Right. I'm English, and I'm in two fandoms (this one, natch, and HP) based on very English books. However, most fandom authors tend to be American
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- Would you be offended at having this sort of thing pointed out, either in beta or in feedback?
I'd appreciate it, actually. Aziraphale and Crowley are quintessentially British in their behavior and style of speech, and though I've read a great many British novels in my time, I'd prefer to know from a native Brit-speaker if I had the style and expressions correct. After all, I want PTerry's and GNeil's characters to sound like themselves.
- Do you think it makes a difference, or am I being parochial and snobbish about the whole thing?
It makes a difference. Speech, and style of speech, go a long way toward expressing personality and toward making characters believable.
(I will never, for example, believe that Hermione Granger would EVER say, "Dude! You look, like, totally awesome!" Not even if she was threatened with Avada Kedavra. And if I see that kind of expression, it ruins suspension of disbelief for me.)
So yes. Yes, it matters.
-Is there a difference between colloquialisms in speech, and in linking paragraphs?
Colloquialisms in speech are more noticeable. However...there are plenty of potential errors lurking in descriptions. Pants, for example. To an American, "pants" means "trousers" or "slacks." To the British, "pants" means "underwear worn by males." Or a jumper. In Britain, it's a knitted pullover sweater. In America, it's a short-sleeved or sleeveless dress, generally worn over a blouse or a turtleneck.
It gets more confusing when you take words out of context. Take "hoover" for example. To a Brit, that conjures up visions of vacuum cleaners, or sucking things up as swiftly as a vacuum cleaner would. To an American--well, it would probably be seen as a reference to Herbert or J. Edgar.
So yes, I think we need corrections in both colloquialisms and in linking paragraphs. Definitely.
- Should I just shut up & write something f'r a change?
No need to shut up (this community is entirely too quiet as it is!), but it would be great if you would write something.
Oh, and if you ever want to write Buffyfic, I'll beta it for you.
The most worrying thing is that I'm just as English as Hermione, and I probably would say something like that. Perhaps not "awesome", but definitely "totally," "like," and the occasional "dude" has slipped out.
I'd appreciate it, actually. Aziraphale and Crowley are quintessentially British in their behavior and style of speech, and though I've read a great many British novels in my time, I'd prefer to know from a native Brit-speaker if I had the style and expressions correct. After all, I want PTerry's and GNeil's characters to sound like themselves.
- Do you think it makes a difference, or am I being parochial and snobbish about the whole thing?
It makes a difference. Speech, and style of speech, go a long way toward expressing personality and toward making characters believable.
(I will never, for example, believe that Hermione Granger would EVER say, "Dude! You look, like, totally awesome!" Not even if she was threatened with Avada Kedavra. And if I see that kind of expression, it ruins suspension of disbelief for me.)
So yes. Yes, it matters.
-Is there a difference between colloquialisms in speech, and in linking paragraphs?
Colloquialisms in speech are more noticeable. However...there are plenty of potential errors lurking in descriptions. Pants, for example. To an American, "pants" means "trousers" or "slacks." To the British, "pants" means "underwear worn by males." Or a jumper. In Britain, it's a knitted pullover sweater. In America, it's a short-sleeved or sleeveless dress, generally worn over a blouse or a turtleneck.
It gets more confusing when you take words out of context. Take "hoover" for example. To a Brit, that conjures up visions of vacuum cleaners, or sucking things up as swiftly as a vacuum cleaner would. To an American--well, it would probably be seen as a reference to Herbert or J. Edgar.
So yes, I think we need corrections in both colloquialisms and in linking paragraphs. Definitely.
- Should I just shut up & write something f'r a change?
No need to shut up (this community is entirely too quiet as it is!), but it would be great if you would write something.
Oh, and if you ever want to write Buffyfic, I'll beta it for you.
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I need to spend less time online.
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