We’ve now wrapped up a long series with Cindy Martinusen Coloma on her “Puzzle Method” of writing a novel. I’ve gotten permission from Cindy to put all those together into one long article, which I will post on this site soon. That’ll give us all a permanent record of what she said, and of course it’ll give me a chance to put my imprint on it, because I’ll insert some comments and structure.
A few of you had comments today:
Gerhi wrote:
And now a question (and possibly an idea for what to cover next Randy – hint): In my novel I have scene that takes place in the toilets of a Mall.
But I’m not sure toilets are the right thing to call them. Loo’s doesn’t seem right, lavatory is worse. Is it Men’s and Ladies or what.
We used to talk about the little boys room and the little girls room.So, the question in two parts: what do you call a public loo in America, and how do you deal with these regional language anomalies?
Randy sez: These are usually called either bathrooms or restrooms in America, although there are rarely baths in them, and anyone who tried to rest there would likely be arrested.
Regional language anomalies happen all the time. A classic example is this one: What do you a carbonated drink? Some people call it “soda”. Some call it “pop”. Others call it “coke” (even if it isn’t Coca Cola). It really depends on where you’re from. Different regions call it different things. You can find a map showing the regional variations here.
What do you call it? I’m particularly interested to hear what it’s called outside the US.
Robert asked (regarding the two domains I posted yesterday):
Those are fun web addresses! Technical question on this … what method do you use to forward them to your advancedfictionwriting.com site?
I’ve been confused on whether you do it “temporary” or “permanent”, and if permanent, what method. I’ve heard you can be dinged by the search engines because they think you are posting duplicate content when you actually are not.
Randy sez: I bought both domain on GoDaddy and pointed them at this site. I don’t remember if they’re permanent or temporary. I don’t know exactly what the method is. I don’t think I’m being hurt much by search engines for duplicate content, because this site has at least 42 keyphrases that rank in the top ten on Google. (I learned this by fiddling around with the very cool site at www.SpyFU.com.)
In other news, the parachute of the famous hijacker D.B. Cooper may have been found recently, and it’s only a few miles from where I now live. Some of the money he had when he parachuted out of an airliner in 1971 was found in 1980, also a few miles from where I live, but in a different location from the newly found parachute. So who knows?–he may have survived. Now if only the rest of the money were sitting somewhere on my property . . .
We’ll begin a new topic tomorrow. I haven’t decided what it will be yet. Tune in tomorrow to find out.
I don’t know if Gerhi agrees but to my knowledge 98% of South Africans call it “cold drinks” and 2% “mineral water”.
I really root for you regarding that parachute heist being on your property. 🙂
In the ’60s and ’70s in southern Maine and neighboring parts of New Hampshire, we called carbonated drinks “tonic.”
Better yet, find D.B. Cooper and convince him to pay you to write a book about “the missing years” of his imfamous life! (all rights consigned to you since he can’t come out of hiding to claim them!) Bet you’d make more than he did on the original heist.
I’m in Western Australia and I call them cool drinks or by their brand name if I want a specific drink, Coke, Fanta, Solo, etc then sometimes it will be by flavour eg. lemon, ginger beer, cola etc etc. Toilets are called toilets but individual people will give them pet names like dunny, loo, the ladies and a number of other names though I think these are the more common.
Since Coca Cola was invented in Atlanta GA, it figures that most of the folks (like me) who call carbonated drinks “cokes” come from the US Southeast.
Locally in South Carolina, these drinks were also called “dopes” back in the 30s-50s, since at one time, there were more pharmaceuticals thought involved and less sugar and caffeine.
That is also the (possibly apocryphal) story that ice cream sundaes were sold on Sunday because the carbonation from the drinks poured over the ice cream “soda” was though “intoxicating”.
I remember when I was in York and ordered ‘lemonade’ off the menu I got a carbonated drink that appeared to be 7up.
Where are you from if you say “soda pop?” 😉 I grew up in Kansas and that’s what we say. But in Michigan it was Soda. In Indiana it’s just about anything I’ve heard it called soda, pop and coke — all three. I’m fascinated by colloquialisms and regional dialects. Fun stuff, Randy!
PS If you find money on your property, call me.
I was teaching in NJ (foreign country) and said there was a pop machine downstairs. I had to repeat myself as I brought so much humor to the group.
Randy, Randy, Randy, I can’t believe you’re coming to Coeur d’Alene and I’m not going to be able to attend your workshop!!!! I’m already signed up for another workshop in art. Aaaaarrrrrrggghhhhh!
Depending on who you are speaking to in South Africa it will be a cold drink or a cooldrink. Spelled as one word or two words. The Afrikaans would be “koeldrank” which is exactly the same, only translated.
Pepsi is virtually unknown in South Africa so most people drink Coke. A favourite Afrikaner drink is Brandy and Coke.
