AMERICANS! I NEED YOU!!!

[anillogicalmind.livejournal.com]

Okay, serious point now guys. I need answers. Does anybody in America ever use the term 'hoofers' when describing feet?

Actually, I'd be interested to know if anyone other than me ever uses that term. 

Guys. 

GUYS. 

WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING? THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PLOT POINT IN MY NEXT FIC!

And, if not, I need a derogatory term for feet commonly used in America. Okay? Thanks. :D

(Posting on b_c too because it's totally relevant, and, as im_ridiculous said, I need a more legitimate sample size for my survey. WISE WORDS.)

Comments

[jackwabbit.livejournal.com]

Have you guys heard of English to English? It's an LJ com that isn't very active any more, but it's for fanfic writers to help one another be more accurate in their dialogue.

Here's my take. (I'm US.)

When writing the prose parts of the story, spell in your native tongue. To try to change every "color" to "colour" is just tedious and you're not likely to catch every use that needs changed. So, write the prose as you normally would, unless the phrase is glaring, like the one mentioned above. Those can be changed if needed to help the story seem more like it is set where it's supposed to be.

But the dialogue? That matters. Clint would not call "chips" "crisps" and the like.

I write in several fandoms from the UK (most notably Being Human and Sherlock and less so Harry Potter) in which the characters must sound like themselves. I try very hard to make that happen. Thus, when I am unsure if a forty-year-old man would use the term "stroppy," I ask a British friend. I'm pretty darn fluent in Brit, as I write a bit for a UK magazine (fortunately, my editor lets me write in Yank and changes it for me), but just a year or so ago, I had to correct "clerk" for "cashier," and "store" for "shop" still slips through sometimes. Fortunately, my readers know to PM me and help me fix such things.

Because it does matter. It's not a big deal sometimes, and for a very good fic, it's just a distraction, but sometimes it just pulls me out of a story too much when a character doesn't speak like they should.

It's like Joss said in the commentary: "I'm an atheist, but Steve Rogers isn't." I'm American, but Harry Potter isn't. Just as I don't speak like Malcolm Reynolds (much), he doesn't talk like a Yank.

But I digress and I'm rambling. I should get to bed.

Fun post, this. I enjoy these types of discussions.

[xcziel.livejournal.com]

♥ ♥ ♥ everything in this comment!

All the little things: lift/elevator, flat/apartment, mad/crazy, at school/ in school, at university/in college, in hospital/^in the hospital, pants/underwear, trousers/pants, top/shirt (for guys), jumper/sweater, pub/bar, etc. etc. They can knock you right out of a fic if they take you by surprise.

The only thing more confusing is that Americans sometimes will jokingly use Britishisms for fun (hipsters, word nerds like me) and you have to decide if that character would actually use that reference, or if it's an author oversight. Because, hey, there are a lot of smart, witty characters in this fandom and some of them like to talk the fancy talk!

Speaking to the actual topic: I think you could just say something like "Clint, get your huge, dirty hooves off the table!" and everyone would totally get it. ;D

[jackwabbit.livejournal.com]

:D

Valid point on using Britisms occasionally. I'm not sure on which characters might do so in this fandom. I'd have to think about it. But I use them fairly often, so it does happen.

And yes, hooves would work in this setting.

[anillogicalmind.livejournal.com]

I just sat watching your icon and nodding at it for the last five minutes.

And yup. I think hooves is the way to go. :D