RE: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

[andrewg927]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

You just proved my point. Whether it was you or someone else who cut the conversation short, it doesn't matter. People in LA like to be on the run all the time and it is hard to have a long conversation with a stranger. And I'm only talking about around downtown LA and not the greater LA area which includes other suburban cities. Now I know I'm making a generalization here but I'm also making a comparison to a coffee shop in rural MO where you will find guys who spend 5-6 hours there with nowhere else to go which I highly doubt is the norm in LA.

 

[GoesStation]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

LA is full of people with no visible means of support who spend hours hanging out in coffee shops.

 

[probus]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

Elmore Leonard writes superb contemporary American dialect.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

If you go to Detroit or LA (I just assume this since you mentioned MI, CA) I doubt people will be in a chatty mood with a stranger. You might want to explore other smaller cities where people do have time to chat and not have to be on run all the time.

I would love to go to MI and catch the train to CA as mentioned earlier. Surely there would be people (bored!) willing to chat if only to kill time?

We are supposed to be going on a 10 day family to Florida in the next 6 months or so. I am pretty sure it is Tampa we are going to (as my brother-in-law has relatives there).

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

I disagree. You'll find people to chat with anywhere you go. For example, I recently had a very nice conversation in Los Angeles with a Dutch guy who lived in the neighborhood where I was waiting for an optician's office to open.

The trouble is, the story I would like to write (one day!) is about U.S. criminals. And so perhaps these are the type of people I really need to be conversing with! While there may be plenty of shady folk about, I dare say it would be unwise to approach them or hang-out in their quarters of the city!

 

[andrewg927]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

You could ask for permission to go into prisons to talk to those folks. I don't know how it works but I'm sure there is information out there.

 

[GoesStation]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

The trouble is, the story I would like to write (one day!) is about U.S. criminals. And so perhaps these are the type of people I really need to be conversing with! While there may be plenty of shady folk about, I dare say it would be unwise to approach them or hang-out in their quarters of the city!

It's not wise to go into bad parts of American cities. One way to recognize them is by the prevalence of stores with big signs reading "CHECKS CASHED" or "PAYDAY LOANS".

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

Elmore Leonard writes superb contemporary American dialect.

I think he wrote 'Jackie Brown' (i.e. the Quentin Tarantino film)?

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

You could ask for permission to go into prisons to talk to those folks. I don't know how it works but I'm sure there is information out there.

You can write (as a pen-pal) to inmates. There are a couple of services I am familiar with ('Jmail' being one of them). I have never stepped inside a correctional center though. But I have watched literally hundreds of U.S. prison documentaries on Sky TV.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

It's not wise to go into bad parts of American cities. One way to recognize them is by the prevalence of stores with big signs reading "CHECKS CASHED" or "PAYDAY LOANS".

Ha ha, we have plenty of those over here. 'Cash Converters' and 'The Money Shop'. They always seem to be very busy!

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

You can write (as a pen-pal) to inmates. There are a couple of services I am familiar with ('Jmail' being one of them). I have never stepped inside a correctional center though. But I have watched literally hundreds of U.S. prison documentaries on Sky TV.

As I understand it (from someone who used to write to someone on death row), you are not allowed to discuss any aspect of their crime or any mention of their guilt/innocence in your exchanges. They might be able to help you with dialogue, though, I suppose.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

As I understand it (from someone who used to write to someone on death row), you are not allowed to discuss any aspect of their crime or any mention of their guilt/innocence in your exchanges. They might be able to help you with dialogue, though, I suppose.

Actually yes, the letters are 'monitored'. Because they are sent via email, I think they are able to electronically scan them for any use of banned language. If a letter (email) is found to contain such banned terms, then it is rejected. You are still charged for sending the letter and I think you receive a 'rejection' notice.

The problem is, most inmates do not have very much money and also the email terminals are constantly busy, or else broken (for weeks on end).

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

I have a question for you. Why do you want to write American dialogue? Is it just for fun or do you intend to write a book for American audience?

Having slept on this for a couple of nights, I would guess I am intending on writing about America, using the best U.S. dialogue I can produce, and ultimately for a British crowd.

I was wondering if you could write/have a book which contained very little dialogue whatsoever, and so greatly rely upon the third-person narrator (i.e. me!)?

 

[andrewg927]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

Why do you want to write about America and why would you want to use a third person narration?

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

Why do you want to write about America and why would you want to use a third person narration?

Because I have been told (and read), on quite a few occasions, that writing in third-person is the easiest (for beginners, at least). Same comment for past-tense (although I have begun my story in present-tense).

I know many people who have written a story that is based in a country other than their own. Admittedly, these people are technically more skilled than I, but they must have started somewhere!

I have always been interested in the U.S. and also followed a lot of crime/prison documentaries, and so I wanted to attempt something set within this context.

Also, there is a school of thought which says that you should: 'try to write about what you don't know' (or words to that effect). I interpret this as meaning you should strive to push yourself into new areas.

 

[andrewg927]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

I don't know if you have this channel in the UK but we have a channel called Investigation Discovery. It is very American and each episode is a story with a narrative. I think it would be very helpful to you for this particular genre.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

I don't know if you have this channel in the UK but we have a channel called Investigation Discovery. It is very American and each episode is a story with a narrative. I think it would be very helpful to you for this particular genre.

Those are the type of channels I tend to watch (as well as Sky and CNN News [and Washington Journal!]). I know I have the Discovery channel. I will check and see if it's a part of my package.

UPDATE - Is it called 'I.D'? It has: 'Swamp Murders', 'Murder On CCTV', 'Murder Calls', etc. So, lots of thing to do with 'murder'!

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

If you're not familiar with Neil Gaiman, you might read some of his books, especially American Gods. He was born and raised in England but moved to the US 20 some years ago. Some of his earlier works (especially whenever he collaborated with Terry Pratchett) have more Anglicisms in them than his later works. American Gods was written about the US while living in the US. It's probably about as good an example of an English author writing in "American" as you'll find.

I just watched some clips on You Tube of 'American Gods'. I am afraid that it is not really my thing to be quite honest. It looks like it may fall into one of those 'TV show box-set' packages (e.g. like 'Game Of Thrones' and 'House Of Cards' etc). But I am not saying it won't be helpful. I would estimate the closest I get to those types of programs/series is 'CSI Vegas' (but you will probably argue this is an entirely different category!). However, reading the BOOK (of 'American Gods') - as opposed to the TV show - may offer a more valuable insight (into dialogue etc).

Incidentally, a mate of mine (from Boston) just recommended I watch a bunch of episodes of 'Friends'. He said that the shows are bursting with idiosyncratic U.S. slang.

 

[andrewg927]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

Yes. It is called "ID". I have only seen Scorned, Wives with Knives, and Unusual Suspects. These shows are fascinating and loaded with criminal proceedings, investigation process, etc.

Friends is one of the few shows that I have watched all 10 seasons. It is an American show, no doubt it would help you with American conversation.

Oh, Law and Order is another excellent show you should watch if you haven't already.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Re: Help With U.S. Dialect/Slang Question

If you can get the 'HLN' channel, there is a show called "Forensic Files". This will take you through all kinds of real-life stuff, real cases with real people. I don't watch it but people around me do. Lots of criminal/police jargon if that's what you want.

I will have to check on 'HLN', thanks. I have watch "FBI Files" many times (which may be similar?). It is brilliant. The setting (case files) is always in the U.S. and it is narrated in English (well, Scottish!).