American English or English English?

[TheeGoatPig]

I also like playing the game in my head where I try to figure out which country the characters are really from. England or the US? Or maybe Germany? India is all too easy to figure out (I usually stop reading as they tend to overdo their vernaculars, and their syntax is just unbearable to me).

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I've written in both as well as in Irish dialect. I consistantly get the WFT? coments. The American or English spelling is the writers preference. I see nothing wrong with either. What Lit needs is a better class of reader - those who actually graduated from the 5th grade and can type with more than one hand.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

What I like about John LeCarre is how his characters dont stick out as cartoons. You know theyre English (British). One of my grandfathers was a Limey, and while his speech was definitely Limey it never startled anyone. He didnt sound like Cockney Low Life or a BBC news reader.

 

[TxRad]

I've written in both as well as in Irish dialect. I consistantly get the WFT? coments. The American or English spelling is the writers preference. I see nothing wrong with either. What Lit needs is a better class of reader - those who actually graduated from the 5th grade and can type with more than one hand.

Why should a reader use more fingers to read a story than I used to type it? I do use both hands but very seldom use more than three fingers.

 

[sr71plt]

I only dislike English when I am reading about a character born and raised in the USA and they keep using words like mum, knickers, fanny, car boot, and so on. If the characters are from America, have them speak American. If they are from England, have them speak English. That is all that I ask.

My writing partner on Lit. (and in published erotica) for coauthored works is Australian and I am American. When we take on characters that reflect our nationalities, we will mix the American and British expressions/word usage (within character) in the same stories. Narrative and spellings/punctuation will be consistently one, though--mostly American, as that is our primary market. He publishes in Australia, though, and we've written a bit for that market. And we use British style for that.

Beyond word usage, I think it would be too disconcerting to the reader to mix spelling and punctuation within the same story.

 

[sr71plt]

Back to a main point here, which I hope doesn't get missed. Whether they are being ignorant provincial or not (which they are, of course), there will always be some American readers (on a predominantly American Web site), not understanding that there are differences in English-language style, who will ding authors using British style (or Indian too) for stories on this board. (Just like I have to suffer those who read in the GM category here and ding the story for being GM.) While it is quite legitimate to post in British style, the uninformed dinging isn't going to change much, if ever, no matter how much an author grouses indignantly about what "should be." Just grin and bear it.

 

[CharleyH]

I live in England and have recently begun posting on Literotica. I've had several pieces of feedback (mainly from English women) saying that they are so glad I use the English word knickers instead of the American one panties (actually I use either depending on the context or simply the mood I'm in).

Today I got some feedback saying if you want your stories to have wide appeal then use the more recognised words (eg panties instead of knickers and sperm or cum instead of spunk).

Does anyone have any strong feelings on this? I would have thought that if the story is good enough to appeal to someone then surely a few mildly unfamiliar words aren't going to spoil it.

Comments are welcome!

I'm Canadian (my spelling and idioms are a shit mix between American and British and that has gotten me into trouble when I used to write on Lit). This being said I have found that Americans get VERY upset when you misspell American words (meter vs. metre etc for example). America is not the only country in the world that uses English. In fact they are a minority in the English speaking world. USE and ABUSE knickers or panties ... the American equivalent is underwear, and it ain't sexy.

 

[sr71plt]

I'm Canadian (my spelling and idioms are a shit mix between American and British and that has gotten me into trouble when I used to write on Lit). This being said I have found that Americans get VERY upset when you misspell American words (meter vs. metre etc for example). America is not the only country in the world that uses English. In fact they are a minority in the English speaking world. USE and ABUSE knickers or panties ... the American equivalent is underwear, and it ain't sexy.

Yes, well, Americans are mostly provincial. Not likely to change anytime soon.

 

[CharleyH]

Yes, well, Americans are mostly provincial. Not likely to change anytime soon.

Too bad, panties are sexy.

 

[oggbashan]

Too bad, panties are sexy.

Knickers to that!

(I just searched on the UK's eBay for "knickers". I found over 40,000 pairs for sale.)

Og

 

[sr71plt]

Knickers to that!

(I just searched on the UK's eBay for "knickers". I found over 40,000 pairs for sale.)

Og

Knickers is definitely a word that would put off many American readers. That's our word for short pants from the turn of the 19th century and has a giggly, juvenile feel (and sound) to it in the States. It would ruin whatever mood you were building up to for many American readers--unless you were writing satire/parody.

 

[Verdad]

There are readers who will jump on any opportunity to complain, mostly because they come here with that purpose in mind.

