fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2656 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2656 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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05. [SPOILERS for Snowpiercer]

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06. [SPOILERS for Captain America: The Winter Soldier]

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07. [SPOILERS for Teen Wolf]

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08. [SPOILERS for Golden Time]

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09. [WARNING for blood/gore, cannibalism, and incest]

Notes:

Grabbed some from next week's subs post so it wouldn't be all spoilers today.

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 000 secrets from Secret Submission Post #379.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

USE THE CORRECT RELEVANT SPELLING AND TERMINOLOGY FOR YOUR FANDOM.

Christ alive, it's not that hard.

What if the source fandom isn't in English?

Then this rant about American/British spelling probably doesn't apply to it?

Wait, so for example, an American writing BBC Sherlock fic should use the British spelling of things? That would probably annoy me more because it would seem pretentious.

It just seems polite to me, to use the right kind of language when it comes to the whole American/British thing.

If you're reading a fic set in Britain, British fans will get instantly thrown out of the narrative by out of place phrases* (and, to a lesser extent, spelling). If you're reading a fic set in an American fandom and you're American, British phrases and spelling is going to do the same**.

But then this is a petty rant thread - and my irritation really is just a petty thing! Mostly I love that we all write fic regardless of what language and spelling is in there. :)

*"Sherlock, have you seen my gray sweater from Target?" demanded John. "The one you left on the sidewalk after we had a beer at the bar?" asked Sherlock.

**"Let's grab a takeaway and mosey on down the pub," said Dean. "Sounds grand," agreed Sam, grabbing his Marks and Spencers coat.

There's a difference between using the right terminology and using the different spellings, though. Arguing for jumper instead of sweater in a BBC Sherlock story? Fair. Arguing for colour instead of color? Pretentious, and a huge waste of time.

So... Sherlock calling his mother "Mum" would be pretentious if the fanfic author is American.

I'd frankly think it looks OOC for him to say that, because "Mum" and "Mom" are pronounced differently.

I also think it looks weird for Harry Potter to call Lily Potter "Mom", and the HP books have American version which probably used "Mom" (I don't know for sure on that, the Australian versions had the original British usages).

I think the American versions have the Weasleys call their mother "Mum." I think.

The American HP books use "mum." Other than the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone weirdness, the American editions don't change all the "Britishisms", just the ones that also happen to be words in American English with different meanings (like "football" to "soccer" and "jumper" to "sweater").

ayrt

So... Sherlock calling his mother "Mum" would be pretentious if the fanfic author is American.

I said spelling, not words themselves. Mom and Mum are totally different words and obviously one is going to be out of place.

I meant like the person above said, using "colour" instead of "color" when it isn't being directly spelled by the character (like in a letter or something) is what would seem pretentious.

What are you going off about? You should use the spelling you know. If you're American, use American spelling, and British, use British. It would be stupid to use another country's English spelling.

Using slang/common vernacular in character dialogue, sure. But why the heck would you change your spelling?

Yeah. That's fucking stupid. If the British character is, say, writing a letter, then it'd be relevant to use British spelling. But otherwise , use the spelling rules for your country.

Wouldn't it be odd going back and forth that way? I'd notice that way more than if it were consistently one or the other.

Eh. If British characters use British spellings in sections where they write letters and American spelling in the rest of the fic because the author is American and vice versa, then I'd be fine with it. But that's really only reason why I'd see someone changing spellings. Writing a fic in all British spelling when you are American because the characters are British is stupid, and that's what OP seems to be calling for.

People like anon are why I once stressed out over whether a character in a Doctor Who fic of mine would use the phrase "inched over" or not.

Nah don't stress over it. This is the petty rant thread after all.

OP here.

Meh, despite the ragey-ness of my original comment, I'm not actually all that bothered.

Mostly it seems polite, especially with terminology.

Not AYRT

As a brit in the Supernatural fandom, I used to get ragged on for using 'colour' and other British spelling all the time. I guess to some people it really matters?

I read a fic where Bobby sad "sod" and "sodding" and "telly" (which are things an American wouldn't say). Dean and Sam took tea (also something an American wouldn't do). So, if you are just using British spellings, I think you're good. Ignore the haters.

Was Bobby possessed by Crowley? Because that sounds like him.

Also, this fic comes to mind:
http://kroki-refur.livejournal.com/274186.html

I hate reading fic for American source material and the author spells things the British way *Ripper glare at BtVS fandom*

And I hate it just as much if I'm reading fic for British source material and the author uses American spellings *threatens to stamp on all the toys of Life on Mars fandom*

It throws me out of the fic because the majority of fanworks are usually produced by people with same country of origin as the source material. It stands out like a sore thumb when someone uses different spelling than the majority of a fandom's writers.

For most Americans will
use mom, not mum,
crib, not cot (I will think of an army cot first),
diapers, not nappies,
apartment, not flat,
elevator, not lift,
trunk, not boot,
hood, not bonnet,
sidewalk, not pavement(s),
drunk, not pissed,
(referring to paper money)bill, not note,
friend (or man or dude, when using it as a form of address), not mate.

I was thinking the same thing. Spelling doesn't really bother me but phrasing does. Because I am American I notice it more when someone uses a non-American phrase or term - but even the other way can bug me. I remember one time I was listening (while I was on a road trip) to a Dick Francis book that kept saying soccer. It was wrong it hear that and it drove me nuts to hear these British (in Britain) characters saying a very American term.

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I don't care about spelling, but I do care about the right terminology.

Re: I don't care about spelling, but I do care about the right terminology.