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Should I stick with American terminology in my English set young adult book?


How to write for a certain audience?How to deal with a story that 95% of it takes place in a different language country and the protagonist speaks in it?Writing scenes that involve two languagesHow far can insults go in a “Young Adult” novel?Historical Fiction: using you and thouWhat are the pros/cons of writing in English in a non-English country?Is it better to avoid names with a difficult pronunciation in Middle Grade fiction?Foreign language dialogue in Middle Grade fictionWhat language shall they sing in?My story is written in English, but is set in my home country. What language should I use for the dialogue?






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I am writing a book that is set in England, but because I would get the book published in America I don't know what terminology to use. My main character is in the equivalent of 7th grade but in England they would call it Year 8, which might be confusing to my directed audience. Should I stick with American terminology or use English ones?










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New contributor



McInnis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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  • Good question! If your audience is younger I imagine publishers would lean toward American vocabulary or neutral alternatives to strictly British terms, but I have no publishing expertise to back this up. I'm thinking especially of the Harry Potter books, which were written by a British author but adapted for American audiences with terminology changes that phased out oddly as the series advanced. Essentially, until they were assured of commercial success the publisher erred on the side of familiarity to the audience.

    – wordsworth
    8 hours ago











  • Hmmm, I know that in my local elementary, middle, and high schools British English is a fad. Unless you are involving America within the book context, I'd leave it as is for verisimilitude. Maybe a modest appendix in the back to explain terms and cultural references.

    – nijineko
    7 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing.SE McInnis, glad you found us. Please check out our tour and help center.

    – Cyn
    6 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing SE, McInnis. Your characters should always speak naturally for there setting. You can always add foils to your story if you feel you need to explain the meaning of a word or phrase -- an American tourist or penpal for example.

    – EDL
    3 hours ago

















3















I am writing a book that is set in England, but because I would get the book published in America I don't know what terminology to use. My main character is in the equivalent of 7th grade but in England they would call it Year 8, which might be confusing to my directed audience. Should I stick with American terminology or use English ones?










share|improve this question









New contributor



McInnis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





















  • Good question! If your audience is younger I imagine publishers would lean toward American vocabulary or neutral alternatives to strictly British terms, but I have no publishing expertise to back this up. I'm thinking especially of the Harry Potter books, which were written by a British author but adapted for American audiences with terminology changes that phased out oddly as the series advanced. Essentially, until they were assured of commercial success the publisher erred on the side of familiarity to the audience.

    – wordsworth
    8 hours ago











  • Hmmm, I know that in my local elementary, middle, and high schools British English is a fad. Unless you are involving America within the book context, I'd leave it as is for verisimilitude. Maybe a modest appendix in the back to explain terms and cultural references.

    – nijineko
    7 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing.SE McInnis, glad you found us. Please check out our tour and help center.

    – Cyn
    6 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing SE, McInnis. Your characters should always speak naturally for there setting. You can always add foils to your story if you feel you need to explain the meaning of a word or phrase -- an American tourist or penpal for example.

    – EDL
    3 hours ago













3












3








3








I am writing a book that is set in England, but because I would get the book published in America I don't know what terminology to use. My main character is in the equivalent of 7th grade but in England they would call it Year 8, which might be confusing to my directed audience. Should I stick with American terminology or use English ones?










share|improve this question









New contributor



McInnis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











I am writing a book that is set in England, but because I would get the book published in America I don't know what terminology to use. My main character is in the equivalent of 7th grade but in England they would call it Year 8, which might be confusing to my directed audience. Should I stick with American terminology or use English ones?







language young-adult






share|improve this question









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McInnis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.










share|improve this question









New contributor



McInnis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 6 hours ago









Cyn

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asked 8 hours ago









McInnis McInnis

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Check out our Code of Conduct.




New contributor




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Check out our Code of Conduct.

















  • Good question! If your audience is younger I imagine publishers would lean toward American vocabulary or neutral alternatives to strictly British terms, but I have no publishing expertise to back this up. I'm thinking especially of the Harry Potter books, which were written by a British author but adapted for American audiences with terminology changes that phased out oddly as the series advanced. Essentially, until they were assured of commercial success the publisher erred on the side of familiarity to the audience.

    – wordsworth
    8 hours ago











  • Hmmm, I know that in my local elementary, middle, and high schools British English is a fad. Unless you are involving America within the book context, I'd leave it as is for verisimilitude. Maybe a modest appendix in the back to explain terms and cultural references.

    – nijineko
    7 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing.SE McInnis, glad you found us. Please check out our tour and help center.

    – Cyn
    6 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing SE, McInnis. Your characters should always speak naturally for there setting. You can always add foils to your story if you feel you need to explain the meaning of a word or phrase -- an American tourist or penpal for example.

