"I'd like a coke please."
"Sure, what kind?"
"A Dr. Pepper."
In Texas we say 'coke' in favor of soda or pop.
My best friend and I are still involved in an on-going debate on whether those wonderful insulated beverage holders are pronounced 'koozie' or 'cozie'. (It's koozie).
The nice man at the grocery store was confused when I asked for the 'pee-can' crusted tilapia. "Oh, you mean 'puh-cahn'".
When refering to my parent's female siblings, I say 'ant', while my husband prefers the more stuffy sounding 'aunt.'
Is it a lanai or patio? Sofa or couch? Supper or dinner?
As writers, we not only have to come up with creative synonyms (how many ways can you say 'looked'?), but be cautious of the words we chose. Especially if we use a setting/location that's foreign to us. Perhaps that's why authors stick to familiar places (i.e. our home states, places we've visited, etc.). Sometimes it even goes beyond the words we chose, it's how our characters pronounce them.
That's all I have to say on that subject.
ROW80 Update
Well, this is one of those check-in's where I have nothing exciting to report. I wrote a bit on Sunday and yesterday, but Monday (as always) was a wash. I don't have any specific word counts, as long as I write, so I guess I'm not that much of a slacker. I DID manage to work on my cover for my novella (release date this weekend??), read, and finished creating my website.
I don't plan on getting much writing done today, as I have a late night event for work. Speaking of which, I have to get ready for...
I know what you mean if my character "looks" once more I may have to scream. You've still made progress even the promo stuff is as important as the actual writing. best of luck for the rest of the week
ReplyDeleteGreat post Claudia! I've even exhausted my patience for gazed, glanced, and observed. It's difficult to find 'just the right word' without sounding like a thesaurus.
ReplyDeleteOn a funny note.....My husband spent some years in the Navy, so we've been exposed to many different ways of speaking. Entering a pizza shop near Willowgrove Naval Base, my husband asked for a 'pop' (western Pa's name for soda) to which the older woman behind the counter asked him to repeat his request. When he did, she promptly told him to get out of her shop....that she didn't sell things like that!.......we still laugh about it.
Have a good weekend! ~ Nadja
Sometimes I feel like I'm being just as bad coming up with a million ways to say the same thing. I try to think up other stuff for my characters to do besides, for example, "looking".
ReplyDeleteInteresting thoughts about language. That's what's so great about social media. So much access to people from all walks of life.
It's true - I'm constantly focused on getting the research and history right, and the dialects I choose have to reflect my characters' backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard lanai before The Golden Girls [g]
Congrats on finishing your website!
In our place, we still call it coke. If you are asking for soda, surely the seller will raised his eyebrows.
ReplyDeleteWell I think you're doing good.
KIU!
Andrew - I was having a hard time with my WIP with how many times my character "stood". I realized third person is NOT my thing.
ReplyDeleteDeniz - that's where I first heard lanai too! I miss that show!!
Magic - Glad I'm not the only one :)