A question for non-Americans.

[Recidiva]

'sunshine' is American idiom. There are regional peculiarities, and 'sunshine' is one of them.

Troll! Troll! I see a troll! Get him!

Even if some people use it, it's a good example. I've never heard an American use it and I've heard lots of British people use it.

Granted, I haven't met all Americans, but it immediately cracked me up. That and Murray Head does an awful American accent, though the dude can sing.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Well, just know that the trolling gets spread around and although it might have a particular flavor for you, everybody's gonna get it.

I don't think it's news that some feedback is trolling or just people who feel they have some power and want to make someone else's day more difficult for whatever reason. When you get genuine criticism and feedback that help refine your craft, that's what it's there for, at least in my opinion. The reasonable people help me, and that is what value it has for me. The unreasonable people...I can't do anything about that. Well, I can laugh sometimes.

I don't even think that any sort of disclaimer would help because these aren't reasonable people doing the feedback. If you have a bolded sentence at the top saying "WARNING: BRITISH PERSON WRITING. YOU MAY ENCOUNTER WORD SPELLINGS YOU DON'T LIKE" you're just going to get the feedback that if you know better, you should just write better.

If someone is giving you crap for you posting on an international board in your own language, there's so much wrong with them in terms of reason that it's not really worth attempting to correct them. If you give in and use American English usage, it's just going to give you a headache, possibly point out your lack of experience with American usage, and you'll still get nailed for something, whether it's lack of hot robots or even worse, genuine criticism about how you fail at American idiom.

Consider growing some thicker skin.

 

[Recidiva]

Hehe. Me too. But it's a weird thing about being in the minority. You just can be without being at least a little conscious about it, I suppose. When it's brought to your consciousness again and again by people around you, you can't really just forget about it.

And I swear it's not such a big deal with me. It's just that you manage what you can, that's all. Most of the time I deal with my accent / writing with a very belligerent 'you deal with it' kind of attitude. I'm not that kind after all.

That's cool. I want what works to work.

I do feel a little bad about my lack of robots. I like to please.

 

[Recidiva]

Consider growing some thicker skin.

*sticks out her tongue* Then it wouldn't be soft and fun to touch.

 

[damppanties]

I like to please.

Damn.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Troll! Troll! I see a troll! Get him!

Even if some people use it, it's a good example. I've never heard an American use it and I've heard lots of British people use it.

Granted, I haven't met all Americans, but it immediately cracked me up. That and Murray Head does an awful American accent, though the dude can sing.

I use it all the time. Not sure where I picked it up. My grandmothers husband was a Brit, prolly from him.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

*sticks out her tongue* Then it wouldn't be soft and fun to touch.

In the Biblical sense, then.

Gawd! I musta been 49 before I learned that Troll isnt the dominant ethnic group of the world.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

That's cool. I want what works to work.

I do feel a little bad about my lack of robots. I like to please.

'Robots' reminds me of an anecdote about 'rabbits.' Funny.

 

[Recidiva]

In the Biblical sense, then.

Gawd! I musta been 49 before I learned that Troll isnt the dominant ethnic group of the world.

I'm the one advocating 'fuck 'em' here.

My skin's fine, I'm just not encased in Carbonite and I like to say things in humorous ways.

 

[topace]

Since most software comes from America, the default spelling check is American, not Canadian, English. So I've learned to write like an American, at least most of the time. Didn't help that most of my schoolbooks during my home-school years also came from the States, especially from South Carolina (Bob Jones University there).

I haven't seen a problem so far.

 

[Harry Leg]

Since most software comes from America, the default spelling check is American, not Canadian, English. So I've learned to write like an American, at least most of the time. Didn't help that most of my schoolbooks during my home-school years also came from the States, especially from South Carolina (Bob Jones University there).

I haven't seen a problem so far.

You're from the west right? See, your opinion doesnt really count because you're not in Ontario (centre of the universe) and therefore more like a subjugated Canadian.

 

[Handley_Page]

Since most software comes from America, the default spelling check is American, not Canadian, English.

I haven't seen a problem so far.

Ace, I can only conclude that your software is either a very early model or very, very limited (cheap, perhaps?).
Even Wordstar (for DOS) handled an English dictionary after version 3 and microsoft Word has had an English one since Windows 3.1.

