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Answer - Fly v. Flies in American/British English
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snycock asked: What are the US and UK differences between 'fly' and 'flies'?( With examples from NCIS and Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em )
chiroho.livejournal.comsnycock asked: What are the US and UK differences between 'fly' and 'flies'?( With examples from NCIS and Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em )
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chomiji
debirlfan asked us "What are the rules for American versus British usage for 'hospital' and 'surgery'?
It's true that British usage on these common medical terms differs from what's encountered in the United States. We'll take a closer look at how these words work.
( With help from the cast of Bleach )
chomijiThe Grammarians have been asked "How do you use quotation marks and colons/semicolons together?"
This combination really does conjure up visions of a punctuation traffic jam. Let's take a closer look, and we'll work it out -- one way or another.
Answer: “Fit” versus “Fitted”
Monday, 15 October 2012 08:17chomiji
todeskun asked us, "When do you use 'fit' versus 'fitted'? As in, 'it fit him to a T' or 'it fitted him to a T'?"
It turns out that which one you use depends on which side of the Atlantic you live. Let's take a closer look.
( We'll be assisted by the cast of Batman ... )chomiji
midnitemaraud_r asked us, "Does forward/forwards work the same way as toward/towards?"
Let's take a look, with help from the cast of the movie The Princess Bride.
( In fact, it's not inconceivable that someone could be confused by this ... )Feature: Transliteration 101
Friday, 15 May 2009 21:41lady-ganesh.livejournal.comHanukkah vs. Chanukah? Mohammed or Muhammad? Why do some people call Light Yagami "Raito?" And what the hell is "Arucard" doing in the first Hellsing translation, anyway?
Welcome to the wonderful world of transliteration!
( It's all about the alphabet... )
Welcome to the wonderful world of transliteration!
( It's all about the alphabet... )
ANSWER: "try to" vs. "try and"
Monday, 9 March 2009 11:35mendax.livejournal.comWhen is it appropriate to use "try to" vs. "try and"?
(With examples from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.)
( But Yoda says there is no try... )
(With examples from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.)
( But Yoda says there is no try... )
Answer: "Ms." vs. "Ms"
Monday, 16 February 2009 21:00green-grrl.livejournal.comIs it Ms. or Ms?
The answer is, well, either--and it will take a little more exploration to determine which to use. ( with examples from Alias and James Bond )
The answer is, well, either--and it will take a little more exploration to determine which to use. ( with examples from Alias and James Bond )
mendax.livejournal.comcallistosh65 asks: When is it appropriate to use toward vs. towards? Does this change in British fandoms?With examples from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and usage guidelines from Garner’s Modern American Usage.
( Why yes, it does change in British fandoms. )
rigel-7.livejournal.comtigerlilly2063 asks: Why is it "times like this", but "moments like these"? When do you use each?"It's moments like these you need Minties…"
If you are of Antipodean extraction and grew up in the '80's, you'll have immediately recognised that expression (one of the ads from the series for the curious). Because difficult times do call for delicious mint flavoured treats to help soothe the frustrated soul.
The two phrases are actually interchangeable. It's perfectly acceptable to use "moments like this" or "times like these", it all depends on that wonderful thing called context (and your local lingo).
( Time, as Einstein famously said, is relative. )
katiefoolery.livejournal.commab_browne wishes to know: When is it appropriate to use "among" vs. "amongst"? "amid" vs. "amidst"?( With examples from Discworld )
katiefoolery.livejournal.comorion117 asks us: When is it appropriate to use “different from” vs. “different than”? Or, as I like to put it: Is “different than” different from “different from”? (Meanwhile, “different to” is standing over in the corner there, all overlooked and forlorn. And rightly so, too, considering it’s a rarely-used variant which will only confuse things here.) ( With examples from Harry Potter )
Friday Feature: A Special Comma
Friday, 6 June 2008 17:15theemdashI'm doing a pinch hit this week. The writer for the planned feature has come down with a case of the Real Life, so I'm cobbling this together at the last minute. Thankfully, I'm well-versed in the topic at hand. Are you?
[Poll #1200676]
( A Special Comma with examples from Stargate: SG-1 )
[Poll #1200676]
( A Special Comma with examples from Stargate: SG-1 )
Writing Tips: American for Brits
Friday, 25 April 2008 21:29green-grrl.livejournal.comMost writers are aware of major differences between British and American English, and British writers are usually good about changing arse to ass and git to idiot when writing in American-based fandoms. Still, there are a few British quirks that seem to sneak through, even occasionally by writers experienced in the American idiom.
Some of these quirks seem minor, or even sound so "right" to a British ear that the American alternative just sounds weird, but they really do stand out to American readers. The absolute best way to catch Britishisms is to ask an American to beta. Another tip is to keep a list of the phrases or expressions your characters use in canon, and stick to those rather than phrases that come naturally to you.
( Here are a few common Britishisms in fanfic that you can watch out for, with examples from Stargate SG-1 and Torchwood. )
So that's a quick roundup of Britishisms I see in American canon fanfic. One of my favorite sites for translating the common language that divides us is The English-to-American Dictionary: http://english2american.com/. Even without a fic project at hand, it's a fun read for its own sake.
Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders, please chime in on your English usage, as well!
Some of these quirks seem minor, or even sound so "right" to a British ear that the American alternative just sounds weird, but they really do stand out to American readers. The absolute best way to catch Britishisms is to ask an American to beta. Another tip is to keep a list of the phrases or expressions your characters use in canon, and stick to those rather than phrases that come naturally to you.
( Here are a few common Britishisms in fanfic that you can watch out for, with examples from Stargate SG-1 and Torchwood. )
So that's a quick roundup of Britishisms I see in American canon fanfic. One of my favorite sites for translating the common language that divides us is The English-to-American Dictionary: http://english2american.com/. Even without a fic project at hand, it's a fun read for its own sake.
Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders, please chime in on your English usage, as well!
kay-brooke.livejournal.comWhen is it appropriate to use single quotation marks?
With examples from Heroes, Stargate SG-1, and Doctor Who.
( Quotation marks )
With examples from Heroes, Stargate SG-1, and Doctor Who.
( Quotation marks )
