MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Writing with an accent, how do you do it?

Steven Lyle Jordan · 09-30-2010, 01:06 PM

Most successful stories provide regular clues that the character is speaking with an accent, such as one word that is always spelled to indicate the accent, or a favorite phrase or invective, often italicized, to remind the reader that this person speaks with an accent.

Occasionally, I've seen an author repeat a sentence... once in standard form, and once with exaggerated spelling to suggest the accent. Wauce, in stahn-dahd fohm, und wauce wit exaw-gerated spehling to suggest awn oxxent.

Awkward, yes, but it does the job. You usually only need to do this once or twice, or if the character's accent is so thick that understanding them is a constant problem.

09-30-2010, 01:06 PM	#4
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Most successful stories provide regular clues that the character is speaking with an accent, such as one word that is always spelled to indicate the accent, or a favorite phrase or invective, often italicized, to remind the reader that this person speaks with an accent. Occasionally, I've seen an author repeat a sentence... once in standard form, and once with exaggerated spelling to suggest the accent. Wauce, in stahn-dahd fohm, und wauce wit exaw-gerated spehling to suggest awn oxxent. Awkward, yes, but it does the job. You usually only need to do this once or twice, or if the character's accent is so thick that understanding them is a constant problem. Last edited by Steven Lyle Jordan; 09-30-2010 at 01:09 PM.