ext_80459 ([identity profile] crazyparakiss.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] hd_writers2012-04-28 09:19 am

Discussion Post: Being British

When writing British characters I have found, as an American, that it can be rather hard to capture the language, the attitude, and most of all the traditions. Thanks to some of my amazing British friends here I have gleaned more understanding about these subtle differences between two cultures. [livejournal.com profile] winterstorrm suggested “Watching the English” to me and I suggest it to any author of the Harry Potter fandom who wishes to learn a bit more about English culture, whatever nationality you are.



Britspeak:

This is just a small selection as an example. Please refer to Kubrick Potter's Brit-pick guide for an almost definitive list.

Gotten—Since my first Britpick I have been constantly vigilant with this one, I went so far as to spank a Brit I know for it in a fic (funnily I didn’t KNOW she was British so this is me being embarrassed) So here is what I say to people when I see gotten in a fic! NO NO NO! I was told by the great and powerful [livejournal.com profile] tari_sue that this not to be used ever! Always go with got! :D

Forgotten- Forgot

Bangs –No, Fringe is appropriate. Bangs equates loud noises.

Braids—Plaits (on that note Braiding—Plaiting)

Pants—Trousers

Underwear—Pants

Panties—Knickers

Zipper-Zip

Vest—Waistcoat

Undershirt—Vest

Purse—Handbag

Sneakers—trainers

Jello—Jelly

Jelly—Jam

Pancakes—For HP specific CAULDRON CAKES

Candy—Sweets

Soda—Coke, Sprite, Pepsi (the name of the soda)

Take out—TAKEAWAY (I like this word, hence all caps XD)

Egg plant—Aubergine

Garbage or trash—RUBBISH (I like this word >.> so it must be in all caps)

Apartment—Flat

Drugstore—Chemists

Co-worker—Colleague

Elevator—Lift (The Ministry has the lifts)

Check—Cheque

Check at a restaurant—Bill

Check as in the check pattern on clothing—exactly the same, Check :D

Nightstand—bedside table

Store—Shop

Wager—Bet

Curse/Cuss—Swear

Closet—Wardrobe (Like an armoire, it is a piece of furniture.)

A walk in (built into the house) closet—A walk in wardrobe/Dressing room

Let’s talk UK Fries!

Chips=Thick cut potato wedges that are deep fried.

Fries= Julienne fries, like shoe string fries.

Crisps= THINK POTATO CHIPS (also any packaged “chips” would classify as crisps)

Chavs= Trashy uncouth people who live on benefits, have no job, lots of kids, and smoke lots
BritSlang dictionary: Here

Brit Daily Life:

No running tabs in a pub. You pay when you order, every time you order. (There are exceptions to this but as a general rule, go with this rule.)

No sitting down and waiting to be served in a pub. You would go in and find a table and get the number then go to the bar to order the food if you are not getting food you can go to the bar and then sit down wherever. Some pubs have restaurant areas and they are waiter service for drinks and food.

No sitting on the front porch, things like sitting on the porch only chavs sit in front of their house in England.

100 pence to the pound, just as American’s have 100 pennies to the dollar (I thought that was kinda handy and neat so I added it, not that it’s really all that useful when writing HP.)

BritAttitude:

Walking up to a person, thrusting out your hand, and saying, “Hi, my name is _____” is something that is a No-No.

Brits do not cheer at the end of a film (movie).

Brits do not sing often the national anthem before sport games unless it's an international and they do sing it is just as likely to be Land of Hope and Glory or Jerusalem as God Save the Queen.

Brits find patriotism embarrassing and think American's are way over the top with theirs.

BritTraditions:

MOST BRITISH MALES ARE NOT CUT! And if I have to explain what I mean by “cut” then you are FAR TOO YOUNG TO BE READING THIS BLOG. Anyways, if they are cut it is usually for religious reasons.

Brits do not 'date'. They 'go out with someone'. Usually exclusively. It is unlikely that someone would be 'dating' more than one person as this would be cheating as it doesn't work how it does in the US.

No baby showers (although this seems to have taken off a little in trendy circles).

BritGeography:

Whilst England could fit into Texas eight times this doesn't mean if someone lives twenty miles from a certain other town they are going to know the person you are asking about in that town. Yes we can drive to the sea in as little as two hours from most places.

Therefore, a two hour drive for a Brit is considered a long one (whereas a two hour drive for a Texan is a daily, one way, work commute, ah I remember those years living in Dallas XD).


Now we are trying to keep the post short because we would love to have questions. On anything! British culture, slang, pastimes, married life, not-so-married life, raising children, schooling, working, etc. If you can think it you can ask it! Also if you are British and want to contribute to what [livejournal.com profile] winterstorrm and I have here then I encourage you to do so! We can always use more knowledge while we journey to write better. :D So come one, come all!

[identity profile] nabi-sarang.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 03:01 pm (UTC)(link)
My favourite thing when talking about british things is in OOTP when the Dursley's have all their windows open in the heat wave. I remember Americans going crazy over that saying why not use air con XD. We don't have enough heat for air con so yes we DO open all windows if it's a sunny day.

[identity profile] mab.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 03:04 pm (UTC)(link)
the areas I know my beta/britpicker gets after me:
towards (UK) vs toward (US)
forwards (UK) vs forward (US)
Speak to (UK) Talk to (UK) vs Speak with, Talk with (US)
Normality (UK vs Normalcy (US)

these are just from my most recent corrections.

*sends beta email to come add her voice to the comments if she has time/desire*

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
God yes! Only hotels and office have air con - though I suppose posh penthouses and the like might have it.
Be a total waste of money in your average UK home - heatwaves never last longer than a few days do they?!

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
The first two are interesting but true - I'd never thought about it before!

germankitty: by snarkel (Default)

[personal profile] germankitty 2012-04-28 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Trucks aren't all that common in the UK outside of professional necessity, or for people who have to haul large loads on a regular basis. A family would sooner drive a station wagon/estate car (if they regularly chauffeur kids and sports equipment, say, or go on longish family vacations by car). Also, it's quite common for people to do their daily shopping on foot (SHOCK!HORROR!), especially when living in/near the center of their village/town/city.

A train is often a cheaper/more conventient means of transportation between two cities than a flight.

[identity profile] jakuako.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, I've got one! I email back and forth regularly with a British friend of mine and she recently sent me an email in which she spoke about nail varnish. Twas exciting, because I'm always picking up Britglish from her to add to my mental HP glossary, and lately she hadn't said anything I didn't already know. (Not that this one is so very useful for HP fic, but you never know.) So. Nail varnish. Rather than nail polish. Fun. :D

[identity profile] valinorean.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks for this! Being neither British nor American, there are things I automatically get right and there are things I get wrong. Then after writing in HP for so long, when I try to write non-HP fics I had to remember to un-Britpick myself--and sometimes I don't even know how!

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
It wouldn't be called a station wagon. Estate or saloon would be the term.

Not a lot of point flying, that is true - what with having to check in so early now etc. London-Scotland and Birmingham-Scotland might be better by flight but otherwise, yes, train!!

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
We do call it polish as well though - my remover - from Boots so very Brit - is called 'Nail Polish Remover'.
I think we've adopted the American term more - but either term would do.

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
A lorry is a longer vehicle - to transport goods:
http://www.articulatedlorry.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Lorry_Articulated-lorry.jpg

Sometimes we might call something a truck but it's not as commonly used. We would say 'lorry drive' not 'truck driver' as a general rule.

I wouldn't do a weekly shop on foot - too heavy - but I do walk into town and browse and pick up a few things.

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Does it depend on how you learned English? Some non native speakers I find more Americanised than others, depending on who taught them etc.

[identity profile] wellhalesbells.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
My beta just got me for sweaters. Of course they're jumpers! Considering how happy I get every time I see it in fanfic, you'd think I'd jump at the opportunity to use it. *headdesk*

I've been corrected by my Brit beta in regards to wishing someone a 'Happy Christmas' and she assured me it was Merry just like in the US. But then watching some random Brit film on Netflix last night, the characters are wishing one another a Harry Happy Christmas. Which is right then? *is confused*

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Either is fine.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year etc but Happy Christmas is actually - in my part of UK at least - the most commonly used!

When I write cards and I want to say Happy New Year I will use Merry for Christmas to avoid being repetitive.

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll knit you a Weasley jumper!

[identity profile] winterstorrm.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Also, most of our cars are way smaller than most American ones. You lot have MASSIVE cars!!

[identity profile] wellhalesbells.livejournal.com 2012-04-28 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
She also gave me this which I would have no way of knowing otherwise. (I will paraphrase her as we were being uber bitchy about our fanfiction tastes and I promised my flist an f-locked post to do so in relative private).

Here's an example from a Sherlock fanfic: "How about we go to that café there [...] and you can tell us what happened two nights ago over coffee and pie."

My first reaction was "THAT'S JUST SICK! You can't drink coffee with pie! Surely it's pie and a pint if you have to specify a beverage!" Then I realised that in this case, "pie" meant "CAKE!" Pie, over here, unless you specify otherwise, likely contains steak and ale. Or chicken and mushroom. Or ham and leek. Lovely, savoury awesome-filled pies. English people have tea and biscuits. Or go for afternoon tea. Or, if you're in a rush/strapped for cash, tea and cake. Having "coffee" is something you do with friends you don't really have any intention of seeing ever again ("Yeah, let's go for coffee sometime") or as a euphemism for sex ("You want to come up for 'coffee' *nudge nudge wink wink*?)

Misuse of "mate" is another big one. We use "mate" all the time. Though I suppose it's the equivalent of the American "pal". The problem is, it's not really logically used so although you'd say "You alright, mate!" or "I'm just going out with my mates", you'd never say "Hi, mates!" or "I'm just going out with my mate." English people are weird.

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