ext_29553 ([identity profile] haldoor.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fandom_grammar 2008-04-26 09:24 am (UTC)

This has been helpful, although I think I watch so much American TV/movies that words themselves aren't too difficult. The differences in grammar and punctuation/spelling are probably harder and I tend to change from one story to another sometimes, although I try to be consistent within one story if I can! Thankfully, I mostly stick to the one fandom these days, and my usual beta is American, so hopefully I'm catching any issues before they trip me up completely, but no doubt I fail on occasion.

NZ, as you've had pointed out by someone else, has more British inclinations, as well as plenty of our own unique words/phrases, so sometimes it seems strange (particularly in LOTRips) to see Kiwis say American-style things!

The thing about punctuation outside of quotations confused me a little, do you mean like this:

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean!" John exclaimed.

Would British writers put the exclamation mark outside of the speech marks? I can't say I've seen that. perhaps I need to see examples if this wasn't a good one, cos (see, I'm a Kiwi, there's that 'cos'!) I always put the punctuation marks inside speech marks and have never put them outside - I don't think I learned it that way.

Man, language for world wide consumption is tricky, huh?

Thanks, love! ;-)

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