Peacefield's Literary Life in 2016

[Athena]

You know, that's the first time I've heard of a British edition containing different word spellings than an American one. My editions seem to have American spellings if the original was American, and British if the original is British (obviously I mean books in English here and the Dutch ones I have), regardless of if it's a British or American edition. Like, a British edition of an American book, still writes 'civilization' instead of 'civilisation'.

 

'boot' is the trunk of your car, you open up the part at the back and then you can store stuff. Or, it is a kind of shoe you wear.

 

'tarmac' is 'asphalt' on the roads, it's a material some roads are made of, motorways for example (as opposed to for example bricks or stones). It usually looks black-grey and is a bit like cement.

 

'vest' to me means an item of clothing, a bit like a sweater with usually with a zip and sometimes pockets? It's the same word in Dutch. I don't know if there are other meanings of this word.

 

At least, that's what I think these words mean, I'm not British so. Context helps of course, I don't know which version of 'boot' you need and such.

 

Speaking of which, when I read books in English I come across such words too, either British or American, and I don't know what some of them mean (I think I know these, though, or at least 1 meaning of them). I usually just keep reading and infer from context, but it can be awkward. Sometimes slang can be hard to understand, if a book contains too much slang words, that really annoys me as it keeps taking me out of the reading experience.

[Peacefield]

Very interesting, Athena!  The author in this case is American but when I looked on the back of the book the only pricing it had was in British pounds, so I assumed it was published there.

 

I knew what 'boot' meant, and yes, we call that a 'trunk' here (which was the context of this book).  Also we use the term 'tarmac' but only when referring to airports and runways - "the plane is out on the tarmac," etc.  For the roads we drive on, we use the terms 'concrete,' 'cement,' and 'asphalt.'

 

I can imagine how tricky it can be sometimes if your first language isn't English, Athena, and you're trying to work out two different versions of it.  

[Athena]

That's interesting, about the 'tarmac', I didn't know that.

 

It can be tricky sometimes! But I do like reading in English, and some of my favourite authors haven't been translated into Dutch. I do really like English, as a language.

[chesilbeach]

A vest in Britain is what you'd call a singlet

[Peacefield]

I Googled 'singlet' and got some interesting-looking photos of men in what reminded me of a wrestling uniform, Chesil!  One of them even had a huge cat face on it!   

 

I guess we call 'vest' and 'singlet' tops here 'tank' tops.

[chesilbeach]

Yes, that's a better word! A tank top for us is a knitted sleeveless sweater

[muggle not]

I Googled 'singlet' and got some interesting-looking photos of men in what reminded me of a wrestling uniform, Chesil!  One of them even had a huge cat face on it!   

 

I guess we call 'vest' and 'singlet' tops here 'tank' tops.

I know what a "vest" and tank top are but never heard of a "singlet".

 

A vest is something that a guy frequently wears under his suit jacket.

 

A "tank top" is a sleeveless top worn by a woman.

[chaliepud]

A vest is something that a guy frequently wears under his suit jacket.

We would call that a waistcoat.

[chaliepud]

This is what Brits would call a vest!

 

(Scroll down a bit)

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjn_oOF5o3MAhUInw4KHS6WA-UQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.from-the-archive.co.uk%2F2012%2F09%2Fforever-onslow-geoffrey-hughes-tribute.html&psig=AFQjCNFuwUlPcFRpVG1WOQyD4nfzjkIC2g&ust=1460711907976790

Edited April 14, 2016 by chaliepud

[frankie]

I finished At the Edge of the Orchard on Saturday.  There's a special place in my heart for Tracy Chevalier's writing and that was reaffirmed after reading this latest of hers.  How she always knows which subjects interest me the most and then writes about them is pretty miraculous  

 

She must somehow be channeling your reader's fantasies I'm so happy you enjoyed Chevalier's latest novel, I know you'd been looking forward to reading it so very much!  

 

I knew what 'boot' meant, and yes, we call that a 'trunk' here (which was the context of this book).  Also we use the term 'tarmac' but only when referring to airports and runways - "the plane is out on the tarmac," etc.  For the roads we drive on, we use the terms 'concrete,' 'cement,' and 'asphalt.'

 

I can imagine how tricky it can be sometimes if your first language isn't English, Athena, and you're trying to work out two different versions of it.  

 

Hurrah for AmE     

 

Interesting topic, AmE vs. BritE. We were taught British English in school (words and spelling), but I watched a lot of American TV series as a kid and that was my main influence. I'm so sorry, teachers in Finland Of course I make mistakes and might spell things the British way sometimes, but it doesn't really matter as long as one gets understood. Languages are cool  

 

I Googled 'singlet' and got some interesting-looking photos of men in what reminded me of a wrestling uniform, Chesil!  One of them even had a huge cat face on it!   

 

I'd never heard of a 'singlet', and now after your post I'm scared to google  

[Kylie]

I'd never heard of a 'singlet', and now after your post I'm scared to google

 

I'm surprised you didn't hear of them while you were here! A singlet is an essential piece of bogan clothing! (Google 'bogan singlet', if you dare!)

 

I now hate to admit it, but I'm currently wearing one.  I wear them a lot around the house during the warmer months. It's basically like a t-shirt, but with thin shoulder straps. Some men wear them under work clothing. But yeah, I guess they're call tank tops elsewhere (and I think that term is becoming more common here).