Lots of people also refer to brand names like Tab and Fanta if they drink something specific. Nobody will know what you are talking about if you ask for a soda. You will most likely get Soda Water.
Now ask yourself what you call the room where you sit guests when they visit, and what you call the piece of furnature they sit on and maybe sleep on if they spend the night. I once saw a map that used this to show where California settlers had come from. If you look at California on the Coke vs. Soda map, you see California has New Englanders and Southerners, but not many from, say, Oregon. (Oregoners would say there’s a reason for that.) It’s likely, then, that D.B. Cooper stayed pretty close to where he landed. He might have even changed his name and used his penchant for wild plots to start writing fiction. We’re on to you, Randy.
Some people call it mineral!
When I lived in Greece, we ordered “coca” when we wanted a carbonated beverage. Unless it was the lemon-lime version (like Sprite) we asked for “lemonita.”
As for the restrooms, we called them “WC” which is short for “water closet.”
Here in Ontario, Canada we call it pop. When we go to the States, we are careful to call it a soda. I always thought that was the regional difference. Thanks, Randy, for the education in more than just writing.
I’ve lived in Oregon all of my life. I grew up about 40 miles SE of Portland and later married and moved east of the Cascades. I’ve heard it called coke, pop, soda, or by the name of the flavor or Brand. Pop is probably the word I hear and use the most when not referring to a specific kind.
My family just had a Japanese exchange student for a week, and she said “cola” refers to all carbonated beverages in Japan.
As a teen I worked at a concession stand at the beach club in NY. A lady with a foreign accent asked me for a pop. I thought “ice pop.” After she refused several of my suggestions, and I stared at her puzzled, I finally figured out she wanted a soda. Now living here in the midwest, it’s still hard for me to say pop when what I really want is a soda!
This is why I like writing historicals! You use the terms prevalent to the era. *grin*
Now, would I be dating myself if I remark that, when I was a teen (in the upper midwest) the term ‘soda’ meant an ice cream drink with a carbonated beverage — think Root Beer Float. The Walgreen stores of the day all had a Soda Fountain. Yes, the ‘soda jerk’ who stood behind the counter ready to mix up your Cherry-Lime Phosphate and who wore the stereotypical cap seen in Normal Rockwell paintings. only this was in the 50’s. *grin* My favorite drink was a Cherry Coke, made with rich cherry syrup and Coca Cola syrup pressurized and mixed with carbonated water – maybe club soda? – yum! Nothing like the canned product available today.
Cathy – I think I’m in your stompin grounds.
It’s Pop here in Oregon, and a Coke means the actual brand name drink. If you order a coke in a restaurant, they might ask, “Is Pepsi okay?”
DB Cooper drinks Diet Coke and watches LOST.
I’m from the Northern Territory in Australia and have also lived in Queensland and South Australia and visited New South Wales and Victoria. What goes for Western Australia goes for us all. (Sorry haven’t visited Tasmania, yet.) We would add ‘long drop’ to toilets. But the sign in malls, airports etc would be toilets.
The one expression that has a lot of regional differences in Australia is the nomenclature for what you wear when you go swimming: swimming costume, swimmers, bathers, togs and cossie.
BTW Debra said:
I’m in Western Australia and I call them cool drinks or by their brand name if I want a specific drink, Coke, Fanta, Solo, etc then sometimes it will be by flavour eg. lemon, ginger beer, cola etc etc. Toilets are called toilets but individual people will give them pet names like dunny, loo, the ladies and a number of other names though I think these are the more common.
A restroom in Dutch is referred to as WC (Water Closet) or toilet (from French). As for soda drinks, we call them “frisdrank”, which means cool drink. Since Afrikaans leans in with Dutch so closely, I’m guessing this is the reason why there is such a similarity. Up to some years ago, all soda drinks were referred to as “lemonade” (limonade), but these days I hardly ever hear that anymore.
I’m from the UK, and we say pop. If you ask for soda, you get soda water. Basically here, soda is anything that you put in a soda machine and it comes out fizzy. I stayed with a family in Germany once there were obsessed with putting everything into this soda machine.
If you ask for lemonade, you’ll get fizzy lemon soda. If you ask for a coke or cola, you’ll get a Coca cola or a Pepsi.
Even though I’m British, I’ll find myself occasionally using American words, because out media is so dominated by the US, that even if we don’t use the words, they sound ‘right’, or more common in fiction.
I did have a funny incident in Dublin, Ireland, where I asked for a lemonade, and the barman frowned and said “a 7up?” and I replied “I don’t mind what brand you give me.”
So, in Ireland, ask for a 7up to get a fizzy lemon soda.
i’m very confused as to what to ask for when i go to the U.S in december. i am from victoria in australia and drink what is called soda water here. it would be a disaster if i couldn’t get my vodka, lime and soda’s!! if anyone could help me out who has been to the u.s, it would be greatly appreciated.