    – EDL
    3 hours ago

















  • Good question! If your audience is younger I imagine publishers would lean toward American vocabulary or neutral alternatives to strictly British terms, but I have no publishing expertise to back this up. I'm thinking especially of the Harry Potter books, which were written by a British author but adapted for American audiences with terminology changes that phased out oddly as the series advanced. Essentially, until they were assured of commercial success the publisher erred on the side of familiarity to the audience.

    – wordsworth
    8 hours ago











  • Hmmm, I know that in my local elementary, middle, and high schools British English is a fad. Unless you are involving America within the book context, I'd leave it as is for verisimilitude. Maybe a modest appendix in the back to explain terms and cultural references.

    – nijineko
    7 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing.SE McInnis, glad you found us. Please check out our tour and help center.

    – Cyn
    6 hours ago











  • Welcome to Writing SE, McInnis. Your characters should always speak naturally for there setting. You can always add foils to your story if you feel you need to explain the meaning of a word or phrase -- an American tourist or penpal for example.

    – EDL
    3 hours ago
















Good question! If your audience is younger I imagine publishers would lean toward American vocabulary or neutral alternatives to strictly British terms, but I have no publishing expertise to back this up. I'm thinking especially of the Harry Potter books, which were written by a British author but adapted for American audiences with terminology changes that phased out oddly as the series advanced. Essentially, until they were assured of commercial success the publisher erred on the side of familiarity to the audience.

– wordsworth
8 hours ago





Good question! If your audience is younger I imagine publishers would lean toward American vocabulary or neutral alternatives to strictly British terms, but I have no publishing expertise to back this up. I'm thinking especially of the Harry Potter books, which were written by a British author but adapted for American audiences with terminology changes that phased out oddly as the series advanced. Essentially, until they were assured of commercial success the publisher erred on the side of familiarity to the audience.

– wordsworth
8 hours ago













Hmmm, I know that in my local elementary, middle, and high schools British English is a fad. Unless you are involving America within the book context, I'd leave it as is for verisimilitude. Maybe a modest appendix in the back to explain terms and cultural references.

– nijineko
7 hours ago





Hmmm, I know that in my local elementary, middle, and high schools British English is a fad. Unless you are involving America within the book context, I'd leave it as is for verisimilitude. Maybe a modest appendix in the back to explain terms and cultural references.

– nijineko
7 hours ago













Welcome to Writing.SE McInnis, glad you found us. Please check out our tour and help center.

– Cyn
6 hours ago





Welcome to Writing.SE McInnis, glad you found us. Please check out our tour and help center.

– Cyn
6 hours ago













Welcome to Writing SE, McInnis. Your characters should always speak naturally for there setting. You can always add foils to your story if you feel you need to explain the meaning of a word or phrase -- an American tourist or penpal for example.

– EDL
3 hours ago





Welcome to Writing SE, McInnis. Your characters should always speak naturally for there setting. You can always add foils to your story if you feel you need to explain the meaning of a word or phrase -- an American tourist or penpal for example.

– EDL
3 hours ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

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3















If you're writing for an American audience, with an American publisher, then use an American dialect for your narration.



But... your character is living in England. Whether she's British or an immigrant or a visitor, she's going to be exposed to the local dialect. She will use local terms when appropriate. If she's in Year 8 in school, she'll say that. She might translate it for her friends and family in the United States, but she wouldn't say "7th grade" when talking to other people at school or in the community.



Your narrator may also do some translation, depending on the audience. If the entire book is simply set in a foreign country you would use local terms but translate prose to American English when appropriate. The only difference between this and a book by an American author that's set in China, for example, is that both countries here speak the same language.



The dialogue in your story will be whatever it would be in real life. If your main character is English then her dialogue will be too. If she's American, she'll probably code switch, meaning she'll use different dialects with different listeners. And even her American speech will be peppered with some local terms. Her year in school will definitely be whatever it's called. Just like an American graduate student in English will talk about their MPhil program but might say "masters program" for people back home, even though they're not quite the same.



The other issue you have is translation. Some Britishisms aren't immediately obvious to Americans (MPhil being one of them). So use context so your readers can figure it out (at least get the gist when it's a term that isn't vital to know) or show your character explaining the terms to an American listener (don't overdo this, it gets tedious). Be aware of what your American audience won't know (use beta readers for this) and tweak it.






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    1 Answer
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    1 Answer
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    active

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    If you're writing for an American audience, with an American publisher, then use an American dialect for your narration.



    But... your character is living in England. Whether she's British or an immigrant or a visitor, she's going to be exposed to the local dialect. She will use local terms when appropriate. If she's in Year 8 in school, she'll say that. She might translate it for her friends and family in the United States, but she wouldn't say "7th grade" when talking to other people at school or in the community.



    Your narrator may also do some translation, depending on the audience. If the entire book is simply set in a foreign country you would use local terms but translate prose to American English when appropriate. The only difference between this and a book by an American author that's set in China, for example, is that both countries here speak the same language.



