If anyone has any questions about their British settings or characters, feel free to post them in the comments below and we will do our best to answer. We may not know an answer, but we’ll have a damn good try 🙂
Unfortunately, due to WordPress’ deficiencies, answers will not be threaded, nor will they be emailed to you, so the only way to catch them will be to keep checking back occasionally. If I could figure out a plug in to fix this, I would!
For the latter plugin issue, see http://txfx.net/code/wordpress/subscribe-to-comments/ .
Thanks so much for that, Antti-Juhani 🙂 I’m definitely beginning to regret the fact that I’ve set this up on WordPress.com, rather than the other one – it doesn’t actually allow me to use plugins at all.
I wonder if I would be allowed to use it if we upgraded to paid? If not, I may have to consider moving it to my own domain. I’ll keep the link just in case. Thank you!
Were there any hostilities between England and France in the 18th century, in particular around 1772? If not, were relations between the two countries good enough to allow a French man to be living near London in that time period?
Everything I have managed to find so far indicates that this could be plausible, but I would like your take on it.
Hi Margaret. A few years after that, from about 1789 onwards, a lot of French nobility fled the Revolution and many of them settled in England. I’m not sure about earlier, hopefully someone else will know a bit more!
Yes, they were fighting on and off for most of the century. The Seven Years War had just ended in 1763, but I’ll have to go and check to see whether you’re between wars or if there’s anything else on in 1772.
No, I think you’re between wars in 1772 (at least, wars with France). The Seven Years War (aka the French + Indian War) has just finished, the next big conflict won’t start until the American Revolution in 1775 (which is obviously not a war with the French!)
I have a question, I wonder if there’s a British equivalent to “and not in the fun and spanky way”, that we often use. I have a line that is referring to a man with a fever, who says he is hot, and wants to make that kind of joke… it’s in character for him to pass his serious illness off as a joke. This takes place around 1980 so I’m thinking that it’s not in character for a Brit to say that either culturally or chronologically.
I have a question for you!
Circa 1845 was it acceptable to first cousins to marry or is that only something permissible for royalty?
Answer to Lauralyn – I’ve never heard that expression before. Doesn’t mean it isn’t used but it’s not an everyday one.
Answer to Barbara – I’m not aware of any laws prohibiting cousins getting wed. Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen, which predates 1845, has cousins marrying.
Alex, thanks for the reply. Your info pretty much tallies with what I’d been able to dig up, so I will let my French man live *cough* quietly in the country in 1772… He might not be popular everywhere, but if he keeps at home amongst his known…friends, he should be okay.
Thanks again.
I’ve never heard that expression before either, but I’m sure it’s the exact equivalent to our ‘and not in a good way either!’
It’s always been acceptable for first cousins to marry – in fact it still is 🙂
Thanks Margaret! He certainly should be OK in 1772 – if he’s living in Britain? The nobility of Britain rather admired the French at this pre-revolutionary point, and war was still very much a gentleman’s game, so he would probably not encounter much rudeness at all. At least, not til the next time 😀
Barbara:
Cousins have always been allowed, the law wasn’t changed until 1986 when it was made that double cousins of the first degree couldn’t.
This is the table I have bookmarked
http://www.genetic-genealogy.co.uk/Toc115570145.html#Toc115570255
Lauralyn/Alex
More thoughts on that chap with the fever. (And this is going to get awfully esoteric.) Someone in 1980 would probably be very aware of the ‘Carry On’ films and might well make some joke along the ‘Ooh Matron!’ lines about being hot, but not in ‘that’ way. And if that makes no sense to anyone who wasn’t brought up on a diet of Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams, I apologise.
I’m not sure we have a direct equivalent, but in that situation a British person might say ‘as the actress said to the bishop’, with a laugh, to show that it’s a double entendre and/or a joke…
It’s always been acceptable for first cousins to marry – in fact it still is
Must be an American thing then–or a regional thing actually as I believe some US states do allow it.
Thank you.
