No-one is more surprised than I am

[indri]

OK, I've finished drafting my fic about the Burkles. I think that took three years, a personal record for fic.

Is there anyone still reading this journal who'd like to beta? It's only 2300 words now that I've ruthlessly culled the superfluous subplots.

Anyone?

ETA: OK, I have an Australian and an ex-pat Brit. I really need an American too, as it's set in Texas.

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Switching between dialects is hard. In one story I used the word "hoon" and nwhepcat queried it; I was aiming for an English idiom, but "hoon" is Aussie. The other day, I used the word "snib" in front of my partner; it turned out that in the sixteen years we've known each other I had never before had cause to say "snib" and it's a Scotticism.

FYI, a hoon is someone driving recklessly and fast, while a snib is a catch, such a window-catch.

Comments

[deepad]

I have nothing of relevance to say beyond:
I love those two bits of random slang and I shall endeavour to incorporate them into my vocabulary as firmly as possible. Hoon, given Delhi driving, should be easy. Snib will need working on.

[deepad]

oh, and I'd beta, except I'm thinking an Indian with two years familiarity with Minnesota doesn't exactly help with the texan-edits.

[indri]

wasabi_oni is willing to check my Americanisms. If you still fancy beta'ing though, I'll email a link.

[deepad]

Just checking - you got my beta comment email, right?

[indri]

Yes, just had an unexpectedly busy weekend so haven't made the edits yet.

Thanks!

[indri]

Do you find yourself using words in Minnesota that you thought were everywhere-English but which the Minnesotans don't recognise?

What worries me is that, once I've mostly sorted out which words I know from where, then the language will have changed anyway. When watching the new Dr Who I had to look up new Brit slang words which had gone into common usage after I'd left. I'll never keep up :(

[deepad]

Yep. Maybe I was being dumb by not realising they didn't know the word 'loo', you know, for bathroom, but I thought that sort of slang was universal. Plus there's enough Indian English in me, and fanspeak to make me sounds weird pretty much anywhere.
And I'm up for the beta if you still want another one.