Random Question - Short Story Edition |
Post Reply | Page <123> |
Author | |
Caro
NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 01 Feb 2021 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 106 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I wrote a story based in the US and it involved a car. A bit of a learning curve!
Hood = Bonnet Trunk = Boot Arial - Antenna Luggage = Baggage Motorway = Freeway Pavement = Sidewalk But I think it only matters if you base your story in the US. Otherwise keep the language local and it will feel authentic.
|
|
Caro
|
|
UK5AM
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 31 Aug 2021 Location: Uk Status: Offline Points: 1279 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I'm having a similar thing as a Brit. A lot of my story is set in a leisure centre. But in America this would be 'center', right? And how do Americans call trunks? Swimming shorts? Swim shorts? I'm not sure really.
My first version had a child who sadly didn't make it through my aggressive restructuring! So I'm not having the mum/mom problem at the moment.
|
|
FF CH1 2023 Drama Novitiate
|
|
ZoeLou
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 19 Jan 2020 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 2809 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
From the FAQ page: "All judges are reminded that this is an international competition and are instructed not to criticize or deduct points for any non-standard US terms, spellings, or idiomatic expressions (ex. colour vs color, accessorise vs. accessorize, etc.)" so we non-Americans don't need to stress. The only time I would say to mimic an American voice is if your characters are American :) There's a lot more helpful info here about the subject/character prompts, etc so I highly recommend having a flick through if anyone hasn't yet! https://www.nycmidnight.com/ssc-faq
|
|
TheGhostofMissJessel
NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 10 Jan 2022 Status: Offline Points: 112 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
**Word nerd alert! Scroll on by if you don't care. LOL**
Interesting. I'm in the northeast US and some of these do not track for me. I would never say motorway (usually highway, but freeway would do in a pinch) and definitely say antenna, not arial. As for pavement - it could refer to the sidewalk (although, more often I'd just say sidewalk) but it could also refer to the street or a parking lot or any paved surface. The trouble with the US is a lot of things are very regional. (Don't get me started on soda vs pop vs coke). It makes me wonder if you don't specify where your story is set, if readers make assumptions based on language choices. |
|
iress
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 28 Aug 2021 Status: Offline Points: 4138 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Swim trunks Center …”leisure center” also not a common phrase in many parts at least in the west coast. More likely to say something like “community center” or more common “rec center (short for recreation)” (I’m assuming or …spa? Or gym? Or what happens in this place?) I like that people won’t be penalized for international spelling differences, and so maybe not to worry, but if you have the time and resources to make it more authentic, why not? That’s gravy. Or a cherry on top. Or? Especially as someone said, in dialogue it’s important as we are trying to convince the reader. And dialogue is also setting. I think many of us have seen a movie where the actors don’t pass as the culture they are attempting to portray. Sometimes it doesn’t matter, but depending on the story, it can also become distracting. I think it’s great we can ask on the forums as you are doing. Another cool thing about this comp!
Edited by iress - 19 Jan 2022 at 9:11am |
|
UK5AM
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 31 Aug 2021 Location: Uk Status: Offline Points: 1279 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Thanks for your help! In Britain a leisure centre is a place where you would have a gym, a pool, squash courts, an indoor football/basketball area. People can rent the facilities or they have classes there. My son has swimming lessons at the leisure centre, but the pool is for public use too. In my story the character is attending an aqua fitness class for seniors.
|
|
FF CH1 2023 Drama Novitiate
|
|
Hanyou
Newbie Joined: 18 Jan 2022 Location: Richardson Status: Offline Points: 7 |
Post Options
Thanks(1)
|
So I have historical fiction and clown as my stuff will I get in trouble if I make the name jester instead of clown when writing my story?
|
|
theinquisitor
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 10 May 2020 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 5036 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I think you're probably safe with that one.
|
|
LadyArkham
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 21 Nov 2020 Status: Offline Points: 3806 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Yeah, that'd either be "a rec center" or you could specify that it's a YMCA. |
|
UK5AM
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 31 Aug 2021 Location: Uk Status: Offline Points: 1279 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Thanks, I'll go with rec center. Here, YMCA is where drug addicts live.
|
|
FF CH1 2023 Drama Novitiate
|
|
Post Reply | Page <123> |
Tweet |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |