Learn your slang - Comments

I read a story on here that was done by someone American and apparently Britain uses the Euro as its currency and it was so

My characters tend to have a British aspect to then because I don't like American words and prefer our own. And even if my character is American, the narrative is in British English with spelling and words but the dialogue matches its nationality.

@ CptLollipop
I have a conversion app on my phone for this exact reason. Too many recipes in American measurements left me frustrated and ruining food. There needs to be a universal system.

@ bona drag.
I don't even know how many liters are in a gallon!
I never learned my conversions,
I FAIL AT LIFE!

@ CptLollipop
Ah, I understand what you meant now. I don't know about a gallon. I don't think milk comes in that much over here. Just pints and litres and a pint's about 50p.

@ bona drag.
No I get that, if i have euros or pounds on me, it's worth what is says
but like, I know a gallon of milk costs about $3.00 in America
but if my characters were in England,
but I have no idea how many pounds that would be.

@ CptLollipop
I actually find it quite hilarious when people fret over that because it's really quite simple. If something says it costs £20, it costs £20. My American friend was having a panic attack when she first arrived trying to use the currency because she was making it so much more complicated than it needed to be. It's like she was trying to convert it all and I was telling her that she didn't need to do that because whatever it translates to in US dollars is not going to change the fact that it still costs £20 and she has a twenty note in her wallet.

@ bona drag.
I don't think I've ever read a story on here that took place outside of the US
but if I had I'd probably notice stuff like that too and be just as annoyed
this is why I don't write about other places,
cause I have a heart attack agonizing over whether or not I got the slang
and other terms rights.
And oh my god trying to figure out how much something would cost in pounds?
Or euros depending on what country I'm talking about,
that would be so stressful.

Maybe it's just me, but I find the reverse of this more (Americans writing stories set in Britain with very American slang and not paying mind to cultural differences.) I read a story here once where apparently we use dollars in the UK and not pounds. Well, I've just been doing it wrong for 20 some odd years then.

@ Louise Belcher
yep,
complete with the blonde and bustiness.

SO LIKE

@ Louise Belcher
yes like that, but maybe with a little more grace
her face goes full retard about half way down.

@ Louise Belcher
Oh my god you commented on one of my blogs
and oh my god you updated a bunch of your stories
I'm gonna go die happy now.

CptLollipop:

I just think it's weird when someone who lives in michigan and has lived there, their whole life is saying things like "Just go out into the car park and you'll find my keys in the boot."

OH MY GOD.

@ CptLollipop
Oh yeah, I understand. I catch myself doing it most of the time while I am writing.

Oh yeah, no, if it's from someone's point of view who is from any where in britian or really an english speaking european country or austalia, or new zealand, by all means, non-american-english slang it up, I just think it's weird when someone who lives in michigan and has lived there, their whole life is saying things like "Just go out into the car park and you'll find my keys in the boot."

@ Violetta3Tears

Unless its from a british/australian's person's p.o.v. or whoever's p.o.v. I completely understand.
I use British slang sometimes myself since I lived their for a year when I was shipped off.