Spelling variances

[wishfulthinking]

Does it annoy people that there are word spelling differences between countries? Do they recognise it is not a mistake?

I'm curious. I got a pissed feedback from a reader. When I read, it doesn't worry me if someone eg hands out sexual favors (instead of favours!).

So Aussies's like their 'u'(not ewe, that would be NZ ), and 's' instead of 'z'.

 

[DormantEvil]

I don't think it matters, if you can't accept that it's still correct to spell it that way then they just need to learn to deal with it.

It doesn't make writing any worse or better.

It's one difference between writing, like how writing based on the British system is usually more detail driven and explanatory. Where as some American based writing is to the point, more short sentences and less expressive detail for scenes. <--General Statement only based on my personal reading experience.

I think people need to be more accepting of differences.

 

[wishfulthinking]

I think people need to be more accepting of differences.

Nicely said.

Interesting take on a generalised different approach to writing. I'll have to think about it.

 

[Trudy_Antone]

Most of us here can read US or British spelling and know instantly which is which, no impact on the story whatsoever, as long as the spelling is consistent.

But it annoys the hell out of me when readers comment on 'spelling mistakes' simply because they're ignorant to anything other than US spelling of English, and believe that color is the ONLY way to spell colour.

 

[DormantEvil]

The only time that the spelling really makes a different is for coding.

<color> not <colour> as the second wouldn't work. As far as I know anyway.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Inside every Limey is a Frog longing for a Prince to kiss him.

 

[matriarch]

Does it annoy people that there are word spelling differences between countries? Do they recognise it is not a mistake?

I'm curious. I got a pissed feedback from a reader. When I read, it doesn't worry me if someone eg hands out sexual favors (instead of favours!).

So Aussies's like their 'u'(not ewe, that would be NZ ), and 's' instead of 'z'.

It's just a cultural difference. One gets used to it, and if your readers complain, then they are obviously ignorant of the differences. Insular.

Just write them a polite note, and point out the differences in not only spelling, but language between American English and Australian/New Zealand/UK English.

They might appreciate (although I doubt it, if they didn't realise the differences), this site.

http://http://www.krysstal.com/ukandusa.html

 

[driphoney]

Does it annoy people that there are word spelling differences between countries? Do they recognise it is not a mistake?

I'm curious. I got a pissed feedback from a reader. When I read, it doesn't worry me if someone eg hands out sexual favors (instead of favours!).

So Aussies's like their 'u'(not ewe, that would be NZ ), and 's' instead of 'z'.

This isn't the first time this topic has been discussed - since I've been here. If I could come up with the last thread title, I'd drag it to the top so you could see everyone's opinion.

Basically, you're preaching to the choir here in the AH. Your readers are a whole different matter, and they won't be coming here to read.

Some Brit writers have taken to leading with their chins by proclaiming right off the bat to their ignorant (and they are regarding variations in spelling believe it or not) American readers (the majority of the readers on this site) that "said writer is BRITISH and will be using BRITISH SPELLING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" The problem with that is that it can come across a bit snooty depending on the wording, and therefore, start your potential horny reader off with a bad taste in his mouth.

Let me attempt to defend my fellow American reader for a sec. Most Americans do NOT know there's a difference in spelling in other English speaking countries. They really don't. Even English literature is respelled by publishers into American English before it's published and sold. Yes, that's right. American school children and college students tend to get their Dickens Americanized (not Americanised.)

So, they don't know. However, I'm with you in it's silly that they waste time focusing on such minutiae.

But, as a Yank, I apologize/apologise.

 

[ishtat]

In Australia the News corporation newspapers tend to use American rather than British spelling so we have the best/worst of both.

Twenty Five years ago when I first went to India their English (in newspapers) was fascinating. It was British spelling but the style of English belonged to the 1900 1920 era. The standard of Grammar too was outstandingly good, they must have had very good sub-editors.

Considering that there are now more Indians than North Americans who speak and use English daily (at work and school) it will be interesting to see whether in due course Asian English impacts more strongly the older varieties of English.

 

[driphoney]

In Australia the News corporation newspapers tend to use American rather than British spelling so we have the best/worst of both.

Twenty Five years ago when I first went to India their English (in newspapers) was fascinating. It was British spelling but the style of English belonged to the 1900 1920 era. The standard of Grammar too was outstandingly good, they must have had very good sub-editors.

Considering that there are now more Indians than North Americans who speak and use English daily (at work and school) it will be interesting to see whether in due course Asian English impacts more strongly the older varieties of English.

That is an interesting thought. If publishing, in its various forms start originating there, it could, maybe. English is not a native language there, they just learn it from grade school onwards, so . . . .

