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Seriously. I had a great day today, then I come home and this hits me like a ton of bricks. Goodnight, sweet prince.
For the British people here, is there anywhere I can look for common British words and expressions that differ from American English? I have a character of British descent in my story and I figured that making use of those words would be a good way to make his origins clear.
What houses does she visit, palaces? Castles? Is she claiming the garderobe is the British standard?
For the British people here, is there anywhere I can look for common British words and expressions that differ from American English? I have a character of British descent in my story and I figured that making use of those words would be a good way to make his origins clear.
Writing in British English is damn difficult if you want to sounds completely authentic (The opposite is also true). Best I can suggest is to get a Brit to beta-read it.
However. Bear in mind that in terms of language there isn't that much difference. There's plenty of bleed-over from American English in everyday British speech, and it's only the crustiest type of hypocrite that tries to avoid it (Since this sort of thing has been going on for the best part of two centuries, "Americanisms" really aren't a new thing). Culturally is a different kettle of fish*. The differences are quite subtle - for example nearly everyone I know owns a kettle, but as I understand it most Americans have a coffee maker.
*kettle being originally a name of a type of pot rather than a specific device for boiling water. Like many old expressions, it's not as bonkers as it appears
In fact, while I think about it, I want to bitch about the kind of British life videos you see on Youtube! I cannot stand them. For all that they purport to give a fun insight into what Britain is really like, they are so aggressively British that you might as well just be watching Downton Abbey (Up yours, Downton Abbey). I swear the presenters put on that bloody Mary Poppins "Oh I say!", Famous Five accent. Never mind the bizarre generalisations ... I saw one where, as I recall, the presenter declared that in most British bathrooms the toilet is in a separate room. What houses does she visit, palaces? Castles? Is she claiming the garderobe is the British standard?