It is frowned upon nowadays, but still not actually illegal. And in the old days it was regarded as a good way of keeping the money and the land in the family.
*G* No problem 🙂
It’s an American thing, and even there is only some states, though still the majority of states.
However, it’s recently become an issue in the UK, because while cousin marriage in itself doesn’t raise the risk of genetic problems significantly in a single generation (there’s a small risk, but it’s less than the increased risk from both parents being over 35), repeated generations of cousin marriage *can* raise the risk to a level where you have to consider it.
This is now showing up in specific immigrant populations because there’s a cultural preference for repeated cousin marriage, which in combination with a relatively small gene pool (because it’s an immigrant population) is resulting in a noticeable increase in genetic heath problems in the youngest generation. So there have been calls to ban first cousin marriage, or at least ban it from being repeated over multiple generations in the same family. It’s got tangled up with racism issues, so nothing may come of it.
(This also ties in to my post earlier this week about cultural differences — one of my books has a cousin relationship, and I was asked by my American editor to make it clear that this was culturally acceptable and not an incest kink thing. It hadn’t even occurred to me until after I had written the book that it might be an issue for American readers, although I *did* think of it myself before my editor pointed it out.)
Um…
What does “flog off” mean? Is it a euphemism for masturbating? Because I’ve a character in my book who’s a real potty mouth at 13 years old. I’d like to know what it means…and is “Geroff” the same as “Bugger off”? I think it is, but I’m not sure…
Usually ‘to flog’ in British slang means to sell something (often cheaply or in a slightly underhand way), so to ‘flog off’ is to sell off. Does that work in the context you’ve seen it? I haven’t come across it used for masturbation but I suppose anything’s possible. 😉
‘Geroff’ is slang for ‘get off’ and is usually meant literally, as in ‘get off me, you brute’ during a play fight or sex. ‘Bugger off’ is a bit more forceful (and much ruder!) and means ‘go away’, as opposed to ‘get off’. A subtle difference, but it’s there.
And thanks for the question, which really made me think!
Thanks. So my children’s book won’t be too obscene, thank god…the 13-year-old is a rude, irreverent little shit and I love him. He’s a pee-wee version of my demon lord character.
So…my six-year old character says at one point, “I have to wee ((read: pee))…” does it mean what I’m trying to have it mean? And does “make wee” mean pee?
I know Miracle Whip isn’t on the grocery shelves in Britain. My question is what would one use on a sandwich – as a dressing – that might be equivalent? Just mayonnaise, or mustard, or something all together else?
Emma Ray
Yes, ‘wee’ used as a verb means ‘pee’ (ie urinate). ‘Make wee’? Not so sure about that one, it sounds a bit odd. I don’t think you need the ‘make’.
Depends what’s in the sandwich!! But yes, mustard (on ham or other cold meats – although English mustard is much hotter than American and has to be used sparingly!), mayonnaise (on chicken, prawns or tuna), or what we call pickle, which is nothing at all like American pickle but a mixture of chopped fruit and veg in a sweetened vinegary sauce. We use that on ham or cheese.
Personally, I’d eat Miracle Whip on all of the above 🙂
There’s nothing like that “tangy zip” – to quote the jingle – on just about all types of sandwiches. He’s eating a thick slice of cold ham with an equally thick slice of cheddar – definitely need a bit of tang to go with it. How odd would it be for him to slap on mayo with a bit of the ‘pickle’ juice? Probably very, but I’m betting that’s as close to Miracle Whip as he’ll get, ROFL!
Thanks, Fiona 🙂
Just seconding Fiona on the ‘make wee’ question, I don’t think you’d use the ‘make’. Just ‘I have to wee’.
Definitely very odd! But for a combination of sauce and tangy zip, something like Brown Sauce would do the job on its own.
Ref ‘Miracle Whip’ – what about the good, old fashioned, really-vile-although-many-people-love-it, Heinz Salad Cream?