To my mind there is no reason to even attempt to write for a USA readership; there are too many variations. Write in your native tongue; you probably know it better.
I've been in discussions with an Editor about some of my expressions in my current story project, and I have had to change some of the phrases; not specifically for the USA, but to make it understood more widely. Personally, I think it takes something away from the story, but if (when?) it makes it to Lit, I hope it will be enjoyed.

 

[Recidiva]

Since most software comes from America, the default spelling check is American, not Canadian, English. So I've learned to write like an American, at least most of the time. Didn't help that most of my schoolbooks during my home-school years also came from the States, especially from South Carolina (Bob Jones University there).

I haven't seen a problem so far.

I'm a medical editor that reviews files from typists all over the world who have lots of slang and usage difficulties. So it's been my job to sort it out.

Lots of blanks get left even medically. Slang like a motor vehicle accident being referred to as being "T-boned" (two cars colliding, one perpendicular to the other) and sound alikes and usage differences.

In the end, there's just too much different regionally in America for even another American to understand reliably, much less an Indian typist who learned British English. The company I work for wants to have American usage because it's for American clients.

Seeing all the ways things can be misunderstood can be funny, but it also pays my bills.

That might be why I'm much more likely to think there's enough that divides us to tell people of different regional dialects to write the way in which they're accustomed, as the differences you haven't heard never occur to you.

 

[topace]

Ace, I can only conclude that your software is either a very early model or very, very limited (cheap, perhaps?).
Even Wordstar (for DOS) handled an English dictionary after version 3 and microsoft Word has had an English one since Windows 3.1.

To my mind there is no reason to even attempt to write for a USA readership; there are too many variations. Write in your native tongue; you probably know it better.
I've been in discussions with an Editor about some of my expressions in my current story project, and I have had to change some of the phrases; not specifically for the USA, but to make it understood more widely. Personally, I think it takes something away from the story, but if (when?) it makes it to Lit, I hope it will be enjoyed.

I wouldn't call OpenOffice cheap, but free. It does come with a Canadian dictionary, but I prefer using American English.

Harry Leg, I resent that comment! Who's in power right now in Ottawa anyways? A Western Prime Minister from Alberta, that's who! Not to mention a majority of his caucus is from the west to boot!

We wanted in, and we got in!

 

[damppanties]

Who's in power right now in Ottawa anyways?

Samuelx, of course.

 

[Harry Leg]

I wouldn't call OpenOffice cheap, but free. It does come with a Canadian dictionary, but I prefer using American English.

Harry Leg, I resent that comment! Who's in power right now in Ottawa anyways? A Western Prime Minister from Alberta, that's who! Not to mention a majority of his caucus is from the west to boot!

We wanted in, and we got in!

Yeah...they're all doing great too

I cant figure out why you would prefer to write in American english. I can only surmise that it must be because you want to be an American. Do you work in the oil sands by any chance?

 

[Handley_Page]

Yeah...they're all doing great too

I cant figure out why you would prefer to write in American english. I can only surmise that it must be because you want to be an American.

Erm, I'm glad you brought that up.

 

[RodenAddison]

......

 

[estragon]

I copy edit for authors, among whom are American, Canadian and UK nationals. While I have to keep up with the slang and local dialects, I find no problem. Of course readers are perverse creatures, who expect to have everything their own way--for free, natürlich. I must again quote any number of my fellow-poster to this BB--ya gets what ya pays for, myte!

UK and Commonwealth (is that the correct term any more? It sounds so neo-colonial) authors, write in your own language.

And one of my examples of a great writer is a sailor who became a professional writer at the age of 36, in British English, a language he first learned at the age of twenty--Joseph Conrad.

 

[catalina_francisco]

I don't change my spelling. For me I don't need to apologise for not being American, why would I feel I need to adopt American spelling rules and more to the point, why would Americans expect me to?

Catalina

 

[FatBttmGrl]

Sorry, but I had to respond to a number of things on this posting. lol

Not to resurrect a dead argument, but we use 'sunshine' all the time. In fact it's my niece's nickname.

The frustrating thing I find about this thread is that reading is supposed to expand your horizons, make you look at things differently and explore other cultures... as well as provide entertainment. But how can one do this if everything is homogenized?

