Just so you know, Americans do not as a rule use the expression, "What are you on about?" To my knowledge, this is not a commonly used expression anywhere in North America
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No! It's perfectly easy! I demand that my will be done! Stat!
Okay, that last expression I used only because I used to love the show ER.
Anyway, your point is well taken that it's difficult, with all the cultural contamination, to always know what expressions are strictly UK and which would never be spoken by American characters. Please forgive my tirade as far as it appears to presume that complying with my personal fanfic worldview is solely a matter of effort and paying attention.
Maybe a politely worded, 'how not to write Sheppard' thing would be useful. I'd welcome it.
A thoroughly sound suggestion. I think I shall propose it to the rest of the f-list and see what we come up with.
Well, it was only fair that a Brit got to reply to your post. We all have our buttons, and reading fanfic tends to press them all, at one time or another.
I, for one, go crazy everytime I see 'Siege' spelt (or should that be 'spelled'? ;) ) with the 'I' and the 'E' juxtaposed. I can't even bring myself to type it incorrectly! Blech!
There do need to be more tools out there that we all can use. Even I would be grateful for a Carson tutorial - but then (sorry Paul) his 'Scottish' isn't exactly typical. And asking Canadians to so the same for Rodney would be useful.
Would you mind if I posted something about this on my LJ, along with a plea for assistance on some writing guidelines? Then *dreams big* maybe we could form some kind of document and disseminate it among the fandom!
BTW - forgiven, forgiven, utterly forgiven! You love 'Fawlty Towers', how can I not forgive you?
Would you mind if I posted something about this on my LJ, along with a plea for assistance on some writing guidelines? Then *dreams big* maybe we could form some kind of document and disseminate it among the fandom!
No, I don't mind at all. Actually, I recall seeing someone's journal entry a month or two ago in which the writer addressed a fairly comprehensive list of Britishisms that one should not apply to American characters. I wish I could remember who it was. It was very extensive.
BTW - forgiven, forgiven, utterly forgiven! You love 'Fawlty Towers', how can I not forgive you?
Hey, people who don't like "Fawlty Towers" aren't really people, are they?
Don't hit me or anything, but in 'Trinity' when Rodney is arguing over the radio with Radek (yes, the conversation when he's being the biggest diva of all time) he says 'What are you on about?'
Oh, no rocks to dodge. I'm not surprised they wrote him saying it once or twice - just that it's waaaay uncommon on this continent. Rodney's speech patterns tend to be, as a rule, very American-sounding. And if they ever wrote Shep saying it, I would be throwing rocks... at the writers.
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Okay, that last expression I used only because I used to love the show ER.
Anyway, your point is well taken that it's difficult, with all the cultural contamination, to always know what expressions are strictly UK and which would never be spoken by American characters. Please forgive my tirade as far as it appears to presume that complying with my personal fanfic worldview is solely a matter of effort and paying attention.
Maybe a politely worded, 'how not to write Sheppard' thing would be useful. I'd welcome it.
A thoroughly sound suggestion. I think I shall propose it to the rest of the f-list and see what we come up with.
Reply
I, for one, go crazy everytime I see 'Siege' spelt (or should that be 'spelled'? ;) ) with the 'I' and the 'E' juxtaposed. I can't even bring myself to type it incorrectly! Blech!
There do need to be more tools out there that we all can use. Even I would be grateful for a Carson tutorial - but then (sorry Paul) his 'Scottish' isn't exactly typical. And asking Canadians to so the same for Rodney would be useful.
Would you mind if I posted something about this on my LJ, along with a plea for assistance on some writing guidelines? Then *dreams big* maybe we could form some kind of document and disseminate it among the fandom!
BTW - forgiven, forgiven, utterly forgiven! You love 'Fawlty Towers', how can I not forgive you?
Reply
No, I don't mind at all. Actually, I recall seeing someone's journal entry a month or two ago in which the writer addressed a fairly comprehensive list of Britishisms that one should not apply to American characters. I wish I could remember who it was. It was very extensive.
BTW - forgiven, forgiven, utterly forgiven! You love 'Fawlty Towers', how can I not forgive you?
Hey, people who don't like "Fawlty Towers" aren't really people, are they?
*Prepares for backlash of "Fawlty Towers" haters*
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Just noticed yesterday.
*dodges rocks*
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