tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post9201154658683122587..comments2023-09-05T12:51:25.656-05:00Comments on edittorrent: DialectEdittorrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14295505709568570553noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-23214679175458756742011-06-03T02:26:35.922-05:002011-06-03T02:26:35.922-05:001) Rhythm
2) Vocabulary
3) Judicious use of approp...1) Rhythm<br />2) Vocabulary<br />3) Judicious use of appropriate slang<br />4) Grammar (or lack thereof)<br /><br />I will use words like "gonna" or "dunno" if appropriate but I feel that these have truly become shorthand these days.<br /><br />When I read this post, one book that falls into the "exception that proves the rule" category came to mind. Richard Adams' <i>The Plague Dogs</i> has a character (the fox, or <i>tod</i> as he is called) who speaks such a thick form of Geordie that there is a glossary included at the end of the book.<br /><br />Does this separate the reader from the character. Yes, but that is partly the point since the other characters, and by extension the reader, are supposed to be skeptical and perhaps distrustful of the fox. So in this rare case the technique works.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-6548965068995001772011-06-02T10:29:20.072-05:002011-06-02T10:29:20.072-05:00Alicia, you ask: Nancy, how do you decide which Fr...Alicia, you ask: Nancy, how do you decide which French words to put in? <br /><br />First, I'll choose words most Anglophones know and recognize. Or words that are very close in spelling, and make their meaning obvious. Sometimes, I'll use the another character's dialogue to 'translate' the words.<br /><br />"Vous voulez-quoi?"<br />"What do I want?" Jane repeated. "Come here, and I'll show you."<br /><br />Inner dialogue works too.<br /><br />"Quelque chose à boire?"<br /><br />Something to drink? Jane considered the menu. Good idea. "Yes. I'll have a Coke please."<br /><br />Nancy :)<br /><br /><br />I also read the sentence aloud, with the said 'French' accent LOL<br /><br />"Also, when you drop letters (say at the beginning or end-- Tis and mornin'), what words would you do that with?"<br /><br />Again, to me, that's a question of reading it aloud and listening to the phonetics. <br /><br />But the important thing, IMO, is to remain constant. If your character drops their g's at the end of a word, then do it all the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-60302431063168466282011-06-01T14:17:16.992-05:002011-06-01T14:17:16.992-05:00Keli, the example you have of the south speak also...Keli, the example you have of the south speak also sounds like in the South, they use (like the Irish) more words than are precisely needed to build emphasis. Also hyperbole. I love that toad strangler line!Alicianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-59966540351833478682011-06-01T14:14:46.112-05:002011-06-01T14:14:46.112-05:00Nancy, how do you decide which French words to put...Nancy, how do you decide which French words to put in? That is, would you put in the things that a Frenchspeaker speaking English would say-- mon Dieu! or She's a pretty jeune fille maybe? Or? <br /><br />I was also thinking that another "marker" of dialect might be greetings (this also of class maybe): "Mornin', ma'am."<br />"Good morning, madam."<br />"Hey!"<br />"Hullo."<br />"Top of the morning to you!"<br /><br />Also, when you drop letters (say at the beginning or end-- Tis and mornin'), what words would you do that with?<br /><br />Also maybe terms of address, like "mate" and "dude" and "cherie"?<br /><br />AliciaAlicianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-70452938348677237932011-06-01T12:40:47.705-05:002011-06-01T12:40:47.705-05:00Oh you have hit one of my worst enemies and baddes...Oh you have hit one of my worst enemies and baddest habits! I love dialects, and a few years back I was writing age of sail-- everyone spoke differently, and I tried to convey it all. It was so much fun but needless to say, that file is sitting in the "MUST REVISE folder.Stella Omegahttp://dharma-slut.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-56561380551568467012011-06-01T12:01:40.375-05:002011-06-01T12:01:40.375-05:00Ooh, Alicia, I agree with you on this.
I use many...Ooh, Alicia, I agree with you on this.<br /><br />I use many variations to distinguish between characters and their dialogue. It can be fun :)<br /><br />A southern woman might say, "y'all headin' to lunch?"<br /><br />I might add an 'eh' at the end of a Canadian's dialogue.<br /><br />I'll insert a few French words in a French character's dialogue and won't use contractions. "The mademoiselle knows what she is doing." or he'd say merci instead of thanks, or oui and other obvious words.<br /><br />If I watch a foreign show, say for example, a BBC production, I write down expressions and swear words.<br /><br />BUT, there's nothing worse than reading a book filled with spelling mistakes when you do speak the language in question.<br />And no, folks... Online translators DO NOT work. <br /><br />My rule of thumb: Never assume your readers are as ignorant as you are. Find someone who speaks the language and have them proofread you ;)<br /><br />NancyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-83315322340135080822011-06-01T04:03:43.508-05:002011-06-01T04:03:43.508-05:00You've touched on it with wonder words, also w...You've touched on it with wonder words, also wonder phrases. In the south, they use wonder phrases: <i>it's brewin' up a toad strangler</i> or <i>no bigger than a minute</i>. I've also noticed (moving around the country as much as I have) that different regions tend to name people more, as in "There's a big rainstorm coming, Keli. Can't be good for the garden, Keli. Are you going to dig that trench before the ground freezes, Keli?" I'm not sure what to do about your Roman warrior except maybe make his speech more formal.Kelihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11209114172006905007noreply@blogger.com