False teeth

[gmw]

In some dialogue I was writing I had the person say "Blacky had falsies". The context of the dialogue makes it quite clear that I'm talking about teeth, but while checking the spelling of "falsies" I see that most of the dictionaries list "falsies" and meaning a "padded brassiere". Only lower down on dictionary.com can I see mention of: "Anything false or artificial".

I am curious as to whether this use (in reference to false teeth) might raise eyebrows in some regions - if "falsies" is firmly entrenched as referencing padded brassieres.

(Obviously I could say dentures, but it's rather more formal/technical sounding that this character would normally use.)

[Cinisajoy]

I think you need to find a different word.
Yes, I first thought of silicone, not teeth.

[gmw]

Thanks, Cinisajoy.

I am fairly certain in Australia (at least the parts I know) the first thought would be teeth. But I am slowly learning to assume less. I once thought that talking about "thongs" was a perfectly clear and innocent reference to footwear .

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by gmw

Thanks, Cinisajoy.

I am fairly certain in Australia (at least the parts I know) the first thought would be teeth. But I am slowly learning to assume less. I once thought that talking about "thongs" was a perfectly clear and innocent reference to footwear .

Depends are you at the beach or the bar?
My question would be will your book be Australia specific?
Note: you wouldn't want to put shrimp on a Barbie in the US. You might upset young girls if you put food on their doll.

[crich70]

Horseshoes, chompers, plates, dentures, false teeth. You could say someone is on their 3rd set of teeth too I would think. Since humans only get 2 sets (baby and adult) the obvious conclusion would be that they were wearing false teeth.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Depends are you at the beach or the bar?
My question would be will your book be Australia specific?
Note: you wouldn't want to put shrimp on a Barbie in the US. You might upset young girls if you put food on their doll.

The story is (currently) deliberately vague about its locale. This may be a mistake because it can be difficult to write casual conversation that doesn't in some way reflect its environment. It was okay when I thought it was going to be shorter, but things have been evolving unexpectedly.

I'm not really sure how the "shrimp on the barbie" got so well known. Must have been a city-thing, I think. Seafood was never a feature of the barbecues I ever attended. Growing up inland, seafood didn't play a big part of my diet - barbecued or otherwise. We didn't even barbecue yabbies (freshwater crayfish).

Originally Posted by crich70

Horseshoes, chompers, plates, dentures, false teeth. You could say someone is on their 3rd set of teeth too I would think. Since humans only get 2 sets (baby and adult) the obvious conclusion would be that they were wearing false teeth.

Thanks. I'm sure I can find an appropriate replacement, the surprise was discovering that I needed to.

[arjaybe]

I think if it's 'quite clear' from context that it's about false teeth, you should let your readers work it out. Especially if it's in keeping with the way the character speaks.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Depends are you at the beach or the bar?
My question would be will your book be Australia specific?
Note: you wouldn't want to put shrimp on a Barbie in the US. You might upset young girls if you put food on their doll.

A lot of phrases do have different meanings in different parts of the world. I understand if you are in Ireland and say you're "under the weather" that people take it that you are hung over for example. If you are sick then you say you are ill.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

I think if it's 'quite clear' from context that it's about false teeth, you should let your readers work it out. Especially if it's in keeping with the way the character speaks.

If I had not been trying to be vague about the locale then I would do that, but in this case I'm going to play it safe.

Originally Posted by crich70

A lot of phrases do have different meanings in different parts of the world. I understand if you are in Ireland and say you're "under the weather" that people take it that you are hung over for example. If you are sick then you say you are ill.

Hmm. "Under the weather" here is ambiguous. It may mean one or the other (hung-over or ill), you're looking for the smile on the face to tell you which.

I've been thinking more about "throw another shrimp on the barbie". It seems to me that the more accurate Australian phrase in this context would be "throw another snag on the barbie" - we use "snag" as slang for sausages. For me, at least, the idea of seafood at a barbecue makes makes it sound like some "posh do". The barbecues I've been to may have had lamb chops, they may have had steaks, they may even have (God forbid!) something vegetable to to throw on, but the common factor, the thing that was always present, was the good old snag. [ETA:] And a snag is something you can easily eat with false teeth - just to make this paragraph on topic.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Depends are you at the beach or the bar?
My question would be will your book be Australia specific?
Note: you wouldn't want to put shrimp on a Barbie in the US. You might upset young girls if you put food on their doll.

Of course, if one were writing a horror novel, it would be quite appropriate.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by gmw

I've been thinking more about "throw another shrimp on the barbie". It seems to me that the more accurate Australian phrase in this context would be "throw another snag on the barbie" - we use "snag" as slang for sausages. For me, at least, the idea of seafood at a barbecue makes makes it sound like some "posh do". The barbecues I've been to may have had lamb chops, they may have had steaks, they may even have (God forbid!) something vegetable to to throw on, but the common factor, the thing that was always present, was the good old snag. [ETA:] And a snag is something you can easily eat with false teeth - just to make this paragraph on topic.

"Throw another shrimp on the barbie" is artificial. It was invented for Hoges* to say while advertising Australia in the US. At the time, no self-respecting Aussie would barbecue seafood. Except, maybe, fish they had just caught. And of course, we have been "prawns", not "shrimp". And yes, vegetables on the barbie, never! As to, "throw another snag on the barbie", I'm pretty sure I've said that

As to "falsies", I would have gone with false breasts. But, false teeth would have been my next thought. The context would have determined which.


* For the non-Aussies, Paul Hogan of "Crocodile Dundee" fame.

[Witty Username]

The most commonly used term after dentures that I hear from patients is 'plate' - short for dental plate.

Falsies I've only heard to refer to breast augmentation in any form - implants, padding, inflatable etc.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by crich70

A lot of phrases do have different meanings in different parts of the world. I understand if you are in Ireland and say you're "under the weather" that people take it that you are hung over for example. If you are sick then you say you are ill.

We always used that phase when I was a kid (<-not a young goat ). It could be the former if an Adult or the latter for anyone.

I was raised in New Jersey.

Dina Ken was another
Hunki-Dori
My family was NOT world travelers

Lots of phrases were learned from local resident usage, many from Europe or brought back by the Military

[dwig]

Originally Posted by gmw

If I had not been trying to be vague about the locale then I would do that, but in this case I'm going to play it safe. ...

Being vague about the local is one thing, quite separate from being vague about the ethnicity of a particular character. If it's clear that the character is from Oz and that they at specifically talking about teeth then "falsies" is probably OK. If not, either play it safe or reinforce the teeth reference. Doing the later would, of course, tip you hand as to from where the character hailed.

[gmw]

Thanks everyone. It's always interesting to see how such simple words can be interpreted so differently.