English, More or Less - A Few Thoughts about How English Changes from Place to Place #HazardousToYourSanity
I
wrote a little fiction a few days ago (here, if you’re interested) where I
described something as being the colour of Pepto Bismol. This was something of
a stretch for me, as I live in the UK and we don’t really have Pepto Bismol
here. As I’ve read a lot of books by American authors describing a virulent
shade of pink as Pepto Bismol, I checked Google Images and had a rummage in online
shops to check my facts and, yes, that’s the colour I was aiming for. The equivalent
stomach medicine over here, as far as I can tell, is Gaviscon which has a
similar assertive colour. I thought more people would understand, though, if I
used Pepto Bismol.
That’s one of the dilemmas I face when I’m writing. Who am I writing for? If it’s a general audience, then the odds are that most readers are either from the USA or are familiar with American English. So I perhaps should use Tylenol instead of paracetamol, ibuprofen instead of Nurofen, truck instead of lorry and trash instead of rubbish.
English is a funny sort of language. It’s spoken in so many countries and has so many variations that while you can get by in so many places, there are unexpected pitfalls. For example, thongs in Australia are very different to thongs in the UK.
And that’s another question – if you’re writing a cosy mystery set in the English countryside, and you’re talking about the edge of a path, do you write kerb or curb? To be honest, I can never remember which is which. And if you’re wanting a sweet treat, is it a biscuit or a cookie?
It’s one of those interesting quirks of writing. As a Brit, writing a story set in the UK, with all English characters but knowing that a large part of my audience will be either American or used to American English, do I talk about a mobile phone or a cell phone? I imagine most would want to read an authentic story with bangers and mash, toad in the hole and treacle pudding. But for clarity, when the main character is in their car and putting in directions to get to the murder scene, are they using a satnav or GPS? And let’s not even start about spelling!
I’ve no idea about the perfect answer. Until I find it, however, I’ll be picking my words with care. Instead of choosing between Tylenol and paracetamol, I’ll use ‘painkillers.’ I won’t worry about whether the direction-finding thingy is called a satnav or GPS but have the main character frantically punching the directions into their phone as they try and find out if their loved one was safe. I’ll go for clarity over authenticity and worry about being clever later. Most of all, I’ll keep on having fun writing.
I’d love to hear your views on this and if you have any thoughts or ideas on such a confusing subject.
2 comments
As an American reading fiction set in Britain, I expect the references and language to be British. That's part of the experience and if anything is truly puzzling, we have Google now. What drives me bananas is when British authors write pieces set in the U.S. and get the language and references all wrong. One small example is that nobody here but cowboys in old movies ever says "I reckon". It's just not used in daily life here. I'm sure the reverse is true, with American authors attempting British settings and making all of you cringe.
REPLYI agree! I'm really reluctant to set anything in the US because there are tiny differences that no-one realises until it's pointed out. I can use Google to find out how much items on a menu in New Orleans cost, but I can't live the language. I'd worry about distracting from the story (and looking like an idiot). And Brits never get distances, or tipping, or the wilderness. I've worked with US editors and I was always aware how much I didn't know.
REPLYInterestingly, I've heard 'you reckon' used around the Liverpool area in the same way as Gibbs in NCIS used 'ya think?' and I've heard I reckon used around the north west of England.