Errors in the books
Re: Errors in books
In 'The Mystery of Holly Lane' - at least in the 1969 Dragon edition - there's a chapter entitled 'A Chat With Wilfred - And A Surprise'. Well the surprise appears to be that the character is actually called Wilfrid! The word 'Wilfred' does actually appear once but then reverts back to Wilfrid two paragraphs later.
Elsewhere, Fatty's real name once appears as 'Frederik'!
Elsewhere, Fatty's real name once appears as 'Frederik'!
- Rob Houghton
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Re: Errors in books
Interesting! That was obviously a later error - as in my 1957 hardback version the chapter is called 'A Chat With Wilfrid - And A Surpise'.
I've always felt 'Wilfrid' is spelled wrong, lol! Surely it SHOULD be 'Wilfred'?
I've always felt 'Wilfrid' is spelled wrong, lol! Surely it SHOULD be 'Wilfred'?
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- Daisy
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Re: Errors in books
Enid uses "Wilfrid" in "Five have a Mystery to Solve" as well.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: Errors in books
i'd forgotten that! Maybe its an old-fashioned way of spelling 'Wilfred'? One thing I know, my 'spell checker' doesn't like 'Wilfid' lol!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Errors in books
There are characters called Wilfrid in The Mystery of the Strange Messages and The Adventures of Mr. Pink-Whistle too. Wilfrid is the older spelling of the name. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon name Wilfrið (pronounced Wilfrith).
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: Errors in books
Ah yes! I should have known that, as I'm very keen on Anglo-Saxon/Viking history.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- Courtenay
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Re: Errors in books
Almost looks like he could be going a bit Viking as well...Stephen wrote: Elsewhere, Fatty's real name once appears as 'Frederik'!
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- Daisy
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Re: Errors in books
I notice a good many typos in the books and guess this is just one of those.Courtenay wrote:Almost looks like he could be going a bit Viking as well...Stephen wrote: Elsewhere, Fatty's real name once appears as 'Frederik'!
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
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Re: Errors in books
This might not have been a mistake when it was written, but in 'The Secret Seven' (as in the first book of the series), they decide to make "Weekdays" their password as there are seven days in a week, and they're the Secret Seven. Though Peter points out there are only six weekdays. Well that's still one more than I'm used to! Was Saturday considered a normal working day back in the late 1940s?
Also, when the boys decide to wear white to disguise themselves as snowmen, Janet asks Peter "What about your head - how are you going to hide your dark hair?" Well the only SS illustrations I've seen are by Derek Lucas, who clearly depicts Peter with fair hair.
Also, when the boys decide to wear white to disguise themselves as snowmen, Janet asks Peter "What about your head - how are you going to hide your dark hair?" Well the only SS illustrations I've seen are by Derek Lucas, who clearly depicts Peter with fair hair.
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Re: Errors in books
Just finished Moon Castle last night and noticed the spelling of 'realise' on page 216 is spelled 'realize'. I was taught that 'ize' is the American way (realize, modernize, authorize) compared to the British English of 'ise' (realise, modernise, authorise) so although it's not technically incorrect, surely Enid wouldn't have used US spelling? It would be like me pronouncing 'zebra' as 'zeebra', it's not actually wrong but I just wouldn't do it .
- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Errors in books
I think that both "ise" and "ize" are seen quite frequently in British English. The original spelling for word endings of that kind was "ize", and it may be that American English has been more reluctant than British English to adopt "ise". That would explain why some people think of the "ize" ending as "American".
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- deepeabee
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Re: Errors in books
In Spain, following the Cambridge syllabus, we have to tell the children that ise is the British way and ize is American. So are words that we would spell with a double l and the American way would be just one l.
SwatIsaid!
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- IceMaiden
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Re: Errors in books
Yes that's what I was taught which is why it threw me to see 'American English' in an Enid Blyton book! .
Re: Errors in books
In the 1968 Armada edition of 'The Valley of Adventure', Kiki appears to change gender for a paragraph. It's just after the children look into what appears to be a cave of finely dressed people - not realising they're statues. Kiki lands on the head of a woman and starts to peck her hair...
The children held their breath again. What would the woman do to Kiki - enchant him with her strange eyes, cast a spell on him and turn him into stone?
- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Errors in books
That's interesting, Stephen. I just checked my 1979 Piccolo paperback edition and Kiki is referred to as "her" in that sentence.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member