I read A Song in the Night by
Julie Maria Peace not too long ago. It was published in the UK and, being an
American and Texan to boot, I had a bit of trouble with some of the words and
phrases. At my age and because of the number of books I've read over the years,
I thought I knew English fairly well. Turns out, not so much.
I could figure out some of the words by the way they were used. Others,
I found in dictionaries. Still, there were a few I haven't yet found. I should
mention that part of the book took place during World War I, and I believe the
author used terms from that time period to be more authentic. However, most of
the ones I stumbled on were from the contemporary time.
I was reading the book because the author had asked me to review it. I
am glad she did because I loved it. You can read my review here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2013/11/book-review-song-in-night-by-julie.html,
an interview of the author here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2013/11/q-with-julie-maria-peace-author-of-song.html,
and sample chapters here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2013/11/book-review-song-in-night-by-julie_27.html.
As I read and noticed the many
differences in our English languages, it hit me that a book I was just
finishing up may not make sense to English readers in the same way I was
struggling with Julie's book. One thing led to another until at some point she
agreed to read The Vengeance Squad Goes
to England and look for words and phrases the English characters wouldn't
say. We let the Americans visiting England use their version of English, except
for the main character, Chris. He is slightly OCD and has an eidetic memory, so
he picks up on the differences in English and began to speak the way his
girlfriend Angela does. Julie did a marvelous job, and I know the changes made
because of her greatly improved the book.
Now, back to my concern for the words and phrases in A Song in the Night I don't understand. I
put my guess in parentheses in the list below. Would you look over the list and
either tell me if I was right, or let me know what some of these mean? Use the
comment section below so everyone can see what still needs to be done. Oh, by
the way, I didn't think about it at first, but at page 55 I started adding the
page numbers.
Thank you.
Fusty
The place was a tip (mess?)
Cuppa (cup of?)
Fortnight (two weeks?)
Iced finger (some kind of cookie?)
Bleeping (phone ring?)
Mobile (cell phone?)
Bit (as in phase)
Niggle
Clapped eyes on
Windscreen
Caravan (RV?)
Mind (mind you?)
Plucker up the courage
Gone ten (after 10:00?)
Ribbons (blasted to bits or smithereens?)
Bullet has your number on it (name on it?)
Violin taster (55)
Broody (55)
Nappies (diapers?)
Stick (57)
Blanking (58)
Sussed (61-suspected?)
Lernt (69-learned?)
Sharpish (69-soon?)
Kitch (69-70 may be a reference to character Ciaran)
Barium meal
It was just gone nine (78-a little after nine?)
She came off the phone (79-hung up?)
Arrived bang on three o'clock (79-exactly at three?)
Cheered off (79)
Knickers (84)
Dab hand (84)
Flicked though the mail (84)
Smalls (84-undies?)
You lot (86-male or female?)
Clued up (96-in the know?)
Mucking in together (89)
While February (95)
Fancy (95-meaning to like)
Horlick (97-malted milk?)
Ciggie (97)
Kith and kin (98)
Respirators (101-gas masks?)
Dunno
Had a bad do at him (119)
While ever (120)
Dowdy (122)
Spot of bother (127)
Wheeze (127)
Bairns (129)
Fingers on the clock (134)
Filled up (134-tears?)
Funk wallahs (141)
Rota (145-schedule?)
Stroppy teenagers (148)
Mooched (149)
Feeding me up (151)
Gooseberry (152)
Natterer (161)
Twigged (183)
Cropper (204)
Coming to meet (205-going to meet?)
Good job you're ill (207-good thing you're ill?)
Chuffed (212, 391)
Snigger (243-snicker?)
Coming back to mine (275-coming back to my place)
Gutted (437-pained?)
Twigging (490)
