Drop the 'u' - American English

Drop the 'u'

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Claire is not in school...

[13 Aug 2010|02:23pm]

amles80

I have a question college/university studies; I don’t really know how these are organized in the U.S. I mean, is it normal to have maybe one or two days a week with no classes, when you’re supposed to study by yourself (in theory) but you can do whatever you feel like because there’s no supervision?

If not, how long is the holiday around Thanksgiving? Is it like only one day off from school, or a whole week’s break maybe??

I’m asking because I’m writing a story where the father meets his daughter in the street, and she has to have a good reason for being there and not at her college:

“Then he remembered something. It was a weekday – like Wednesday, or maybe Thursday.

‘Don’t you have classes or something, Claire? Playing hookey*, are we?’

‘Spring break’, she said,”….

The problem with spring break is that I just now remember that it was Thanksgiving in the previous chapters!, and this is supposed to be shortly after. (This seems stupid, I know - I wrote it months ago, that’s why I forgot this “little” detail…) Oh, sometimes I feel really stupid for writing fanfic, I just can’t resist it…

* Is the word correct, by the way?

46 comments|post comment

swimshorts?

[30 Jun 2010|09:07pm]

kali1967

Quick question-do men call them swimshorts in America? Or could I go with trunks?

14 comments|post comment

divorce?

[02 Jun 2010|03:55pm]

kali1967

So, how long would a divorce take in America? Would the two people actually have to see each other or could she just mail him some papers or something? They split amicably, and he doesn't want any of their things nor do they have any kids, which I think would make things easier?

8 comments|post comment

Pint-sized = small?

[09 May 2010|04:04pm]

gemjam

Would an American character describe a small/short/petite person as "pint-sized", or is this a British-ism that doesn't translate? If this term wouldn't be used, what affectionate terms might be used to describe someone who was short? In this case it's a petite girl in her early twenties being described by a man in his mid-thirties, if that makes any difference.

Thank you in advance for any help :)

17 comments|post comment

Kitchen Food Storage

[21 Apr 2010|12:48pm]

deird1

The thing in the kitchen for keeping food in (not the fridge - the other one) - what's it called?

I'd say "pantry", but I'm not sure my California character would say that...

36 comments|post comment

North Los Angeles County terrain

[12 Mar 2010|03:31pm]

michelel72

Hello, all. Once again I, a New England American, turn to this community for US West Coast help.

In this case, I need to know a little about the terrain/landscape in northern Los Angeles County, particularly in the I5-to-Palmdale / Juniper Hills / Devil's Punchbowl area. Google Maps satellite suggests that the not-overtly-mountainous (and undeveloped) land in the area has some sort of vegetation, but would this be called scrubland? Evergreen forests? Something else? Online pictures of the Devil's Punchbowl suggest a sort of scrubland, but scale is always tricky, and I don't want to call it that if it's wrong.

In particular, I'm looking both for the stretch from I5 (for someone coming from the north) as well as the Punchbowl, in case they're different. Any additional detail would be love (I'm familiar with much of New England as well as the long flat piney stretches of southern South Carolina and Mississippi, so any differences from those particularly would help), though I'm keeping environmental detail sketchy to avoid blatant errors otherwise. Many thanks for any feedback!

26 comments|post comment

Do Americans use the word 'kit' ...

[20 Jan 2010|11:55pm]

trepkos

... in the sense of stuff, equipment for a specific purpose like camping.

If not, what would they use, eg. in the sentence "It wasn't like him to lose a bit of kit."

ETA: thanks all!

14 comments|post comment

'Water under the bridge.'

[10 Jan 2010|07:28pm]

scarlet_carsons

Do Americans use the euphemism 'water under the bridge' for things that have occured in the past and are no longer worth worrying about? Or is there another phrase that they'd use?

10 comments|post comment

My vocabulary needs kitchen words....

[29 Nov 2009|11:51pm]

amles80

Does this sound correct to you?

“Lyle, can’t you see I’m busy?” his mother says and nods impatiently toward the front door, while she puts on the pot-holder* to take the baking plate** out of the oven.

* What I was looking for was actually a word for the big mittens you put on to protect your hands from hot things in the kitchen. I didn’t find any word that seemed to correspond exactly to my Swedish word for this thing, but maybe you use only “mitten” or something? I found “pot-holder” and “kettle-holder”. Which word looks good here?

** Other suggestions from the dictionary are “baking sheet” and “baking tray”. Help?

(This is the beginning of a little drabble; fandom: Heroes; characters: Lyle & Sandra Bennet.)

30 comments|post comment

[17 Nov 2009|07:02pm]

amles80

Hi, what a good community this seems to be! I’m Swedish, and I have just recently started writing fanfiction (Heroes mostly). I have been on LJ for almost two years now, but I have never really worried much about how I write my journal (probably an ugly mix of American and British English, with strange grammar mistakes here and there), but now that I also have a fiction journal, I realize that there are important things that I don’t know. So thanks for being here! And yes, this post has a point:
I’m writing a story and it starts with a wedding. They are in a church (I imagine it as a small one, but it’s not important) in Texas. I write: “The woman was watching the wedding ceremony from the half-shadows in the corner […]. And no one looked at her. Their interest was focused on what happened in front of the altar; the minister and the man and woman who were just a few moments from becoming husband and wife.” Now, my question is if minister is a good word here; what about clergyman or priest, or vicar, or is there any other? I mean, I don’t know if these words give a signal that they are this or that kind of Christians. The story is not about religion and I’d rather not say if they are Catholics, Baptists or something else or not religious at all; I’m looking for a “neutral” word if that’s possible?

Edit: I've got the answer now; thank you so much! :) I will keep the minister. :)

9 comments|post comment

Food question.

[20 Oct 2009|11:26am]

fluffybkitty

[

mood

hungry

]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if someone here could answer my food-related question:

Can you get Onion Bhajis at your average Indian takeout place in the US? And if so, do you call them Onion Bhajis or do they go by another name.

Thanks in advance :)

Edit Thank you everyone who answered. You've all been a great help.

21 comments|post comment

Asking about the amenities

[11 Oct 2009|04:43pm]

la_fono

Hi folks. I have a question regarding toilets/bathrooms:

When visiting someone else's home or while on business, how would one broach the topic of where the toilet was (and the implication that one would like to use it)? Would one straight-up ask, or would there be more on the side of polite to-ing and fro-ing around inviting oneself into a private area of the person's home, and the reason why?

ETA: And would the question one asks very by location/situation?

37 comments|post comment

Open plan

[07 Oct 2009|09:53pm]

87_degrees

I asked a creative writing mailing list for volunteers to read and review a story I've written. There were some things I thought might catch people out but the first two people to comment both stumbled on something I never expected.

I made a joke about a character stopping another using a gun before his flat "became seriously open plan," i.e. he destroyed a few walls. These guys didn't understand the phrase "open plan." Is this a term not used in America and, if so, is there an international equivalent? Or do I just need to ammend my sense of humour?

22 comments|post comment

churches in america?

[27 Jul 2009|12:01pm]

kali1967

Hey, all, I need some help with churches. I've got someone going to a church in a small town in Nevada, but I'm a bit unsure of the details-what material would it be made out of? Would it have stained glass windows? And, most importantly, what would the interior look like? Would the doors open directly into the nave of the church or would there possibly be a small alcove/porch area?

Thanks for any help :)

8 comments|post comment

New York Transport

[01 Jul 2009|07:17am]

eleanorb

As I'm sure everyone knows, most actors, however famous, use the Tube (Underground railway) in London if they are working in the West End theatres or for the BBC. It's easier to get across town that way and parking restrictions in the capital make it expensive and awkward to use a car.

So, would actors do the same in New York when working on Broadway? Would, say, someone of the status of Ian McKellan use the Subway or other public transport?

ETA: Thanks everyine this has been incredibly useful

19 comments|post comment

Hello everyone

[30 Jun 2009|02:12pm]

wingalinged

Hello there, everyone. I just found this comm and it looks very interesting, so I thought I'd join. I'd love to help any writers with crazy Americanisms! :)

I've lived in Minnesota for 6 years, so I can help people with the speech patterns and such of my state. Though, I can't think of any fandoms that take place in Minnesota, besides some movies like Juno, or Fargo. Which is actually North Dakota, but very close to the border. I've also lived in Massachusetts and Connecticut, though that was when I was younger so I might not be able to remember some things.

One of the most unique speech patterns we have is the use of the word "with" at the end of sentences. A conversation that may be heard throughout the rest of America might sound something like this....

Joe: Hey, I'm going to the movies. Wanna come with me?
Tom: I'm hanging out with Kevin.
Joe: That's ok, just bring him along with you.

In Minnesota, however, it would play out more like...

Joe: Hey, I'm going to the movies. Wannna come with?
Tom: I'm hanging out with Kevin.
Joe: That's ok, just bring him with.

See, that was very fun and educational. I could write more but I'm not sure what people would need help with. Just thought I'd give you some idea. :)

Also, almost NOBODY actually eats Lutefisk, but everyone sure as hell knows what it is, and might refer to it jokingly. And yes, cutting holes in ice and sitting around it in a tent, holding a fishingpole all day is in fact one of the most popular sports here. During the winter. The ice fishing opener is always mentioned in the news.

13 comments|post comment

american bars?

[29 Jun 2009|11:57am]

kali1967

Quick question about bars in America-would they serve beers in bottles or glasses? I've got them drinking first in Illinois, and then in Nevada, if it varies from state to state.

8 comments|post comment

Sprog?

[24 Jun 2009|09:01am]

deird1

Would a lower class woman from Boston (Faith Lehane, if anyone's interested) use the word "sprog" when talking about her baby? Or does that sound extremely British?

15 comments|post comment

Roadtrip questions: Nevada to Vancouver

[21 Jun 2009|03:30pm]

michelel72

[

mood

curious

]

I've just found this community, so hello! It may be odd for a USian to be asking this question, but I live in New England and I've never driven anywhere west of Louisiana, so I hope this is all right.

I have a character (Rodney McKay of Stargate: Atlantis, in case that affects anyone's answers) who needs to drive from Nellis AFB, Nevada, to Vancouver, BC, Canada. He's driving alone and plans to drive as straight through as possible. He'll stop for fuel, bathroom breaks, and purchases of coffee/fast food as needed, but his intent is to get to Vancouver as quickly as possible without getting tagged for road violations. (He isn't counting on excessive speeding to cut the trip time, in other words.)

Google tells me that he's looking at a road time of a little over 20 hours, but I know that often translates oddly to actual trip time. In this case, I'm pretty sure the mountainous terrain affects travel and I don't know if Google accounts for that. Further, this is occurring sometime around March 2002 in a regular passenger car, so winter weather may also be a concern.

Is it reasonable for the character to think that he can make this drive in one straight run without stopping off for a night? (I'm less concerned with whether he's right than with what he might reasonably expect.) He's accustomed to being wakeful for long periods when necessary, so a 24-hour period wouldn't alarm him but 36 would give him pause, I'd say. He's setting out in the early afternoon and is prepared to drive through the night; I'm currently thinking he hopes to reach his destination by the next evening and want to know if that's insane. Any information, thoughts, or speculation greatly appreciated!

ETA: It sounds as if it's not a completely ludicrous expectation if the weather holds, and spot checks via Wunderground suggest favorable temperatures and lack-of-precipitation, so this seems to work for my character. Thanks, y'all -- this comm is great!

14 comments|post comment

Food...

[08 Apr 2009|08:16am]

deird1

If I have someone eat:
ice-cream garnished with chocolate topping, Twinkies, syrup, and Snickers Bars

...ignoring how completely ridiculous that combination is, do the individual items listed sound like things you'd have in California?

Or do I need to change some of them?

35 comments|post comment

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