to pronounce Hermione before the films
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CarryOn123
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#15
(Original post by Manitude)
My dad had a problem pronouncing it even after he'd seen about half of the films. I regret to say that I hadn't read most of the first book by the time I saw the first film. I started reading it about a day or two before we went to the cinema. IIRC there was some technical issue and we ended up watching the start twice
My dad had a problem pronouncing it even after he'd seen about half of the films. I regret to say that I hadn't read most of the first book by the time I saw the first film. I started reading it about a day or two before we went to the cinema. IIRC there was some technical issue and we ended up watching the start twice
I hadn't read any of the books until I was in year 7/8, my teacher read them to us during our reading times plus I couldn't actually read that well at that point (I was a slow learner at a ****e school) but my teachers all had their own versions of her name my year 4 teacher called her 'Helen' year 5 called her 'Minie' and year 6 teacher was the only one that actually called her 'Hermione' as the film had just come out around then
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CarryOn123
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#16
(Original post by Cadders1990)
i called her Hermoin for aggggess! JK knew fans were having trouble pronouncing her name so in Order of the phoenix she had hermione spell it out for Victor Krum at the Yule Ball. That seemed to sort everyone out :P
p.s. I also pronounced Hagrid as Haygrid!! ooops
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i called her Hermoin for aggggess! JK knew fans were having trouble pronouncing her name so in Order of the phoenix she had hermione spell it out for Victor Krum at the Yule Ball. That seemed to sort everyone out :P
p.s. I also pronounced Hagrid as Haygrid!! ooops
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Apparently we still say Hagrid's name wrong, they don't pronounce it the way Rowling intended in the films
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CarryOn123
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#17
(Original post by dendodge)
I did the whole Viktor Krum thing and called her Hermy-own. When I started talking about the book with my mum, she had to correct me xD
I did the whole Viktor Krum thing and called her Hermy-own. When I started talking about the book with my mum, she had to correct me xD
my mum didn't care enough to try and correct me she just let me carry on and blank me out when I was talking xD
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_justanother
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Ronove
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#19
(Original post by _justanother)
americans arent that stupid... thats a bit rude :/
americans arent that stupid... thats a bit rude :/
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CodClash
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#20
Aussie and we call it where's wally and the guy in the yellow and black that you have to find is named waldo
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