Oh Dear! "Modernisation" of literature strikes again.

In a move that will slash a wound deep into the heart of generations of children from the 40's to the 50's, Enid Blyton's works are about to have their language "modernised' by the publishers.

"Lashings of editing jolly bad for Blyton books

Phrases like "jolly japes" and "lashings of ginger beer" look set to vanish from children's vocabularies for good, with publishers announcing they are re-editing Enid Blyton's classic books.

The publishers of Blyton's children's books, such as the Famous Five series and Faraway Tree series, say they are erasing some words and phrases from the novels to replace them with modern versions.

Words and phrases reportedly getting the chop include "house mistress", which will be replaced with "teacher", "school tunic" which will be pasted over with "uniform" and "dirty tinkers", which now becomes "travellers".

But children's literature experts say it is tragic that these expressions could be lost forever.

Children's Book Council president Maj Kirkland told ABC Radio that the language in Enid Blyton's books is unique and loved by children. ..."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/26/2964088.htm?section=justin

Oh! What a crying shame!