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Random Question - Short Story Edition

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Caro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Caro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 3:27am
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. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UK5AM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 5:23am
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.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ZoeLou Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 5:52am
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
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TheGhostofMissJessel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 7:50am
Originally posted by Caro Caro wrote:

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

**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. 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote iress Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 9:10am
Originally posted by UK5AM UK5AM wrote:

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.

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
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UK5AM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 9:56am
Originally posted by iress iress wrote:

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?)

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.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Hanyou Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 11:22am
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?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote theinquisitor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 11:36am
Originally posted by Hanyou Hanyou wrote:

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?

I think you're probably safe with that one.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LadyArkham Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 12:57pm
Originally posted by UK5AM UK5AM wrote:

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.


Yeah, that'd either be "a rec center" or you could specify that it's a YMCA.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UK5AM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2022 at 1:51pm
Originally posted by LadyArkham LadyArkham wrote:


Yeah, that'd either be "a rec center" or you could specify that it's a YMCA.



Thanks, I'll go with rec center. Here, YMCA is where drug addicts live.
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