That aside, we happily read published authors from both sides of the pond, so I don't know why it should be different with Lit authors. A few words like fanny should perhaps be used with caution, given the potential for confusion, but other than that, I say write the way it's natural for you.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm Canadian (my spelling and idioms are a shit mix between American and British and that has gotten me into trouble when I used to write on Lit). This being said I have found that Americans get VERY upset when you misspell American words (meter vs. metre etc for example). America is not the only country in the world that uses English. In fact they are a minority in the English speaking world. USE and ABUSE knickers or panties ... the American equivalent is underwear, and it ain't sexy.

Americans are all that count.

 

[TE999]

Well, I didn't know what spunk was. People tell me I have alot of spunk and I thought they were talking about my sassy little attitude. I think the two words are not interchangeable between countries. Guess I would need an interpreter for the story.

"You know what SINS. You've got spunk. [pause] I hate spunk." (channeling Lou Grant on the 'Mary Tyler Moore Show')

 

[oggbashan]

I think that most English children use and understand Standard English, the vestiges of local dialect, teenspeak and US English.

They adapt their speech, as do most of us, to their audience.

Standard English is used in schools and on "serious" TV and radio programmes.

Dialect and teenspeak is often heard on local radio stations and in the street.

US English is seen and heard on imported TV shows and movies.

My parents, and most of my relations of that generation, were genuine Cockneys born within the sound of Bow Bells, but apart from one uncle they never spoke Cockney even among themselves. They were taught and believed that speaking Standard English, which in their younger days meant the cut-glass BBC English (even though they were at school long before the BBC existed), was a sign of a reasonable education.

They could understand Cockney and speak it if they wanted to, but chose not to. The uncle? He ran a market stall on Saturdays. His Cockney and patter were part of his sales technique. He would speak Cockney just to annoy his older brothers when they were being as pompous as I can be sometimes...

Og

PS. The 19th Century short pants (UK=trousers) were referred to as "knickerbockers" in the UK and never abbreviated to "knickers" because "knickers" was always a feminine item.

 

[past_perfect]

I think I might be one of the few non-native speakers using UK English in my stories, but then again I have lived in the UK for almost nine years. However, without my brilliant British editor it would be a terrible mishmash, as I am watching way too many American TV shows and movies. I never had any American readers complaining though. I think most appreciate unfamiliar words and phrases like the quoted "knickers" or "to knob".

 

[SwiverGuy]

Fanny in US and Britain

I was born in England and have spent the last forty years of my life in Australia.

Lately I've been reading Charles_Petersunn, and every time he uses the word 'fanny' I have to make a mental adjustment. As everyone probably knows, in the US it's what you sit on, and in Britain and Australia it's a woman's genitals. I wonder how many Americans visiting Britain or Oz have been caught out by this difference in meaning? To avoid confusion, I never use the word.

Generally, I use British words since they're what I'm used to, with the exception that I've recently started using 'ass' instead of 'arse' because I think it sounds better. Just a personal preference, you understand.

SwiverGuy,
Australia

 

[sr71plt]

My guess is that you've been writing as well as reading Charles_Petersunn, SwiverGuy.

Let me know if the adverting seems to be working for you.

 

[driphoney]

There are readers who will jump on any opportunity to complain, mostly because they come here with that purpose in mind.

That aside, we happily read published authors from both sides of the pond, so I don't know why it should be different with Lit authors. A few words like fanny should perhaps be used with caution, given the potential for confusion, but other than that, I say write the way it's natural for you.

Well, you have to admit that most popular Brit authors sold here in the States don't usually talk about the same things that Lit writers do, at least not in explicate detail! Most American authors don't spend a lot of ink on it either. And I do believe they change the punctuation for the market. The only books I've read with single quote marks for dialogue have been Brit literature produced for outside the US market.

Sometimes I think this topic should join Jenny's The Question, it comes up so frequently and we all love to talk about it!

Given how much truly bad grammar gets posted, I'm amazed that Brit writers catch so much guff.

 

[sr71plt]

And I do believe they change the punctuation for the market.

Yes, in the mainstream they do change them to meet the market.

 

[Loring2]

yes

I only dislike English when I am reading about a character born and raised in the USA and they keep using words like mum, knickers, fanny, car boot, and so on. If the characters are from America, have them speak American. If they are from England, have them speak English. That is all that I ask.

By Jove TGP I think you've got it. The characters determine all things; Language being one of them. What a delight when you have a mixed couple; a Brit and a Yank.

Assume a brash Yank making it with a young Brit housewife. Do you suppose that either will change his or her dialogue when having an orgasm.

 

[Handley_Page]

Assume a brash Yank making it with a young Brit housewife. Do you suppose that either will change his or her dialogue when having an orgasm.

They both will, to some extent.