And in re the ‘pee’, there are many euphemisms. My favourites are widdle, piddle or ‘going for a number one’.
I love Heinz Salad Cream! In sandwiches!
Oh, ’cause
[“I have to wee,” Ganymede whispered. “How’m I gonna getim off there?”]
is followed by
[Pluto frowned. “Since we’re letting the bathwater out, how about you make your wee in there? We’d better not wake ‘Wellyn.”]
That’s why I asked about “make wee”.
Um, one more thing:
What exactly does Marmite taste like?
Hmm, Heinz Salad Cream. Tell me, what’s it look like?
strike my last, LOL. I just went to look it up. Well, it’s kind of like Miracle Whip… but not, LOL! However, I think I’ll go with it. It’d be as close to Miracle Whip as Jonas can get, I think 😉
I’d still go for ‘how about you wee in there’ – you may make water, but you don’t make wee 🙂
Heinz Salad Cream looks like mayonnaise but it’s just a little more yellow.
Marmite tastes mainly of salt, with a slightly meaty savoryness. It’s hard to describe!
Sorry I’m so late in arriving, I got handed my latest sets of edits today, I’m still ill, moving rooms, and dog sitting – so it’s a little hectic around here at the moment.
However I just wanted to put my few penny’s into the answer pot.
D.N. Lyons: As Alex said Marmite is made from mainly salt, although it has a slight meat taste it doesn’t have any meat in it (unlike Bovril which is a similar thing except is made from meat extract I believe). It spreads pretty thinly and looks on the bread a bit like thick motor oil (I’m trying to come up with examples that would fit it’s look but really there isn’t anything other then Marmite) – I hope that helps!
In response the the ‘make wee’ is the person responding British as well? I’m asking because replying saying “…how about you make your wee in there?…” Is a little clunky and not something a British person would really say. The response would be more like:
“…how about you go in there?…”
Or
“…it’s ok to wee in there.”
Or
“…just go number ones in there”
Of course these are just suggestions but to me they read more as if a person from Britain is speaking. Hope this helps!
emmaraygarrett: Salad Cream as Alex has said looks slightly like mayonnaise, I just want to add that it comes in squirty bottles as well as glass ones that you can spread directly from.
As for all the other questions, I think just want to add my voice to them 🙂 Everyone has replied much better then I could!
Yeah, ok. I get that…sorry for being so confusing. =^ ^=
The dictionary says Marmite’s a yeasty vegetable spread…I think it’s interesting that it tastes like salt. Guess they don’t have PB+J very much over there. Marmalade toast, maybe, but probably not peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
D.N. Lyons: Nope no Peanut Butter and Jelly, we also don’t have ‘jelly’ as such (although we do have smooth jam which can is called jelly occasionally) to us Jelly is better known as a wobbly pudding you can have with ice cream (usually served at children’s parties)
As for food combination’s it’s not really one that’s done mixing peanut butter with a sweet jam like substance. The most mix you’ll get is Peanut Butter and Chocolate, although that’s not that popular. Chocolate spread on it’s own is popular, as is the different versions of Peanut Butter (i.e.. both whole nut [crunchy]. and smooth). I do know someone who loves cheese and jam sandwiches but he’s the only person I’ve ever met with a love of that particular food combination.
As for Marmalade on toast, yup an old favourite although it will also be eaten in sandwiches (Paddington Bear is a good example for that food trend).
By the way I’ve just talked to my partner who has mentioned that the consistency of Marmite is a bit like syrup or possibly molasses (or treacle). He doesn’t tend to eat it on it’s own (as some people do in sandwiches or on toast) instead he eats it with cheese or other foods allowing the Marmite to just flavour the food a bit.
Hope this all makes sense! But feel free to ask for clarification 🙂
You might occasionally hear very young children saying “I need to make wee-wee”, but not an older child or adult other than in a slightly ironic fashion.