    The dialogue in your story will be whatever it would be in real life. If your main character is English then her dialogue will be too. If she's American, she'll probably code switch, meaning she'll use different dialects with different listeners. And even her American speech will be peppered with some local terms. Her year in school will definitely be whatever it's called. Just like an American graduate student in English will talk about their MPhil program but might say "masters program" for people back home, even though they're not quite the same.



    The other issue you have is translation. Some Britishisms aren't immediately obvious to Americans (MPhil being one of them). So use context so your readers can figure it out (at least get the gist when it's a term that isn't vital to know) or show your character explaining the terms to an American listener (don't overdo this, it gets tedious). Be aware of what your American audience won't know (use beta readers for this) and tweak it.






    share|improve this answer





























      3















      If you're writing for an American audience, with an American publisher, then use an American dialect for your narration.



      But... your character is living in England. Whether she's British or an immigrant or a visitor, she's going to be exposed to the local dialect. She will use local terms when appropriate. If she's in Year 8 in school, she'll say that. She might translate it for her friends and family in the United States, but she wouldn't say "7th grade" when talking to other people at school or in the community.



      Your narrator may also do some translation, depending on the audience. If the entire book is simply set in a foreign country you would use local terms but translate prose to American English when appropriate. The only difference between this and a book by an American author that's set in China, for example, is that both countries here speak the same language.



      The dialogue in your story will be whatever it would be in real life. If your main character is English then her dialogue will be too. If she's American, she'll probably code switch, meaning she'll use different dialects with different listeners. And even her American speech will be peppered with some local terms. Her year in school will definitely be whatever it's called. Just like an American graduate student in English will talk about their MPhil program but might say "masters program" for people back home, even though they're not quite the same.



      The other issue you have is translation. Some Britishisms aren't immediately obvious to Americans (MPhil being one of them). So use context so your readers can figure it out (at least get the gist when it's a term that isn't vital to know) or show your character explaining the terms to an American listener (don't overdo this, it gets tedious). Be aware of what your American audience won't know (use beta readers for this) and tweak it.






      share|improve this answer



























        3














        3










        3









        If you're writing for an American audience, with an American publisher, then use an American dialect for your narration.



        But... your character is living in England. Whether she's British or an immigrant or a visitor, she's going to be exposed to the local dialect. She will use local terms when appropriate. If she's in Year 8 in school, she'll say that. She might translate it for her friends and family in the United States, but she wouldn't say "7th grade" when talking to other people at school or in the community.



        Your narrator may also do some translation, depending on the audience. If the entire book is simply set in a foreign country you would use local terms but translate prose to American English when appropriate. The only difference between this and a book by an American author that's set in China, for example, is that both countries here speak the same language.



        The dialogue in your story will be whatever it would be in real life. If your main character is English then her dialogue will be too. If she's American, she'll probably code switch, meaning she'll use different dialects with different listeners. And even her American speech will be peppered with some local terms. Her year in school will definitely be whatever it's called. Just like an American graduate student in English will talk about their MPhil program but might say "masters program" for people back home, even though they're not quite the same.



        The other issue you have is translation. Some Britishisms aren't immediately obvious to Americans (MPhil being one of them). So use context so your readers can figure it out (at least get the gist when it's a term that isn't vital to know) or show your character explaining the terms to an American listener (don't overdo this, it gets tedious). Be aware of what your American audience won't know (use beta readers for this) and tweak it.






        share|improve this answer













        If you're writing for an American audience, with an American publisher, then use an American dialect for your narration.



        But... your character is living in England. Whether she's British or an immigrant or a visitor, she's going to be exposed to the local dialect. She will use local terms when appropriate. If she's in Year 8 in school, she'll say that. She might translate it for her friends and family in the United States, but she wouldn't say "7th grade" when talking to other people at school or in the community.



        Your narrator may also do some translation, depending on the audience. If the entire book is simply set in a foreign country you would use local terms but translate prose to American English when appropriate. The only difference between this and a book by an American author that's set in China, for example, is that both countries here speak the same language.



        The dialogue in your story will be whatever it would be in real life. If your main character is English then her dialogue will be too. If she's American, she'll probably code switch, meaning she'll use different dialects with different listeners. And even her American speech will be peppered with some local terms. Her year in school will definitely be whatever it's called. Just like an American graduate student in English will talk about their MPhil program but might say "masters program" for people back home, even though they're not quite the same.



        The other issue you have is translation. Some Britishisms aren't immediately obvious to Americans (MPhil being one of them). So use context so your readers can figure it out (at least get the gist when it's a term that isn't vital to know) or show your character explaining the terms to an American listener (don't overdo this, it gets tedious). Be aware of what your American audience won't know (use beta readers for this) and tweak it.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 6 hours ago









        CynCyn

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