Doctor Who and the Foreign Writer

Aug 07, 2007 22:02

Everyone's done it. You sit in front of a keyboard and suddenly words appear on your nice, clean and blank word processor's sheet. A letter, then a word, then a sentence. Sentences become paragraphs. Paragraphs become chapters. And, sooner or later, you have a story ( Read more... )

writing, doctor who, random

Leave a comment

Comments 159

dune_drd August 8 2007, 10:34:29 UTC
Ah, nice list. But then things get really ugly when you're not speaking English/American at all ;)

Reply

dark_aegis August 8 2007, 12:30:56 UTC
Oh, definitely. :) But a lot of times, those people who don't speak English/American tend to be some of the better authors in this fandom. It's fascinating, really.

Reply

dune_drd August 8 2007, 12:44:10 UTC
I tend to mix up American and English, that way I'm only wrong 50% of the fic ;)

Reply


neadods August 8 2007, 11:53:42 UTC
On the other hand, 'cause is spelled "cos" - it's all through the books and scripts.

Reply

dark_aegis August 8 2007, 13:35:39 UTC
True enough. Though I still use 'cause ;)

Reply

scarfman August 8 2007, 14:37:03 UTC

And Winnie-the-Pooh.

Reply

neadods August 8 2007, 14:58:14 UTC
Yes, but it also has "Rum pum pum" and "tiddily um" and so I did not really consider it a guide to grown-up grammar.

Reply


xwingace August 8 2007, 12:19:04 UTC
Good list, but I'm wondering about this:

When you use "quite" in "that was quite good" it actually means it wasn't good.

Surely that depends on tone and context?

XWA

Reply

dark_aegis August 8 2007, 12:23:24 UTC
I've had the issue wherein I've told someone that their story was "quite good", meaning "very or rather", and I was told later that that actually meant I didn't really care for it. It does depend on the context, but when you use it in terms of "quite good", that generally means the opposite.

(That icon is awesome :) *hugs Hiro*)

Reply

xwingace August 8 2007, 12:34:19 UTC
I'll have to take a real Brit's word for it (not being either British or American), but to me it seems quite (hah) capable of being interpreted positively.

Of course is doesn't come across as positively as 'It's good', or It's great' and so might be interpreted as slightly negative. Especially if it's used in a comment where tone is hard to discern, and the context is 'did you like it y/n?', the same context where 'it's quite good' *is* often used as a polite get-out.

Re icon: Thanks, I'm proud of it. :-) Have another (even slightly relevant, though it's for another language) Hiro one. :-)

XWA

Reply

jadesfire August 8 2007, 12:43:59 UTC
I think it's definitely one of those 50/50 things. I'd say "it was quite good" and mean it positively, but usually for something that I'd expected to be bad (like a film I hadn't expected to enjoy, a meal I hadn't expected to like) - it's got a kind of 'suprise' connotation in speech. I'd also say it in the 'polite get-out' way as well, and as a qualified statement ("it was quite good but..." "it was quite good considering...").

I almost certiainly wouldn't write it a review, because it carries that weight of "quite good but" and without being able to hear the tone, it can come across wrongly.

Reply


slartibartfast August 8 2007, 12:41:01 UTC
4. Valentine's Day cards and gifts are reserved for lovers and would-be lovers.

...What is Valentine's Day for in America? Out of curiosity.

11. When you use "quite" in "that was quite good" it actually means it wasn't good. Not a compliment like that. :)

Sort of, but it does depend on when it's said. It can equally mean it's better than you expected, or that it was good but could do with some improvements.

Reply

dark_aegis August 8 2007, 13:29:59 UTC
In the US, Valentine's Day tends to be a bit of a catch-all holiday. Sure, lovers and would-be lovers send each other cards and gifts, but you'll also see cards and gifts given to people who aren't lovers (or would-be lovers) like teachers or parents or best friends.

For number 11, I'm more referring to reviews actually. I should clarify that one. Thank you!

Reply


here via who_daily paranoidangel42 August 8 2007, 15:14:37 UTC
Thanks for doing this! It bugs me when non-British writers don't take the time to even try and write British English, when I can never get away with writing British English in American fandoms.

5. I'd dispute the use of slacks because I still haven't worked out what they are. Are they some sort of trousers?

11. I'd agree with ferretwho - I've never heard quite mean not.

16. Unless they're from Yorkshire.

17. These days I actually hear takeout more often than takeaway. But that just goes to show how much American English is heard over here.

19. Out of curiosity, what's a duster mean in American English?

Reply

Re: here via who_daily marymac August 8 2007, 15:41:32 UTC
'I'd dispute the use of slacks because I still haven't worked out what they are. Are they some sort of trousers?'

Archaic term of reference to ladies trousers. If someone used it I'd think they were of similar vintage to Great Aunt Kathleen, who remembered the WWI ceasefire...

Reply

Re: here via who_daily dark_aegis August 8 2007, 15:51:14 UTC
*laughs* I actually still use the term "slacks" for lady's trousers and I'm definitely not from the WWI-vintage era.

Reply

Re: here via who_daily marymac August 8 2007, 15:56:42 UTC
You're from the US though. If you were from this side of the pond, you'd be looking madly round for Aunt Kathleen too. :)

Reply


Leave a comment

Up