Differences in UK/US/Canadian/Australian English

Discussion in 'Research' started by Tenderiser, Feb 20, 2017.

  1. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    The Mitford sister wrote a big expose about the death industry in the 1950s, about pouring a ton of formaldehyde into corpses' mouths...and then about three years ago there was 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.' That was a compelling read. 'Baby heads on a Thursday' and such.

    In my poetry I use, interchange all three of the common terms, although mortician/Morticia is very American.
     
  2. eeksavage

    eeksavage New Member

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    Thank you!
     
  3. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    Newbie here! Trying to access the Gdoc with no success, so I figured I would just ask my question here :)

    I'm wondering if the term "bullpen" (in reference to the office area of the police station) is also used in the UK. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
     
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  4. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    I don't know for sure, but if you're referring to 'the bullpen' as used in baseball, the UK doesn't play baseball (formally.) So I'd say probably not. However, there may be a few people here who are familiar with terms used by police in the UK. I'm not one of them! :)
     
  5. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    I wrote a jail piece...if I wrote it again today I might go for ‘keep’ and a host of my castle & farming metaphors, perhaps similes.

    The time I ‘visited’ back in the day I recall the elevated octagonal tower of oppression something something raised dias tears on the page filth bastards bastard rozzers I was drunk officer, defence but not baseballs.
     
  6. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    In all my years of watching The Bill, I've never heard the term "bullpen".
     
  7. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    nope its not used in the UK police ... the area in which the detectives sit is the CID Office, sometime known by uniform as 'the dressing room' due to the CID officers being known as 'the superstars' or 'the celebrities'... this isn't an affectionate term - the inference is "you superstar primadonnas do 1% of the work and take 99% of the credit, while proper coppers do all the work"

    on the flip side CID officers refer to uniforms as woodentops or woodies

    there's a reasonable breakdown of UK police slang and acronyms here https://www.dissidentreality.com/articles/uk-police-acronyms-slang-codes/
     
  8. JLT

    JLT Contributor Contributor

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  9. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    Thank you! This is very helpful!
     
  10. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    Now, any advice for accessing the Gdoc? I usually use Mozilla browser but tried it in Chrome to see if there was any difference. In Mozilla, the link is active but when I click on it, everything disappears and nothing opens. When I use Chrome, it says that it is unable to connect.... really sad about this because my story based in London may have a few inaccuracies :meh:
     
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  11. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    Oh, also, does the term "Bodega" translate well in the UK? If I were to refer to a corner shop as a "Bodega", would it seem weird or out of place in a London-based story?
     
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  12. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    Completely out of place. We just call them "corner shops" usually. Or more often than not, just "the shop", when referring to your local shop.
     
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  13. The Dapper Hooligan

    The Dapper Hooligan (V) ( ;,,;) (v) Contributor

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    Not the UK, but in Canada, a bodega is more like a tavern than a corner shop.
     
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  14. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    It all depends on voice.

    ‘l’m off to the bloody bodega..’ said Harry Hotspur...well...probably that would work because only he might have the terms of reference.

    Maybe my point’s too abstruse, if that’s right.
     
  15. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    in the uk Bodega is a chain of hipster bars kinda modelled after a latin america cantina
    https://www.bodegacantina.co.uk/
     
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  16. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    Thanks, everyone! I felt that was the case but for some reason, I wanted to use the term. I have revised to keep it more authentic :)
     
  17. Friedrich Kugelschreiber

    Friedrich Kugelschreiber marshmallow Contributor

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    "Bodega" isn't even in common use across the U.S. Isn't that just in New York?
     
  18. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    Technically, you are correct, which is why I also found it odd that my brain was so fixated on using it! It was weird, but it just sounded right for some reason. I think I just like the word "bodega". Maybe my scene just felt like the UK version of a dirty little convenience store in NYC, which is why I thought it was the best term at the time. Can we just make that a thing in London? Can we collectively agree to start using that term instead of corner shop so that my story verbiage makes sense?? :superconfused::supergrin:
     
  19. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    London has something most other British cities don't - 24 hour convenience stores. These are usually chains, rather than family-run places. Family corner shops won't usually open past 11pm.

    One of the chains is Costcutters, which is one of the most misleading names ever.

    Otherwise, if you need cigarettes late at night, it's the nearest petrol (gas) station.
     
  20. JLT

    JLT Contributor Contributor

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    It was brought into New York by Puerto Rican immigrants, I believe (although perhaps "immigrants" isn't the right word, since Puerto Ricans are American citizens). On the East Coast, I've never heard it used other than in New York City.

    But I've seen it quite a bit in the southwestern U.S., in areas where Hispanics shape the nature of a neighborhood. In fact, there's a town in Northern California called Bodega Bay.

    Patrick Ball, the harper, likes to tell the story of his visit to a pub in Ireland. The innkeeper asked him where he was from, and Patrick replied, "Oh, it's a little town in California called Bodega Bay. I don't think you would have heard of it.

    "Mister," the innkeeper replied, "Oi've seen The Birds foive toimes!"
     
  21. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    Hello again, wonderful group! I got another UK/US terminology question.

    If I said "tinner snips" or "tinner's snips" to someone in the UK, what would they think that is?
     
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  22. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    I'm in US and I don't know what those are.
     
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  23. Thorn Cylenchar

    Thorn Cylenchar Senior Member

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    US here- I've heard of Tin Snips, but never tinner snips or tinner's snips, and that is with living in the Midwest and Southwest
     
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  24. SnowWhiteBriBri

    SnowWhiteBriBri Member

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    See that's the thing. I was looking for a UK equivalent and "tinner's snips" was what I found, but I wasn't sure.

    In my story, I used the term "tin snips" but I wanted to make sure it was a well known name in the UK.

    Being from the Midwest as well, I would use "tin snips" but if someone said "tinner's snips" I would understand what they were talking about. Just want to make sure it's used in the UK.
     
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  25. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    Shears

    'Tin snips' in quotes only & with clues aiding a translition.

    "I got these here tin snippers for accessing the U-boat's metallic superstructure..." bellowed Chuckney. He scrambled on to the deck, his white teeth sparkled in the moonlight, and he adjusted his baseball hat, hurled another reeses piece lucky charm brownie into his mouth. the ocean to distract the sharks
     

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