[willoyd]

That's interesting, about the 'tarmac', I didn't know that.

 

 

 

It's a fusion of the words 'tar' and 'macadam', and I suspect it's more commonly used in the UK because macadamisation was  a process of road building invented by the Scot, John Macadam, one of the 'big' engineers of the early nineteenth century turnpikes that transformed the road network in Britain.  Macadam used graded stone particles to create a cambered road surface that was much quicker for wheeled transport than the old road surfaces (where they were surfaced at all).  Coal tar was later added to give the smoother surfaces we are familar with. 

Edited April 16, 2016 by willoyd

[Athena]

It's a fusion of the words 'tar' and 'macadam', and I suspect it's more commonly used in the UK because macadamisation was  a process of road building invented by the Scot, John Macadam, one of the 'big' engineers of the early nineteenth century turnpikes that transformed the road network in Britain.  Macadam used graded stone particles to create a cambered road surface that was much quicker for wheeled transport than the old road surfaces (where they were surfaced at all).  Coal tar was later added to give the smoother surfaces we are familar with.

That's very interesting! Thanks for telling me this .

[Peacefield]

Who knew a vest top could inspire so many interesting little details?!  I do quite like the term 'waistcoat,' although that and the term 'singlet' are never used here, at least in my neck of the woods.

 

Frankie, I am in constant awe of Chevalier's novels.  I'm so sad this latest is over already and I have to wait again for something new from her!  Also, you need to resurrect your Languages and Culture thread so we can have more discussions like this one .

 

Admit away, Kylie!  A tank top is pretty much the norm here during the summer.  People in MN do an awful lot of outdoor activities during those months and who wants to go out with a farmers tan?

 

That's a very interesting piece of information about the origins of 'tarmac,' Willoyd!  I'm very curious about how a word with that background came to be used here, exclusively for airport runways.

 

I finished Lament last night and it was very meh.  I'm underwhelmed by it I can't even think of anything to say! Ha!

 

Not sure what I'm going to read next, but rest assured it won't be fluff!  I need serious again.

 

[Athena]

Sorry to hear Lament wasn't great .

[frankie]

I'm surprised you didn't hear of them while you were here! A singlet is an essential piece of bogan clothing! (Google 'bogan singlet', if you dare!)

 

Now that you mention it... I may have heard of the word, but it just didn't stick I forgot about it Maybe I was trying to forget all bogan-related things?

 

 

Frankie, I am in constant awe of Chevalier's novels.  I'm so sad this latest is over already and I have to wait again for something new from her!  Also, you need to resurrect your Languages and Culture thread so we can have more discussions like this one .

 

I ain't resurrecting it until something particular comes up, something which takes my fancy and which I want to talk about. If there's someone else who'd like to discuss such things in a specific thread, like for example that thread of mine, they can go ahead and I'll follow and catch up (We did have some great convos in that thread, didn't we. It's been ages though!)

 

I now hate to admit it, but I'm currently wearing one. I wear them a lot around the house during the warmer months. It's basically like a t-shirt, but with thin shoulder straps. Some men wear them under work clothing. But yeah, I guess they're call tank tops elsewhere (and I think that term is becoming more common here).

 

Admit away, Kylie!  A tank top is pretty much the norm here during the summer.  People in MN do an awful lot of outdoor activities during those months and who wants to go out with a farmers tan?

 

I'm with you both! There's no shame in wearing a tank top! Those are very useful during the summer. And I'm wearing one sometimes at work, under a T-shirt! 

 

Is a farmer's tan one with the T-shirt sleeves? If so, my Dad always gets a farmer's tan in the summer It's like, as certain as the sun rising in the east! 

 

 

Some men wear them under work clothing.

¨

 

And some women, too! Ahem ahem!! See above ^

Edited April 18, 2016 by frankie

[Peacefield]

Yes, that's exactly what a farmer's tan is, Frankie!  Dads always sport things like that  My dad was fond of not wearing a shirt at all but he wore pants all the time so he looked so silly with a completely tanned upper half and white as can be legs!  He was one of those pale Norwegian/English types LOL  

 

I haven't yet started a new book.  I can't decide what mood I'm in or if I'm in one at all.  Lots on my mind which is the cause, I suspect.

 

My friend just finished In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume so I might check that out.  Have any of you read it?  

[frankie]

I'm very sorry for the late response! When I was going through new content on the forum back in April, I know I had still at least 7 threads to get to, but when I again clicked for new content to see the threads with new posts since my last visit, they were all gone. It's happened before, and it's so annoying when it happens... 
 

Yes, that's exactly what a farmer's tan is, Frankie!  Dads always sport things like that  My dad was fond of not wearing a shirt at all but he wore pants all the time so he looked so silly with a completely tanned upper half and white as can be legs!  He was one of those pale Norwegian/English types LOL  

I think we should call it a Daddy tan White chicken legs Oh the mental images...  

 

My friend just finished In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume so I might check that out.  Have any of you read it?  

 

I've only ever read that one book by Judy Blume... Goodreads tells me it's called It's Not the End of the World. I liked it okay when I was a kid. I think I tried reading another book of Blume's but didn't like it at all, so I've not been keen on her other novels.