Jelly as a preserve/spread is specifically jam made with cooked fruit pulp sieved through cloth or mesh to get just the juice — so for example raspberry jam is made with the whole fruit, but raspberry jelly as a preserve rather than a dessert would be made with the juice from the cooked fruit, and be free of pips. Jelly is also the gelatine-based dessert.
It’s true 🙂 But otoh, if you say ‘jelly’ in Britain, most people will assume you’re talking about the dessert and not the kind of jam.
And even if you *were* talking about jam, the peanut-butter-and-jam combination is uniquely American. I don’t know of anyone here who would have that in a sandwich.
Typical sandwich fillings for children include; honey, jam, lemon curd, marmite, cheese+marmite, spready cheese, and nutella (‘chocolate and hazlenut spread’ if you don’t want to use the brand name 😉 )
Flogging the Bishop is a euphemism for masturbating, so you could stretch the point to include “flog off” but it’s not a term I’ve come across.
So do I! My favourite combination is mashed potato,with lots of black pepper and salad cream in a sandwich. Lovely! 😀
Just to add that my local sandwich shop started doing peanut butter and mashed banana after I asked about it – and it proved to be one of their most popular fillings! I eat it all the time… And the food section of Selfridges’ here in Birmingham has peanut butter and jelly in jars. It’s stripy and comes in two flavours, one of which is grape. But that’s the only place in the UK I’ve ever come across it….
I love salad cream as well, though not in sandwiches — too soggy.
What about ‘spend a penny’ for a euphemism for urinating. It goes back to the days when you had to pay one penny in public lavatories, but is still very prevalent.
Coming back to read more comments, I’ve had a good laugh! Never heard of a mashed potato sandwich in all my days 😀 As to PB&J, wow, I couldn’t imagine not having that when I was a kid. Though, I love peanut butter with bananas, be they smashed or sliced, on bread or toast. Yummy! I also love peanut butter and honey, as well as peanut butter and dill pickle slices – which is an oddity here in America, though I have met some folks who love it too.
As for Nutella, I was turned onto it by a close German friend. That stuff is the slam on toast or crackers… or just off the spoon, LOL!
*g* I’ve got to admit I’ve sat down with a jar of Nutella and a spoon before now too 🙂 I’m going to have to try peanut butter and jelly, aren’t I? Is there any recommended flavour of jelly? Will strawberry jam do? Oh, and with butter on the bread first, or without?
I seem to recall (was it during Golden Jubilee celebrations?) that Prince Charles called the Queen ‘mummy’. With as much research as I’ve done, I can not yet find what his sons call Her Majesty in casual family conversations. Any ideas, thoughts, etc? My current fiction is leaning toward such a conversation (fictional, of course) between William and the Queen. Thank you.
Oh I honestly have no idea. I’m not a Royal watcher. I would say you would be safe enough with ‘grandmother’, but that would only be a guess. Sorry!
I’m kicking myself because I’m sure I’ve seen a reference to this but I simply can’t remember. I’m not a Royal watcher either, but if I happen to find it I’ll post here.
Grandmama…
Pronounced with the emphasis on the final syllable, not ‘momma’.
Alex, you don’t butter the bread first. Butter goes on toast in America, not usually on bread unless you’re making grilled cheese (you butter the backsides) garlic bread (you butter it, put garlic on it and toast it) or French toast (you butter it, dip it in egg and fry it, then put syrup on it and powdered sugar, or preserves, or fruit). Butter on a PB+J is not commonly done. It detracts from the nutty stickiness of the peanut butter and the sweetness of the jam/jelly/marmalade/preserves/Nutella.
Think of it this way, would you put butter on a Nutella sandwich? Same thing.
Need any more American help and I’m there for you.
*g* Ah, you see here in the UK I’m considered odd because I don’t butter my bread for sandwich fillings like peanut butter or nutella. My husband (and mother) certainly consider that you butter a sandwich no matter what you’re going to fill it with. To be awkward though, I wouldn’t put butter on eggy-bread (French toast).
LOL! Thanks for the American-picking 🙂 I will definitely look you up again for more!