Coffee tables in Britain?

HistoryWes · 06-21-2010, 02:19 AM

A quick bit of help from my friends across the pond...

Do you have coffee tables in Britain, and if so, do you call them coffee tables?

Thanks in advance.
Wes.

HarryT · 06-21-2010, 02:26 AM

Yes, absolutely

.

HistoryWes · 06-21-2010, 02:34 AM

Thanks.

Stormchild · 06-21-2010, 02:34 AM

What's coffee?

HistoryWes · 06-21-2010, 02:46 AM

Well, it seemed like a silly question, but you never know. We in America all think David Tennant is the best Doctor Who...

HarryT · 06-21-2010, 03:05 AM

We even have coffee table books to put on our coffee tables.

Seriously, though, if you are writing a book set in a different country, it's always as well to check on these cultural things. I must admit that I find the US Editions of "Harry Potter" (to use a popular example) very difficult to read, because they portray a Britain with "parking lots", "mail slots", "sneakers", and all sorts of other things that we don't have (we have "car parks", "letter boxes", and "trainers") and it just grates on a British reader to read such terms.

Worldwalker · 06-21-2010, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

Well, it seemed like a silly question, but you never know. We in America all think David Tennant is the best Doctor Who...

Excuse me, but have you ever heard of Tom Baker?

Didn't think so.

Wordcrasher · 06-21-2010, 05:03 AM

Well,
I'm Italian and I have to confess I like Matt Smith

HistoryWes · 06-21-2010, 02:43 PM

I have heard of Tom Baker.... ahem. I also have a copy Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, with all the British terms.

omk3 · 06-21-2010, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

....because they portray a Britain with "parking lots", "mail slots", "sneakers", and all sorts of other things that we don't have (we have "car parks", "letter boxes", and "trainers") and it just grates on a British reader to read such terms.

As a non-native English speaker, my English is more or less international. I'm equally familiar with all the above words, but I can never remember who uses which.

I'm always worried I'll use the wrong word when talking to the wrong person.
It must be funny to see someone using trainers and parking lots in the same sentence, I guess

NickSpalding · 06-21-2010, 04:08 PM

Oooh...be careful Wes, you've opened a can of worms no-one may be able to get back into the trash (sorry, rubbish) bin.

We Brits are a tad...er...touchy about the fairly lax knowledge you foreign types have about our sceptered isle.

We indeed do have coffee tables. Great big stout things made of oak and stiff upper lips.

We also have McDonalds, Levi's and access to the internet.

Not BP though. They're nothing to do with us, honest.

And yes, Matt Smith is indeed the best doctor since Lord Thomas of Baker. David Tennant was Scottish and therefore automatically disqualified.

06-21-2010, 02:19 AM	#1
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	Coffee tables in Britain? A quick bit of help from my friends across the pond... Do you have coffee tables in Britain, and if so, do you call them coffee tables? Thanks in advance. Wes.

06-21-2010, 03:05 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	We even have coffee table books to put on our coffee tables. Seriously, though, if you are writing a book set in a different country, it's always as well to check on these cultural things. I must admit that I find the US Editions of "Harry Potter" (to use a popular example) very difficult to read, because they portray a Britain with "parking lots", "mail slots", "sneakers", and all sorts of other things that we don't have (we have "car parks", "letter boxes", and "trainers") and it just grates on a British reader to read such terms. Last edited by HarryT; 06-21-2010 at 03:18 AM.

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06-21-2010, 02:26 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, absolutely .

06-21-2010, 02:34 AM	#3
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	Thanks.

06-21-2010, 02:34 AM	#4
Stormchild Evangelist Posts: 466 Karma: 878943 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Cornwall UK Device: BeBook 1. BeBook Mini. BeBook Neo and Club. BeBook Live. BeeBook Pure.	What's coffee?

06-21-2010, 02:46 AM	#5
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	Well, it seemed like a silly question, but you never know. We in America all think David Tennant is the best Doctor Who...

06-21-2010, 05:03 AM	#8
Wordcrasher Addict Posts: 253 Karma: 1246 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vicenza, Italy Device: Kindle Fire 2015, Kindle Paperwhite	Well, I'm Italian and I have to confess I like Matt Smith

06-21-2010, 02:43 PM	#9
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	I have heard of Tom Baker.... ahem. I also have a copy Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, with all the British terms.

06-21-2010, 04:08 PM	#11
NickSpalding Addict Posts: 270 Karma: 1041222 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle	Oooh...be careful Wes, you've opened a can of worms no-one may be able to get back into the trash (sorry, rubbish) bin. We Brits are a tad...er...touchy about the fairly lax knowledge you foreign types have about our sceptered isle. We indeed do have coffee tables. Great big stout things made of oak and stiff upper lips. We also have McDonalds, Levi's and access to the internet. Not BP though. They're nothing to do with us, honest. And yes, Matt Smith is indeed the best doctor since Lord Thomas of Baker. David Tennant was Scottish and therefore automatically disqualified.