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Show or tell - crips vs crisp

PotomacBob ๐Ÿšซ

A minor character, who appears only occasionally in a long story, pronounces it crips instead of crisp. I fear readers might think it is a typo instead of an attempt to show a habitual mispronunciation. Is there a need to tell readers (Maybe through dialogue?) that it is the character's mistake?

Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@PotomacBob

A minor character, who appears only occasionally in a long story, pronounces it crips instead of crisp.

In the US, we call them chips. :)

Is there a need to tell readers (Maybe through dialogue?) that it is the character's mistake?

I'd go for a combination of narrative and dialog. Have him open a bag, eat a few then offer a "crips" to a friend.

Replies:   PotomacBob
PotomacBob ๐Ÿšซ

@Dominions Son

In the US, we call them chips. :)

In this case, the word is an adjective, i.e., "crips bacon"

Replies:   Remus2  AmigaClone
Remus2 ๐Ÿšซ

@PotomacBob

"crips bacon"

Maybe it's a food truck selling bacon in South Central L.A.

Replies:   Radagast
Radagast ๐Ÿšซ

@Remus2

Drive by goes bad and crashes into a power pole? Thats a crispy Crips critter.

Replies:   Remus2
Remus2 ๐Ÿšซ

@Radagast

Drive by goes bad and crashes into a power pole? Thats a crispy Crips critter.

Cripsy Crips critters? Works for me.

Replies:   Dominions Son
Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ
Updated:

@Remus2

@Radagast

Drive by goes bad and crashes into a power pole? Thats a crispy Crips critter.

Cripsy Crips critters? Works for me.

Unless they turn into zombies. Then you have Creepy Crispy Crips.

AmigaClone ๐Ÿšซ

@PotomacBob

In this case, the word is an adjective, i.e., "crips bacon"

I could see someone trying to correct that minor character, or remembering that they used to try correcting that pronunciation before giving up.

irvmull ๐Ÿšซ

@PotomacBob

Crips and Bloods:

Motorcycle gangs, or part of an English breakfast?

Replies:   Remus2
Remus2 ๐Ÿšซ

@irvmull

Crips and bloods are street gangs, not MC gangs. Hells Angels and Banditos are the dominant MC gangs in the LA basin. Either of the latter groups make the Crips and Bloods look like pansies. MS-13 is the only street gang in the area that can match up in terms of violence to the dominant MC gangs.

awnlee jawking ๐Ÿšซ

@PotomacBob

Another approach might be to have the character use it several more times immediately after the first use, with other characters using the correct pronunciation. That would establish the pattern to the readers and confirm that it wasn't a rogue search and replace error.

AJ

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