tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post570047127967544714..comments2023-07-01T21:33:14.754-07:00Comments on Behind the Mystery: The Dialect Dilemma (or I dinna ken fit tae dee)Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00222330734484913128noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post-61592813975001779192011-09-24T10:52:14.470-07:002011-09-24T10:52:14.470-07:00Hi, Lisa,
Excellent advice on using dialect in on...Hi, Lisa,<br /><br />Excellent advice on using dialect in one's writing. I lived in Ireland for a couple of years, and was amazed at how different the accents can be just from county to county. Of course, the Northern Ireland accent is clearly distinguishable from Eire, due to the Scottish influence. But even in the 26 Counties of Eire, there are many variations, as you probably know. Luckily, I have a good ear.<br /><br />Then I lived in England for three years (many moons ago all of this, I must add), where I knew Scottish and English and other individuals fairly intimately, and although I loved their many accents, dialects, and slang words, I do not feel comfortable using them too liberally in my writing.<br /><br />I also have an unpublished novel set in Great Britain, and with one of my characters I use the Scottish dialect words very sparingly. Even then, I am concerned to get it quite right, not wanting to make anyone sound like a caricature, as you wisely said.<br /><br />My best wishes to you with your continuing work, and thanks again for a good posting.<br /><br />Eileen <br />Saugerties, NYEileen Fayhttp://www.wildwatch.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post-32804498773501070062010-04-30T07:15:59.176-07:002010-04-30T07:15:59.176-07:00Patty, I feel your pain! I've got a college ag...Patty, I feel your pain! I've got a college age student in my book, and I wrestle with how he would speak to my main character. <br /><br />I've found Facebook to be a rich resource in getting a sense of dialogue and dialect. If you are friends with any teens on there, take a look at their "wall" and read their interactions with their friends. You can glean a lot from that.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00222330734484913128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post-27988526864191529782010-04-30T06:48:13.921-07:002010-04-30T06:48:13.921-07:00Great post! I ranted along similar lines on my own...Great post! I ranted along similar lines on my own blog about issues writing teenage characters... How much slang and cursing do I permit? I have teens and know how they talk but just not sure readers want that much realism. <br /><br />I hate phonetically spelled dialogue when I read. I'm heading off to check out Jason's idioms now...Patty Blounthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11928111057602279792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post-82553575565666372542010-04-29T10:21:08.017-07:002010-04-29T10:21:08.017-07:00Milt/Muttie - Ah, then you KNOW. :) Helman and Wel...Milt/Muttie - Ah, then you KNOW. :) Helman and Welsh definitely nail dialect; it takes a special talent to have that kind of ear (ears?). Hope you get some spring in Glasgow!<br /><br />Terry - Idioms! Thank you, I could not think of the word. Love the analogy of cayenne pepper. Just a little dash will do. Family time must be interesting in your house! <br /><br />Jason-Thanks for the comment. Appreciated the examples. There's definitely so much you can show about a character with their speech. Great point.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00222330734484913128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post-43251673545934893202010-04-29T09:15:54.852-07:002010-04-29T09:15:54.852-07:00Inflection and syntax are, I agree, bread and butt...Inflection and syntax are, I agree, bread and butter for a dialect writer. Idioms, too, are wonderful tools. A looooong time ago on my blog I wrote a couple of articles on this very topic. May you find a tip or two in them:<br /><br />http://plottopunctuation.com/blog/show/8<br />http://plottopunctuation.com/blog/show/9Jason Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01513547170663324976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post-13614756305084106742010-04-29T06:39:19.905-07:002010-04-29T06:39:19.905-07:00I agree that just a taste, perhaps a thought about...I agree that just a taste, perhaps a thought about what the words sound like from a speaker of another language/dialect. And then there are the idioms. My son-in-law is from Suffolk, and I can't understand a word he says, and when I do, I don't understand what he means. A very judicious sprinkling of phrases, dialect, etc. -- I'd think cayenne pepper.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8276579347111537743.post-78264079616283406862010-04-29T02:33:31.929-07:002010-04-29T02:33:31.929-07:00Hi, Muttie (and me) are Scottish - from Glasgow an...Hi, Muttie (and me) are Scottish - from Glasgow and we know EXACTLY what you mean. Muttie writes dialect sometimes but keeps it to a minimum. Think it's because you spend so long trying to make out what they're saying that you lose the flow of the prose. But then, look at James Kelman and Irvine Welsh. They write solely in dialect!<br /><br />Milt xMiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06225081986524585443noreply@blogger.com