English and American writing.

[Dimcairien]

Sept 13, 2012 2:43:55 GMT -5 mountaingirl777 said:

It's funny. I'm from the US, but I get annoyed when I see "mom" instead of "mum" in HP fanfics. It's like my brain, when reading HP fanfiction, turns British. in other categories I don't mind it.

I'm the same way.

[Kitty279]

And I would be glad for you using the British spelling Growing up with British English, even if it's not my first language, Mom just looks wrong to me. For some reason, it is much more irritating than other typical American spellings (like the o/ou).

[Chameleon]

Makes sense... Mine starts in the middle of August to late June. But the June-month is mostly taken by exams, so we're having a little holiday in the end of May ... And spend all the hours on studying and studying. So when our exams are done, the summer has begun! If you're graduating, well then there's of course the ceremony, but elsewhile..

The schools here use to finish around the same time. But now, Faroe Island isn't as big as Germany or USA. There's only 50.000 people...

[Kitty279]

Yeah, that is different. The city alone where I work has about ten times as many inhabitants - and that is *one* city!

Just did a quick search online, as of 31.12.2011 Germany had 81,751,602 inhabitants, and Bavaria (where I live) alone had 12,538,696. Can you imagine the traffic if they went on holiday all at the same time? *shudder*

[Chameleon]

That would be crazy!

I feel now like small-town girl, although I'm one, since I can't imagine that happen. But I just imagine miles of miles of cars, and a full airport.

[Kitty279]

It would be murder - traffic jam from Flensburg to Oberstdorf, no doubt!

Actually, I prefer small towns my self and work at the big city only out of necessity. There's a reason why I moved from close to the center to one of the suburbs - at the edge of a little wood and far enough away from the next bigger street.

[blackroses77]

Sept 26, 2012 0:50:32 GMT -5 Kitty279 said:

And I would be glad for you using the British spelling Growing up with British English, even if it's not my first language, Mom just looks wrong to me. For some reason, it is much more irritating than other typical American spellings (like the o/ou).

The mum/mom bothers me a lot but the spelling of other words doesn't bother me at all. Probably because with the spelling differences they still sound the same whereas mom and mum sound completely different.

[Chameleon]

Oh. Yeah.

I'm that kind of girl who dreams about living in a big city... I got the chance, but I refused it for a couple of years. Wanted to take advantage of my language for a while. Not that it does any difference. Both my math teacher and Danish teacher only talk Danish.

I don't know where I'm gonna live. But my dream is definite not staying here, although I'm probably just do that.

[eskimoRock]

Yeah, I live in a fairly small city, and I hate the idea of staying here! I'm going to move to London once I'm old enough

[Chameleon]

Yeah... I love London. And I've only been there for three days.

My mother absolutely hated the idea of living there. Three days was enough for her. Way to crowded to her, but well. She's a small-town soccer-mum, and content of being it.

[eskimoRock]

I go at least once a year, mostly twice, and it's my favourite place in the entire world I liked it better than New York, I'm just desperate to live there.

My dads like me, he loves it, but my mum moved there when she was 18 and hated every minute!

[Chameleon]

I've never been to New York, so I can't say something. But it's on my list of Want-To-Travel-To.

Oh... Well, it can't be that long. I'm not desperate. I'm more ... scared of moving into another country and take care of myself, paying rent and everything that follows of being an responsible adult. Right now I'm a 18-year old girl who spends all her money, the moment she gets her hands on it. Call me Peter Pan

[eskimoRock]

I'm pretty good at spending money when I get it, too I'm trying to get a job, but nobody wants to hire 16 year olds in my city.

[Chameleon]

Oh, well. I'm fighting right now to not spend the money I'm gonna have when the month's starts. I'm going on a holiday, and would like to have some money until then.

These reasons are why I'm afraid of moving out. It means that I'm gonna have control the money-spending thing and use it on stuff like rents and food, and not end as homeless.

[Kitty279]

Oh, that's something you really will have to learn, or you'll be in trouble one day

[Chameleon]

I really know... The last part of the month, I'm usually empty. And I need to learn to control it, and I want to be a mature eighteen year old girl, who can manage to spare money, and not use it, two seconds after I got it. If my family was richer, I could probably afford it, but we're not, so I have to control it.

[Kitty279]

I learned to keep my money because I never had much to begin with until I was an adult already. So it was either saving up for nearly everything, or not being able to get anything. That taught me well. Now I earn enough to afford it, but I can't spend my money at once at all, because it has become second nature to think if I really need to get this or that

[Chameleon]

Well... I'm of a middle class family, where since I started to get money just get used to buy something, without thinking about it. I probably should learn it, but yeah.

[Kitty279]

And it's much harder to learn when you are used to not think much about it. Good luck with that!

[Chameleon]

Exactly ... My parents have never encouraged me into doing it, but they're letting me doing my own thing. Well I've turned eighteen now, so they can't say much about it anyway.

[teflonbilly]

Something to keep in mind though, much of what is being called "British English" is only one particular dialect (predominantly London middle and upper class English.)

Much of where American English pronunciation and word usage comes from the traditional Midlands dialect from 17th-18th Century. Much American Dialect usage is older and more traditional in usage than alot of modern British usage.

TB

[melodypottersnape]

Would it be odd for Harry to say damn.

[mountaingirl777]

British don't say "Damn" ? I thought they did.

[melodypottersnape]

I didn't know if it was just an American cuss word because I don't think I remember ever hearing it in any British book I've read. So I was just asking if it was something a British person would say.

[eskimoRock]

We say it, don't worry! probably not as much though.