Some points of clarification ...

[blamebrampton]

Pursuant to the previous post.
1. If you as an author say that Harry had never seen such deep colors in a sky as he did that morning, I, personally, do not mind. If you have Hermione saying 'It's C-O-L-O-R', then I won't be the only one rolling my eyes at you to judge by yesterday's comments.

2. If you are posting to an archive that insists on British spelling, that's what you provide. Just as you would provide safe fics to the younger oriented archives and dodgy displays of man flesh to the pornier ones. If I ever turn to SPN-dom and they have an archive that demands it, I will be traveling and honoring with the best of them. But if it's just for our own ljs, then I think authors' choice is fine.

3. No one wants Americans to pretend to be British. It never ends well, and it means that some of the great fics of deep emotional resonance from people like Fray and Sansa, and Heathen's poignantly witty comics and Lil's lyrical art would never happen because the artists would all be too busy worrying about whether their characters were being stoic enough. This would be a disaster.

Or, even worse, it would mean more fics in which Draco Malfoy says 'I'm going nutters, you gobshite! What I wouldn't give for a Sainsbury's curry!' And nobody deserves that.

4. Though it would be lovely if overt Americanisms could be kept to a minimum. The obvious things … especially slang and companies. Needless to say, all of you whose work I read manage this very well, so if you have this popping up on your flist, it's something you already do. 

5. We all notice 'Mom'. We know Scholastic did it to you. This is why we have voodoo dolls of their CEO under construction. It would be a great favour if you could use Mum. And the pants/underpants/trousers issue can cause unintentional humour.

6. We do express emotion, just quietly, or with a degree of irony or self-deprecation. Harry is rather highly strung in canon, Hermione's propensity to flee to the girls' loos if she needs a cry is more typical. If the situation calls for absolute emotional honesty, then it is done very  privately and we joke about it later. As Lizzie says in Pride and Prejudice, ``It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley.''

ETA: And, as Shiv points out, animals receive the full extent of our personal feelings. And more public displays of affection. Not  like that, you disturbing individual.

7. The whole aluminium issue was Humphry Davy's fault. And if minerals were held to the same nomenclature rules as plants, it would be alumium. Strange but true.

8. Horrifyingly, the Macquarie dictionary in Australia lists alright as an acceptable variant spelling, and not just for the adverbial form (which I could accept as an American variation functioning in the same way as altogether/all together). This is not all right, and if any of you know any Macquarie lexicographers, I strongly urge you to remove all alcohol from their persons as they have clearly partaken FAR too liberally. They also prefer fiord, which is obviously madness, over the elegant fjord.

9. Not that this applies to anyone on my flist, but droit de seigneur was NEVER an English concept, more Sumerian. Must learn to not read fic synopses on archives. Stick to the flist, it's a safe place!

10. The heatwave is coming back. Bleargh.

Comments

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

Or, even worse, it would mean more fics in which Draco Malfoy says 'I'm going nutters, you gobshite! What I wouldn't give for a Sainsbury's curry!' And nobody deserves that.

No, be fair, there are some people who do deserve it. Oh yes.


Emotion is expressed to the dog also. One mustn't forget the dog.

Droit de seigneur is fun. And I've had a little bunny.

[vaysh11.livejournal.com]

Droit de seigneur? You are talking ius prima noctis? in H/D? Which fic?

And I have you know that I did awful things, like sepnding the better parts of my work night on reading "Things That Change" (which despite everything is brilliant!) to satisfy my craving for bloody mpreg births.

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

I don't know why some make such a big deal about Britpicking. It's easy to find a Brit who will Pick, you make the changes, and that's it. I don't expect to write something authentically British: I just don't want British readers to cringe.

Being constrained by the characters' nationality and culture is like being constrained by canon. If you want to break out, go AU. I've certainly done it.

[emerald-dragon8.livejournal.com]

*is one of those dreadful people who sometimes write 'alright'* I know, I should be shot. I fully admit this. :)

But yes, agreed on all points. I may not be English, but I have very English grandparents on both sides (although none of them are actually English either - their parents were) and I'm particularly fond of expressing my emotions to pets, not to people. Although if I know someone well enough I'm a bit more demonstrative.

Or, even worse, it would mean more fics in which Draco Malfoy says 'I'm going nutters, you gobshite! What I wouldn't give for a Sainsbury's curry!' And nobody deserves that.

I can think of several people who I would love to torture with that one.

Re: 10 - say it isn't so!!!!!! I've so enjoyed the past couple of days. It's been nice to not fear melting if I step outside my air conditioner's reach.

[glorafin.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I'm going to appear as an utter philistine, but isn't 'alright' the correct spelling?

What is the correct spelling then? Allright ? All right ?

Even my beloved Pet Shop Boys sang It's Alright!

[frances-veritas.livejournal.com]

This entire post is made of win.

Especially this: 5. We all notice 'Mom'. We know Scholastic did it to you. This is why we have voodoo dolls of their CEO under construction. It would be a great favour if you could use Mum. And the pants/underpants/trousers issue can cause unintentional humour.

*gigglesnorts*

I wish they had let JKR just release the British versions and that's it. They didn't need to "americanize" them. Oh, well.

I wish someone in the SPN fandom made a post like this. For non-American people. I've beta'ed fics with the same problems but the complete opposite of yours, if that makes sense. I'm all it's not "colour" it's "color." :P Or "realize" not "realise".