That includes language. How an author writes (even down to spelling) shows a culture and contributes to the depth and breadth of his/her writing. So I would advocate that you write precisely how you choose. Let some of your readers learn something here, since they obviously didn't learn it in school where they should have!

The other thing to consider is that grammar usage and rules change all the time. I come from the old school where you do not put an 's' after an apostrophe if the apostrophe is denoting possession and the person's name ends in an 's'. Ex. Chris' (For some reason Chris's just looks silly and redundant to me).

And yet I have had people try to call me out on it. Just because some people are stuck on how they do it, doesn't mean they are doing it correctly.

 

[Recidiva]

Sorry, but I had to respond to a number of things on this posting. lol

Not to resurrect a dead argument, but we use 'sunshine' all the time. In fact it's my niece's nickname.

The frustrating thing I find about this thread is that reading is supposed to expand your horizons, make you look at things differently and explore other cultures... as well as provide entertainment. But how can one do this if everything is homogenized?

That includes language. How an author writes (even down to spelling) shows a culture and contributes to the depth and breadth of his/her writing. So I would advocate that you write precisely how you choose. Let some of your readers learn something here, since they obviously didn't learn it in school where they should have!

The other thing to consider is that grammar usage and rules change all the time. I come from the old school where you do not put an 's' after an apostrophe if the apostrophe is denoting possession and the person's name ends in an 's'. Ex. Chris' (For some reason Chris's just looks silly and redundant to me).

And yet I have had people try to call me out on it. Just because some people are stuck on how they do it, doesn't mean they are doing it correctly.

Sunshine is American in a sweet sense, in British usage it's snarky. Unless your niece is really snarky, in which case I'd like to meet her.

 

[3113]

Tailor to the setting?

As a Canadian, I've received comments that I frequently misspell the same words, such as colour, flavour, etc. I'm not offended, or embarrassed, but it got me thinking. Is it such a huge thing to give up the spellings favoured in my country for a lack of distraction for American readers.

As an American, I think I'd only be distracted by such spellings if the story took place in the U.S.--but probably not THAT distracted that I'd write the author. From what I've heard of "Fifty Shades" the bigger problem is when a story takes place in the U.S. but uses slang from elsewhere like "pram" or "knickers"--which apparently the author did for a story taking place in the Pacific Northwest (such slang used in both dialogue and in the narrative).

Likewise, if I wrote a story that took place in Canada or the U.K. or any other English speaking country that was not mine, I think I'd try to at least make the slang ring true--and if it would help the reader feel like the story was taking place there, I'd have no problem tossing in those "u's" in the spelling.

Which is to say, if your stories are taking place in Canada, I don't see any reason to change the spellings any more than I'd have you change the slang.

 

[Recidiva]

As an American, I think I'd only be distracted by such spellings if the story took place in the U.S.--but probably not THAT distracted that I'd write the author. From what I've heard of "Fifty Shades" the bigger problem is when a story takes place in the U.S. but uses slang from elsewhere like "pram" or "knickers"--which apparently the author did for a story taking place in the Pacific Northwest (such slang used in both dialogue and in the narrative).

Likewise, if I wrote a story that took place in Canada or the U.K. or any other English speaking country that was not mine, I think I'd try to at least make the slang ring true--and if it would help the reader feel like the story was taking place there, I'd have no problem tossing in those "u's" in the spelling.

Which is to say, if your stories are taking place in Canada, I don't see any reason to change the spellings any more than I'd have you change the slang.

Yes, it was obvious the author was British in 50 Shades and averse to research in many ways.

 

[sun_sea_sky]

@OP: I keep the spelling I have learned, eg. colour. I know it will seem odd in some quarters. But there are other oddities as well, as noted above (colloquial expressions). For example, we put our luggage in the car boot, not the trunk.

I am a bit fearful that if I "correct" all the spelling to USA style, then my unintentional misuse of colloquial expressions might seem odd. At least if you throw in a few "UK English" spellings, that is a tip-off that you are probably not from the USA, and that might excuse slightly odd expressions.

As a sexually-related example, in some countries an eraser (the thing you use to correct written mistakes with) is called a "rubber". And in the UK a "rubber" is slang for a condom.

Now, imagine if you will, a young woman (from overseas) who is working in a UK office, who says loudly:

"Anyone seen my rubber? I seem to have lost it?"

And then she wonders why everyone bursts out laughing.