A question for UK members:

[Slammr (imported)]

Since I'm currently writing a story which takes place in England, I have questions:

Do people in Engand call their children Kids like we do in the US, and do they use OK like we do?

[strassenbahn (imported)]

I am not British but I grew up in London and go back there frequently, and can answer you question and give you some other tips.

-- "Kids" and "OK" are both used as in the US. Here are some other Britishisms you may want to consider:

use "mum" (with a "u") for "mom", "knickers" for "panties", "braces" for "suspenders", "trousers" for "pants" ("pants" means "panties"), "take-away" for "carry-out", "chips" for "French fries", "crisps" for "potato chips", "lift" for "elevator", "pavement" for "sidewalk", "The Tube" or "The Underground" for the London "subway".

This is not a complete list by any means. For instance most terminology relating to trains and railways (use instead of "railroads") is different.

[Slammr (imported)]

I am not British but I grew up in London and go back there frequently, and can answer you question and give you some other tips.

-- "Kids" and "OK" are both used as in the US. Here are some other Britishisms you may want to consider:

use "mum" (with a "u") for "mom", "knickers" for "panties", "braces" for "suspenders", "trousers" for "pants" ("pants" means "panties"), "take-away" for "carry-out", "chips" for "French fries", "crisps" for "potato chips", "lift" for "elevator", "pavement" for "sidewalk", "The Tube" or "The Underground" for the London "subway".

This is not a complete list by any means. For instance most terminology relating to trains and railways (use instead of "railroads") is different.

Thanks! I appreciate your help.

[colin (imported)]

The answer given by Strassenbahn is reasonably correct. However, 'Pants' usually refer to male underwear not panties (which are female) and it can refer equally to a pair of briefs (aka jockeys) or boxer type shorts which can be shortened to just 'boxers'. 'Shorts' by itself - 'he was wearing red shorts' - tends to indicate short trousers, ie: walking shorts - do not use 'undershorts' that is one Americanism which has not been adopted here. Just to confuse the issue, shorts can also be drunk and would indicate that the person was drinking spirits (whisky, gin or rum) rather than beer or lager.

Knickers is somewhat old-fashioned and would normally be used to refer to a young girl's underwear. For an older girl it would be slightly insulting and 'panties' or, more likely, 'briefs' used instead, but it may also be used in a male sexual connotation, such as "get yer knickers off".

LOL

[numnuts (imported)]

Well what's the difference between a bloke and a mate? Can your mate be a bloke?

[Slammr (imported)]

Thanks, guys.

How about the commonly used terms for penis, vagina, buttocks, and testicles? Our favorite term for penis these days seems to be cock, balls or nuts for testicles, pussy or cunt for vagina, and butt or ass for buttocks. It seems I heard that the British don't use cock or butt, but I'm not sure.

[kb57z (imported)]

Thanks, guys.

How about the commonly used terms for penis, vagina, buttocks, and testicles? Our favorite term for penis these days seems to be cock, balls or nuts for testicles, pussy or cunt for vagina, and butt or ass for buttocks. It seems I heard that the British don't use cock or butt, but I'm not sure.

All of these would be understood over here. 'Cock' is normal British usage. "Nuts" would probably be regarded as a bit "transatlantic" - you might try "bollocks", which also crops up in several "set phrases", like "He thinks he's the dog's bollocks", and as a rather more emphatically rude rejoinder than "Rubbish".

"Pussy" could be problematical; not as an Americanism, but because of the (never seen) feline owned by a "matronly" character in a seventies BBC sitcom which was frequently used to raise a laugh by being referred to as 'Mrs Slocum's pussy'.

'Butt' is definitely 'American' and British usage is 'arse' rather than 'ass'. We also use 'bum' (probably a contraction of bottom).

On a non-sexual note; "different than" is definitively wrong in British English - use "differs from".

And at the end of all this, you'll still get caught out by something......!

[kb57z (imported)]

Well what's the difference between a bloke and a mate? Can your mate be a bloke?

"Mate" means "friend" or "colleague", and does not, in general, imply anything beyond "platonic". "A bloke" is a person of the male gender. Without a possessive adjective it is interchangable with "man". "My bloke" however, has connotations which suggest the possibility that the relationship has progressed beyond merely social intercourse.

[jasonsharpe (imported)]

First rule of writing: write about what you know. Set your stories in the States. I, and I suspect most British readers, appreciate the exotic stories set in America, complete with colloquialisms. It helps to broaden understanding. I believe stories set in the UK are best constructed by British authors. As suggested by others, you're unlikely to comprehend all the subtle nuances of the English language.

(I've read that again and it seems a bit snooty and pompous, but really I just love reading the thoughts and dreams of different cultures. It opens a window on new worlds. The worlds aren't very far removed from the author's experience, but are thousand's of miles from mine.)

[Slammr (imported)]

All of these would be understood over here. 'Cock' is normal British usage. "Nuts" would probably be regarded as a bit "transatlantic" - you might try "bollocks", which also crops up in several "set phrases", like "He thinks he's the dog's bollocks", and as a rather more emphatically rude rejoinder than "Rubbish".

"Pussy" could be problematical; not as an Americanism, but because of the (never seen) feline owned by a "matronly" character in a seventies BBC sitcom which was frequently used to raise a laugh by being referred to as 'Mrs Slocum's pussy'.

'Butt' is definitely 'American' and British usage is 'arse' rather than 'ass'. We also use 'bum' (probably a contraction of bottom).

On a non-sexual note; "different than" is definitively wrong in British English - use "differs from".

And at the end of all this, you'll still get caught out by something......!

Thanks for the info: Different than is wrong even here, though it's commonly used, and a mistake I might make in a post. I do try to edit it out before I post a story, though. Here, the proper use would be different from, but I do understand the difference you're pointing out in the use of differs rather than different. I expect to screw up. I just don't want to screw up too badly.