[potteresque_ire]

I'm going nutters, you gobshite! What I wouldn't give for a Sainsbury's curry!
It totally reminds me to the gooey something curry with pine nuts dish I had for dinner one day :).

I've learned to like "Mom" actually, it's probably one of the few words I prefer the American spelling for (the British spelling – I don't know why – is more aesthetically pleasing to me). It's somewhat strange to call the lady who gave birth to me the same thing as the bundle of dead Egyptian pharaoh :D. (In US at least, mum is sometimes written in place of chrysanthemum).

Due to the simplicity of Pie!brain, Alumin(i)um is now simply Al to me, while Al2Se3 and it's the bravest compound I've ever known.

*Sends you cold air from the North*

(So much love for this list, and for you! ♥)

[frantic-mice.livejournal.com]

:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

I do my best to have my stuff brit-picked, partly cause I`m down with that but also because, as a Canadian, we fall in between (use colour but also realize *shrugs*). In a "taking it too seriously" way, though, I'd challenge a little on number 6. Not that it's not true, but for some of writers and readers (read: me) the boys having emotional discussions is part of the fantasy. It's not that we think Brits or boys would be so open in real life, as much as we want to pull our own heartstrings. I'm always getting nailed by my betas for making my boys too eloquent and too honest. But I like them that way, I can't help it. That's why my boys swear so much - to try to make up for it! LOL

[sbbo.livejournal.com]

Okay, on the subject of Americanism, I must know. I have seen a ton "reckon" popping up in fandom lately. I thought it was a Southern colloquialism. Is it British as well?

[coffeejunkii.livejournal.com]

If the situation calls for absolute emotional honesty, then it is done very privately and we joke about it later. As Lizzie says in Pride and Prejudice

oh! perhaps this explains why i find jane austen utterly boring. i started reading one of her novels about a decade ago and after a while wondered if any of the characters were ever going to have something resembling interiority. question answered!

[nqdonne.livejournal.com]

Damn right no one needs that -- Sainsburys curries are rubbish! :P (Waitrose, all the way)

And, hey! Some of us Americans pretend to be British just fine :P :P :P

♥

[abusing-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

I should kick gabe_speaks for indoctrinating me on "alright" only to find that it's bad!!! I used to put "all right" and was stymied. *humph*

Maybe I'm just a sadistic nutcase, but the self-deprecating emotional moments are so much more fun than weepy ones. :p

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

All good advice, the only thing I take issue with is the "no one over the age of 20 crying" thing. And not just because tears are an iron-clad kink of mine. Well, mostly not.

Men cry. British men cry. My husband cried when our daughter was born, and many years earlier when I tried to break up with him that time. They cry at football matches, they cry at funerals, they cry at pretty much all the normal places where it's appropriate to cry. Maybe not while watching Beaches or because they just love someone so darn much, but it does happen.

And querying husband about his friend just now he claims that he's seen them both shed tears on more than one occasion.

I may do a post about this! I feel very passionate about it. ;)

[absynthedrinker.livejournal.com]

Whether it be Mesopotamia or Maidenhead(please, forgive the pun)debauchery and droit de seigneur on a Malfoy estate have their moments. Though I agree on principle. Thanks

Peace,
Bubba

[beatnikspinster.livejournal.com]

it would mean more fics in which Draco Malfoy says 'I'm going nutters, you gobshite! What I wouldn't give for a Sainsbury's curry!' And nobody deserves that.

Of course you know, I have no choice but to include this in my big fanspork-crack piece. I apologize in advance. (Far in advance, since it's at the back of the line.)

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

Can we just call it 'Al' so none of it matters?

[ex-pseudicid32.livejournal.com]

LOL. Draco Malfoy eating a Sainsbutry's curry. YOU MAKE ME LAUGH.

[hollyxu.livejournal.com]

Huh. I wonder, as a Canadian, where we belong? We spell with the 'u' and sometimes use English conventions, but we talk and emote like Americans.

And, as Shiv points out, animals receive the full extent of our personal feelings. And more public displays of affection. Not like that, you disturbing individual.

You know, I didn't even think in that direction until you mentioned it. Way #239717890 that HP fandom has ruined me. xD

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

Um... my highly intellectual input for the day is - the heat wave is already here. Urgh!

Given that I am starting to doubt my own capacity to write a shopping list in anything resembling appropriate language use, I have no comment on the above. My own faults are many and varied, and my growing awareness of just how many and varied now makes me cry, but not quite as much as someone writing 'Harry drug Draco across the floor by his hair.'

That does make me cry.

[grey-hunter.livejournal.com]

Ack! If you ever happen to read one of my fics and find something in it that makes you cringe, would you do me a favour and point it out!!!

[aldehyde.livejournal.com]

this post had me laughing out loud JUST AS THE BIG BOSS WALKED BY. i had to stop laughing in mid..laugh! it was very difficult, i tell you.

'I'm going nutters, you gobshite! What I wouldn't give for a Sainsbury's curry!'

ahaha i totally want a cracky fic based around this line ;)

but seriously speaking, i think you made some wonderful points. would you mind if linked to this and the original post on my journal? i think authors on my flist [who aren't on your flist already] would find it educational :)

[aunt-agatha.livejournal.com]

This is a fantastic post.

*applauds*

[adevyish.livejournal.com]

I never knew about aluminium :)

Chinese culture places much emphasis on a dignified public face, so I've definitely had similar experiences when I read.