Forum: Story Discussion and Feedback

If the MC is supposed to be a natural born US citizen, it would probably bother me. On the other hand if the MC is a transplant from the UK, temporary or permanent, it probably wouldn't bother me much if at all.

I would also find it acceptable if the MC was either a military member or dependent of one that had spent a long time in the other country. I know I find myself using terms from the various countries I had either lived in as a dependent or active duty military.

I'd add, to DS's follow up note, that given my background, if the MC were an active Anglo-phile in re literature or media, I'd actually expect some Britishisms to sneak into their conversation. But there would need to be some background provided to explain why they would have developed that vocabulary.

It wasn't until I'd been writing for a while that I discovered that I was using quite a few British spellings on a consistent basis. It turns out, I'd 'absorbed' the British spellings during my extensive readings in British reading as a teen and in my college years, which stuck with me for the next forty+ years.

Once I discovered it, I've tried to eradicate it, but even now, an editor will flag a word, and after checking, I'll discover yet another word I've been 'misspelling' by using the British spelling rather than the American.

And while I never served in the military, I have traveled overseas fairly often, and was raised in a military family, though I don't think either of those had the slightest difference, as no one else in my family shares these spelling quirks of mine.

Sometimes, an author never questions what he's always considered the 'correct' usage, and normally, many of these phrases never come up in normal conversation, or if they do, a British spelling won't affect how it's pronounced.

Where I get 'kicked out' is when the author is from another country and sets his story in the U.S. without realizing that folks here talk a bit differently AND how much regional variation we can have.

Don't read my WIP because you'd be kicked out! (But you don't read incomplete stories anyway, do you!)

I admit I'm the wrong person to be writing the story. But if I had posted the outline in the 'Story Ideas' Forum, it would never get written.

A few people seem to like what I've done so far, and I consider that sufficient encouragement to continue to the end. Apologies to everyone I've kicked ;)

AJ

A few people seem to like what I've done so far, and I consider that sufficient encouragement to continue to the end. Apologies to everyone I've kicked ;)

Knowing it's a potential weak point, I'd consider posting a blog, specifying you're aware you sometimes use the wrong spellings and/or terms, and asking for corrections anytime someone spots one. While you're likely to get a few 'false positives', you should be able to cut down the misplaced terms substantially that way. However, it will also get everyone to focus on the misspellings, so they're likely to notice the spelling flaws they'd never have noticed otherwise. :(

I'd consider posting a blog, specifying you're aware you sometimes use the wrong spellings and/or terms, and asking for corrections anytime someone spots one.

If it were that simple, translators would already have been made redundant by computer programs. Even if a few words are replaced by American terms, there will still be significant phraseology issues.

I've deliberately ignored a couple of such suggestions because, although they represented the normal American jargon, they would make the story far less comprehensible to non-American readers.

I suspect from the small number of complainants that most readers will tolerate stories not written in their preferred dialect of English provided they're well-written and engaging.

AJ

If it were that simple, translators would already have been made redundant by computer programs. Even if a few words are replaced by American terms, there will still be significant phraseology issues.

Not at all. I've NEVER believed in automated language translations, as they often spit out gibberish. I've long favor Fivrr for translations, because for a few bucks, you can get a quick translation from someone who actually knows and is fluent in the language.

The same is true with reader feedback. Granted, you need to vet the suggestions, but if you get something wrong, you'll usually have several people with enough knowledge to alert you before you get too far afield.

I've deliberately ignored a couple of such suggestions because, although they represented the normal American jargon, they would make the story far less comprehensible to non-American readers.

That's always true. While you've got opinions based on experience, you've also got to merge them into an existing story. Typically, when I get feedback, I'll respond by telling the reader how I used the information, and if it doesn't fit into the story, I'll explain that, or if I need to rewrite their suggestion, I'll show them how I changed in (in case I make the situation worse with a last-minute typo).

Generally, I've had a very good record with reader suggestions, though I do vet them. Often, when I get a new editor, I'll compare how they handle writing issues vs. how my other editors do, to determine whether they have any clue as to what they're talking about. If not, I don't argue with them, I just quietly shuffle them aside and stick to my more reliable editors.

The key, though, is to have faith in your own story. One regional dialect can't be superimposed into another region, and one user's 'experiences' are often tainted by outside exposures too.

Keeping regionalisms straight is only one reason to avoid trying for dialogue in a story.

Please, that's NO reason to avoid dialogue entirely, as it wouldn't be much of a story if no character ever spoke in the entire story. I suspect what you intended was 'accented dialogue', where the author attempts to capture the cadence and mannerisms of the local speech.

But the problem with 'Regionalism' is often a surprise, rather than a planned technique, so it occurs just as often in a story's narration as it does in the dialogue.

Many Ute drivers here in Australia tend to be of a certain group as well, known as Bogans.

you missed the bit about them utes having the useless accessories - that's how you tell the difference between a working owner and a Bogan. All the bling stuff is bought by the Bogans.

because as far as I know there were never any members of the Ute tribe anywhere near Iowa

True. The Ute tribe were based around the upper Colorado River area with the centre to the west of the river. That puts them a nice distance from Iowa.

Dickies is another.

Bow ties?

AJ

The second and more difficult part is when the meaning of a word is vastly different between regions. Fag is one. Dickies is another. When they are used, the character needs to be sure that their meaning is clear to those from other regions when it used the first time. After that the reader should be able to sort it out IF they have been paying attention. Besides bits like this broaden the readers horizons.

That's why it pays to have editors from various regional backgrounds. I tend to use quite a few, and they usually include American, European and at least on Australian, so they catch many of the nuances I typically miss. They also call me whenever I assume that everyone knows what a particular American institution or company is.

If the main character is British or Australian originally I understand them speaking that way, but when everyone they talk to in America speaks like they British or Australian I find myself wondering why the story is set in the US.

For the same reason most of the American 'leading men' are either British or Australians, trying to speak with a terrible American accent. Great biceps always trumps dialogue in movies!

Brits say "go to University" or "to Uni"
Yanks say "go to college"

In the U.S., there's a specific legal definition separating colleges and universities, and neither one includes the UK's version of high school (grades 9 - 12).

the UK's version of high school (grades 9 - 12)

??????

That doesn't look like any UK high school I recognise.

AJ

Ages 11-18 when a school has a sixth form, otherwise 11-16, with kids having to transfer to a school with a 6th form, or to a sixth form college, in order to take 'A' Level qualifications.

Note that the term 'High School' can have different meanings. If an area still retains selective education, the schools which take the kids who are successful in the 11+ exam used to be called High Schools or Grammar Schools etc, and High School is a sort of generic term to cover them.

However, just to confuse matters, the term 'High School' can appear in a school's name regardless of its selectiveness status.

AJ

However, just to confuse matters, the term 'High School' can appear in a school's name regardless of its selectiveness status.

I can see it now: Grammerly's High-School Grade School.

That doesn't look like any UK high school I recognise.

I was referring to the term 'university', and it's different meanings on either side of the pond.