 

[glynndah]

The only time spelling variations "bother" me is when an author, for example, sets a story in small-town America and then populates it with petrol stations, apothecaries, estate agents, etc. The reverse is true, too.

 

[driphoney]

The only time spelling variations "bother" me is when an author, for example, sets a story in small-town America and then populates it with petrol stations, apothecaries, estate agents, etc. The reverse is true, too.

Yes. And embarrassing.

 

[glynndah]

Yes. And embarrassing.

Those anachronisms immediately stop me cold. I once read an historical novel with an 18th century tavern wench named Tiffany.

Or should I say I tried to read it.

 

[driphoney]

Those anachronisms immediately stop me cold. I once read an historical novel with an 18th century tavern wench named Tiffany.

Or should I say I tried to read it.

That has me chuckling. Writing what isn't native is tricky. Even when you think you have a few colloquialisms down, it's easy to overuse them or use them inappropriately. I remember reading a Brit written story that had a Yank protag. That poor "manly" Yank said "golly" more than Gomer Pyle and Jethro Bodine combined! (did they even say it? I can't remember.) I'm sure Yanks writing about Aussies overuse "good 'ay, mate" to the point of nausea.

 

[Naughty_Misty]

That has me chuckling. Writing what isn't native is tricky. Even when you think you have a few colloquialisms down, it's easy to overuse them or use them inappropriately. I remember reading a Brit written story that had a Yank protag. That poor "manly" Yank said "golly" more than Gomer Pyle and Jethro Bodine combined! (did they even say it? I can't remember.) I'm sure Yanks writing about Aussies overuse "good 'ay, mate" to the point of nausea.

Writing regional can be very difficult, especially if you aren't familiar with the area that writing about. Even within a country things can vary from place to place.

In the US for example if you wanted to buy a bottle of whiskey you can get it from the - State run, the packie, the package store, the liquor store, or the class six (that one is military). You can also drink pop, soda, coke, soft drink or a cola. What you drink depends on where you're from. Down south they like to drink coke and cola, in the upper midwest you get pop, on the west cost you get soda and I've heard varying answers for what they call carbonated beverages on the east cost.

Yes, I am full of all kinds of useless knowledge.

 

[oggbashan]

...In the US for example if you wanted to buy a bottle of whiskey...

In the UK we would buy whisky (Scotch) in a wide range of varieties and prices.

Whiskey is not the same thing. It is available but has a different customer base.

Og

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Writing regional can be very difficult, especially if you aren't familiar with the area that writing about. Even within a country things can vary from place to place.

In the US for example if you wanted to buy a bottle of whiskey you can get it from the - State run, the packie, the package store, the liquor store, or the class six (that one is military). You can also drink pop, soda, coke, soft drink or a cola. What you drink depends on where you're from. Down south they like to drink coke and cola, in the upper midwest you get pop, on the west cost you get soda and I've heard varying answers for what they call carbonated beverages on the east cost.

Yes, I am full of all kinds of useless knowledge.

You forgot tonic.

 

[glynndah]

I once read a story which was set in an area where I used to live. There was a hospital there, Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital, which played an important part in the story. The characters referred to it as "Lincoln Hospital". Everyone around there, even the headline editors, know it's "Sarah Bush". It was quite jarring to see it called anything else.

I'm sure that happens quite frequently when trying to set a story in a real place, especially a small town.

 

[trysail]

[ (I) ] Does it annoy people that there are word spelling differences between countries? [ (II) ] Do they recognise it is not a mistake?

I'm curious. I got a pissed feedback from a reader. When I read, it doesn't worry me if someone eg hands out sexual favors (instead of favours!).

So Aussies's like their 'u'(not ewe, that would be NZ ), and 's' instead of 'z'.

(I) Not in the least. Don't y'all find that regional/national cultural differences are part of what makes life interesting?

Philology and etymology are fascinating.

Skeptic/Sceptic Color/Colour
Zed/Nil
Boot... Windscreen... Petrol... Tyre... Pissed...
Berkeley Hunt and Porky Pies
Bollocks, Bugger and Barmy!




(II) Educated persons will; uneducated persons may not. It's their problem— not yours.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

The only time spelling variations "bother" me is when an author, for example, sets a story in small-town America and then populates it with petrol stations, apothecaries, estate agents, etc. The reverse is true, too.

Mum, the boot of the car, roundabouts... Yes, that one bothers me as well, and I came in here specifically to complain about it (just a half a page late ).

 

[theravenfox]

I know this isn't really a spelling thing, but when I get a commission for a story and they specifically want me to use words like "arse" and "Mum," it sounds so unnatural! It usually takes more than one take to get it recorded.

