What trips you up when reading books from different English-speaking countries?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Pretty sure that "all y'all" is the plural form.

Last time I looked at the definitions for y'all, it was stated to be the plural form of you. Something like "used in addressing two or more persons" or "used to address a group of people that you are speaking to". I will admit the Urban Dictionary went a bit far with "Only an absolute idiot would use it as a singular pronoun."

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

For me, it's the punctuation that catches the eye. Single vs. double quotes for direct dialogue, and the fact that in the UK they put certain punctuation outside quotation marks that would go inside them in the US.

As for "rug," in Western Canada, where I grew up, it was used almost exclusively for a floor covering much like carpeting that wasn't attached to the floor. Carpets, as opposed to rugs, being the floor coverings that are permanently affixed in place and normally stretching from wall to wall.

Sometimes I notice the single vs double quotes punctuation when I first start a new book but then I adjust and no longer notice it. Same for lack of a period after Mrs. or Mr.

Your definition of rug vs carpet sounds right to me.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

The usual term is "state school" different types exist

https://www.secularism.org.uk/faith-...are-there.html

Around here, "state school" refers to a public university - typically any of those called "University of (state name)"

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by Apache

On any outer door with glass, I always use a deadbolt that is keyed on both sides. Then if someone breaks the glass, they are unable to unlock the door.
Apache

Learned something today. I did no know they made such a thing.

[ekbell]

Aside from ground flour/1st floor and measurements without units, my main trip up was when I ran across a reference to someone who was surprised about being asked to remove their footwear when coming inside. There are people in the English speaking world who expect to wear outside shoes in a private dwelling place!

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by maddz

Not exactly. Honours degrees have 5 classes: First, Upper Second [or II(i)], Lower Second [or II(ii)], Third, and Pass. They are usually awarded in terms of the marks given to students in that year; so a 1st would be awarded to someone in the top 10%, an upper second for 75-80% and so on.

A good degree is usually a 1st or II(i).

Technically a "pass" isn't an honours degree, it's an "ordinary" degree. The "first", "upper second", and so on refers to the class of honours ("with First Class Honours" etc.). If the honours standard isn't reached, a "pass" may be awarded, which results in an ordinary, non-honours degree.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by ekbell

Aside from ground flour/1st floor and measurements without units, my main trip up was when I ran across a reference to someone who was surprised about being asked to remove their footwear when coming inside. There are people in the English speaking world who expect to wear outside shoes in a private dwelling place!

This varies in the US. I think shoes-off houses are mostly in areas that get a lot of snow or mud. I don't know anyone in my area that has a no-shoes policy, though when we lived out in the country we did have a mudroom area to leave any especially dirty footwear.

[tempest@de]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

For me, it's the punctuation that catches the eye. Single vs. double quotes for direct dialogue, and the fact that in the UK they put certain punctuation outside quotation marks that would go inside them in the US.

This reminded me that when I started to read fiction in English the use of the quotes to indicate the dialogues tripped me, in Portuguese to indicate a dialogue we start the phrase with a – so the quote was strange, for some time I would edit the book to replace all the “ for the –, after some time It became less annoying and then I didn’t even notice the difference.

But I found that it is harder to keep track of who is talking when there are interruptions in the dialogue when reading in English, something that does not happen when reading in Portuguese.

[tempest@de]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

A couple of years ago I read two or three books that all had a plot line where someone was locked inside a house that was on fire. Is it common in the UK to have outside doors that can only be opened with a key?

In the US, every house or apartment I've ever lived in or visited has had one or more locks on the outer doors - typically one in the knob itself plus a deadbolt. These are normally operated from the outside by a key, but on the inside there is some kind of knob or lever so if you didn't have a key you could still get out in case of emergency.

It's not only in the UK, other countries in Europe have the same system for locks, the doors usually lock with a key, you can have additional «bolts» but usually there is at least a point that looks with the key, the security doors have several points (in the ground, above the door and on the wall).
I’ve only seen the doors with the lock in the knob used in restrooms / toilets.

[maddz]

Originally Posted by ekbell

Aside from ground flour/1st floor and measurements without units, my main trip up was when I ran across a reference to someone who was surprised about being asked to remove their footwear when coming inside. There are people in the English speaking world who expect to wear outside shoes in a private dwelling place!

I think it's fairly uncommon in the UK even now.

When I was a child, bedroom slippers were worn when one was dressed in night clothes and you had some lightweight shoes to wear around the house. However, guests weren't asked to change or remove shoes (unless it was very inclement weather and they had indoor shoes with them (perhaps they were attending an evening party where Wellington boots were not appropriate). Tradesmen were a different case (my mother was mortified when an enormous cockroach crawled out of the fridge we had in Cairo and met a size 11 boot on the kitchen floor).

Mind you, that was in the days of servants so your house got cleaned more routinely (using early Hoovers or a carpet sweeper), and fitted carpets weren't available. With fitted carpets, especially light-coloured ones, it's not so easy to keep things clean with outdoor shoes, and now with both partners working, housework is done once a week if you're lucky. I will freely admit I only do housework when the dust bunnies start savaging my ankles (after all, after 4 years, the dirt doesn't get any worse)!

My house has mostly laminate floors, and I have a pair of garden clogs in the utility room for going down the garden, or out to the dustbin, I wear slippers or light-weight sandals around the house, and have heavier shoes or boots for going out. Mind you, this past 18 months, I've barely been out of my bedroom slippers.

[DiapDealer]

Depending on the day, the socks, and the shoes ... you'd much rather me leave my shoes on when I visit. I guarantee it.

[hobnail]

One that has always puzzled me in British books is there's sometimes a scene where a person changes clothes, putting on clean clothes, but they never mention bathing first. The implication being that they're clean and fresh, ready to move onward. I've seen this several times and have always wondered if they really didn't bathe or if bathing is implied and understood to have happened .

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by hobnail

One that has always puzzled me in British books is there's sometimes a scene where a person changes clothes, putting on clean clothes, but they never mention bathing first. The implication being that they're clean and fresh, ready to move onward. I've seen this several times and have always wondered if they really didn't bathe or if bathing is implied and understood to have happened .

I'm pretty sure I've seen that kind of thing in US books too. I assume it's implied.

Sort of like when the characters have a conversation over dinner or in the car. The conversation seems short on paper but suddenly they've completed a four-course meal or a 200 mile drive.... I guess we're supposed to assume there was more to the conversation but not all of it was worth including.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I'm pretty sure I've seen that kind of thing in US books too. I assume it's implied.

Sort of like when the characters have a conversation over dinner or in the car. The conversation seems short on paper but suddenly they've completed a four-course meal or a 200 mile drive.... I guess we're supposed to assume there was more to the conversation but not all of it was worth including.

Yep. Whenever this sort of "omission" is brought up, most often by a US reader as it happens, I'm reminded of a relevant passage from The Guide

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Yep. Whenever this sort of "omission" is brought up, most often by a US reader as it happens, I'm reminded of a relevant passage from The Guide

Yeah, I really don't need that level of detail. I'm ok with assuming characters bathe, use the toilet, etc. without all the details.