What a BRILLIANT essay. I don't think I have much helpful to add that hasn't already been said, but allow me to contribute to the goodie bag - drop_the_u, a community where you can ask questions about American language and culture. The people are wonderful and helpful, and I've found reading throught the comments very useful. Someone from dS fandom pointed me to them, and I can't remember who, otherwise I would go back and thank them.
I've found my biggest problem is that I am a native English speaker, and I will be merrily and carelessly typing away when some British phrase (flat, lift, rubbish, candy floss) will creep in without me noticing. And all my colloquialisms are British, so I worry sometimes that my dialogue lacks colour.
You made a great point that second-language English speakers often have more precise grammar and spelling, and God knows I'm sloppy much of the time; but I think we're fortunate in fandom that most of the people here are, if not writers themselves, voracious readers, and by extension they tend to love the English language and want to see it written correctly and vividly. Yay! for betas. And Yay! for fandom. \o/
no subject
I've found my biggest problem is that I am a native English speaker, and I will be merrily and carelessly typing away when some British phrase (flat, lift, rubbish, candy floss) will creep in without me noticing. And all my colloquialisms are British, so I worry sometimes that my dialogue lacks colour.
You made a great point that second-language English speakers often have more precise grammar and spelling, and God knows I'm sloppy much of the time; but I think we're fortunate in fandom that most of the people here are, if not writers themselves, voracious readers, and by extension they tend to love the English language and want to see it written correctly and vividly. Yay! for betas. And Yay! for fandom. \o/