 

[oggbashan]

I think the reader might be more likely to notice the spelling variances if the story line is weak.

If the story holds the reader's attention then spelling, typos, or even grammatical mistakes won't matter much unless they are really obvious.

The few PCs and feedback I've had about my British spelling have been on stories I think I ought to edit and revise significantly.

I would never attempt to set a story in the US. If I write about an actual place - I know it.

Og

 

[cloudy]

Writing regional can be very difficult, especially if you aren't familiar with the area that writing about. Even within a country things can vary from place to place.

In the US for example if you wanted to buy a bottle of whiskey you can get it from the - State run, the packie, the package store, the liquor store, or the class six (that one is military). You can also drink pop, soda, coke, soft drink or a cola. What you drink depends on where you're from. Down south they like to drink coke and cola, in the upper midwest you get pop, on the west cost you get soda and I've heard varying answers for what they call carbonated beverages on the east cost.

Yes, I am full of all kinds of useless knowledge.

You have a good point, but I gotta correct a few things.

Which term you use in the south depends on which area. It's even more diverse than most realize. A convenience store can be called any number of things, for example, in southern Mississippi it's a "curb store," but I would be looked at like I was crazy if I said that up here in N. Alabama where I live.

We buy liquor at the ABC store in Alabama, but that's absolutely specific to this state. And, we drink coke, not cola. In fact, I've lived in N. Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, and NEVER heard it called a "cola." Never. It's a coke, and you'll be asked what kind of coke you want.

And, unless you live in the South, never never never try to write like a southerner speaks. You'll be seen as a fraud by anyone who lives here. A Southern accent just can't be faked realistically, although I've seen any number of horrible tries.

 

[sr71plt]

It isn't really the locale of the story that determines terminology that should be used for the narration of a story--it's the origin of the narrator. The locale comes in play in the dialogue of the local (or nonlocal) characters.

On spellings, If you have variations of spellings of words like rumor/rumour, realize/realise that are pronounced the same, for the sake of the reader, you need to pick one system (even in dialogue by characters from a different country) and stick with it. (And this being an American-based Web site, if you're posting to Lit., you'd be safer going with American style if you're too thin skinned just to ignore ignorant comments on misspelling. What Drip posted is true--British books are rewritten for American style before being published in the States, so American readers have little experience of British style.)

I write stories and e-books with a coauthor--I'm American; he's Australian. We've found we have to stick with one system in rendering of something like labor/labour (which are pronounced the same)--even in dialogue. But if we are going back and forth in chapters between an American and an Australian narrator/character (which is a style we often use) what we have to look for and stay in character with are such things as apartment/flat, trunk/boot, and truck/lorry--and, yes, ass/arse.

Since I've worked at translating British into American in publishing, I usually do the pass on our writing that looks for and rectifies these differences.

For those (yes, usually American--but sometimes belligerently British) who criticize on spellings without taking into account the origin of the narrator, you just need to grit your teeth and endure it. I've found you can politely point out to an American complainer that there are different spelling systems. I've found, though, that you are wasting your breath to point this out to a British complainer (although there are far fewer of these).

Where I have to roll my eyes is mainly with reviewers who comment on editorial mistakes that aren't editorial mistakes in the publishing industry--where it's the reviewer who never got beyond high school English in his/her understandings. Also the ones who are so anal retentive they won't look through one or two minor mistakes to the content of the story--the ones who comment, "There is a missing comma in paragraph 84, so I stopped reading there and gave you a 1."

 

[damppanties]

In Australia the News corporation newspapers tend to use American rather than British spelling so we have the best/worst of both.

Twenty Five years ago when I first went to India their English (in newspapers) was fascinating. It was British spelling but the style of English belonged to the 1900 1920 era. The standard of Grammar too was outstandingly good, they must have had very good sub-editors.

Considering that there are now more Indians than North Americans who speak and use English daily (at work and school) it will be interesting to see whether in due course Asian English impacts more strongly the older varieties of English.

That is an interesting thought. If publishing, in its various forms start originating there, it could, maybe. English is not a native language there, they just learn it from grade school onwards, so . . . .

Indians in North America impacting American English ... I don't see that happening. Indians / Asians who live and work in US are surrounded by American English speaking people. I got stared at when I said schedule the British way (shed-yool) instead of the American way (sked-ool). People just didn't understand. So no, I don't think the Americans can / will open up to the different spelling or pronunciation.

It isn't really the locale of the story that determines terminology that should be used for the narration of a story--it's the origin of the narrator. The locale comes in play in the dialogue of the local (or nonlocal) characters.

Are you saying there should be different spelling of the same word in narration and dialogue if the narrator and characters are from different English-speaking countries?