Mechanics 101

[Comicality]

This question is for you guys overseas, because I've always wondered about this.

 

Maybe it's considered an 'accent' or a dialogue tool for us here in the states, but I seeit so much that I'm curious if that's ONLY in the states.

 

Do writers overseas actually use words like:

 

'Mum' instead of 'Mom'?

 

'Arse' instead of 'Ass'?

 

'Bum' instead of 'butt'?

 

And other expressions like those? Like I said, to us here in the states, it looks a bit strange, but it's used often enough where I never really thought of it as being 'incorrect'. You know what I mean?

 

Are these just relaxed expressions that are more everyday in certain cultures, or is it actually 'wrong' to use those expressions when writing? Does anybody know about how correct these words are? Let me know...

 

(I hope I explained that write! Hehehe!)

[LongGone]

I can answer that with an emphatic YES. I've seen them used in authors both offline and online. Hell, I use them in my works too. I've not used bum but use arse all the time. And, yes, mum is common 'round the English speaking world. In fact I'm reading a book called "Spud" and mum is used.

[Comicality]

Ahhhh, so you CAN use those terms when writing! Cool. I was never sure, because I always wondered if those terms were, like...'dialogue specific' since I wasn't sure if they were actual WORDS or just expressions used in a different part of the world.

 

Thanks! Clears up a lot!

[DragonFire]

Mmm, I use them all the time, but then I'm English...

I do find though, that I have to put a few Americanisms in now and again to make the story clearer. I always put 'cell' instead of mobile for example, because it's more universally recognised. For me it's just about clarity, and it does help having an editor who's not English, because he'll pick up on it if I slip.

[Daisy]

I once made this poster and the word checker had slipped into the US mode, and got taken the piss out of because it had spelt mum, mom and I hadn't noticed. in fact my spell checker is telling me yours is wrong .

 

, yep these are definitely english terms/spellings. I don't think I'd ever say butt, but bum yeah. It sounds strange otherwise . same with ass, though I use bum rather than arse.

There are dialects in the UK too though. some things are standard like spelling mum that way, but depending on where you were brought up you may not actually say mum, but mother, or ma or lots of other things. Gran is another. grandma, nan, granny, etc.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Smarties

[Comicality]

Yikes...ok, so now that makes me wonder...

 

Do the terms I use in my stories ever sound weird to you guys then? And is that just like an 'English' (just the UK) list of expressions? Or is it a much bigger 'nearly all of Europe and beyond' kinda thing?

 

Hehehe, just curious. After all, us Americans are still behind on the metric system, so it wouldn't surprise me if we were the only ones using a particular brand of English.

[DragonFire]

Yikes...ok, so now that makes me wonder...

 

Do the terms I use in my stories ever sound weird to you guys then? And is that just like an 'English' (just the UK) list of expressions? Or is it a much bigger 'nearly all of Europe and beyond' kinda thing?

 

Hehehe, just curious. After all, us Americans are still behind on the metric system, so it wouldn't surprise me if we were the only ones using a particular brand of English.

I think that's very much an English thing! But I can't recall anything you've written that sounds strange. We have so much American TV over here I think we're pretty used to things by now! I think it's us guys this side of the pond that have to be careful, with sayings and certain words which people beyond these shores won't get.

 

There is one annoying thing, why do Americans pronounce herb...ERB? There is an H in it you know!!

[Dolores Esteban]

I'm more familiar with the British English words you mentioned. But I know the American expressions also. Today, US American English is considered modern English. British English is 'classic' English. I think that German students learn a mixture of both.

[Graeme]

I use Australian English in my stories, which consists largely of British spellings, but with a mixture of American terms. However, from the examples that started this thread, I use "Mum", "Arse" and "Bum". The only time I've used "Mom" was a story that was set in the USA, so I used the American spelling.

 

When I first started reading online, I had a few problems reading the stories because there were so many Americanisms that were assumed that I didn't understand. For example, I was confused for a while at the terms Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior that were used for both Hight School and College. They are terms not used here in Australia and I had to learn what they meant. Over time, I've learnt most of these Americanisms. However, I still don't have the cultural context to fully understand how my stories are viewed from an American point of view. As an aside, for quite a while I thought all those authors who used "Mom" didn't know how to spell correctly.....

 

Online, the majority of authors and the (apparent) majority of readers are American, but there is a significant number that are not. I base most of my stories in Australia and use Australian terms because not only am I proud of my country, but I also want to teach others something about Australia. I do often compromise on phrasing, using American phrasing by preference when there's a roughly equal choice between American and British phrasing (as both can be used in Australia, given the strong cultural influences from both countries), but when there's no doubt in my mind that the British phrasing is the one more likely to be used, I'll use that and hope the Americans can understand from the context.