accurate word usage in historical fiction

While I think it's important to be true to your era, you also have to remember that you're writing for a modern reader and they have to understand what words you're using without a lot of fuss and bother.

I remember one book I read set in the 1920's that used the word "floozie" correctly for the time period--it referred to a burly fellow who looks like a fighter. However, I'm odd in knowing that and the general reader thinks of a floozie as a ditzy woman. Thus, the average reader would be confused about this guy is being called a ditzy woman.

I try to balance my use of historically accurate words and phrases with what my reader's expectation is most likely to be. If it's important to the story, then I'll make certain the correct word is clearly defined and reinforce it periodically. But if it's not, then I'll go with what is easiest for the reader to comprehend so the flow of the story won't get interrupted.

I agree with DeleyanLee.

Historical diction is just like using dialect. Just use enough to set the tone and scene and characterization, but back off before forcing your reader to consult the OED.

"Fleshy" is not so old that it couldn't be used for "fat." But "wen" and "stob" are probably too obsolescent for a contemporary reader.

There's a really good book I'm reading at the moment: Made in America by Bill Bryson. It's a very interesting study of the development of American English. Worth a read to see what words appeared when. (Also some fun stuff about place names: Newark, New Jersey was originally called New Ark of The Covenant).

And Novi, Michigan was originally Stop No. VI on a coach line from the Michigan/Ohio border.

Lots of fun trivia to be had, and if it can work smoothly into the story, all the better.

Ha! Didn't know that about Novi. Learn something new everyday.

Very possible. That's close to the time when the meaning began to change, IIRC.

lorna_w said:

I've rolled my eyes when I encountered glaring problems in published books (I remember chuckling when one post-Civil War Western had a cowboy "having issues with his father," twenty years before psychoanalytical theory, and a hundred years before anyone said that phrase in pop psych books.)

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I think you can take accuracy too far.

I don't see any problem with this example, I mean it isn't as though men didn't have Daddy Issues until Freud came along.

I made a [personal] decision not to use Anglo-Saxon swears in my Roman novel, but many other authors do use them. I caught myself using the 1940's term of 'override' the other day and struck it out. But unless I intend on writing this book in Latin, there must be a compromise!

I had the choice today to use either the term 'rack' or 'Equuleus' [a torture implement similar to the medieval rack, but looked like a gymnastic horse.] I opted for the Latin, in case a reader confused it with the Medieval version.

I had another choice today with the word 'cock' [as in penis]. Now this meaning is attributed to 1610, but my MC is being crude and I think it works well.

It's a balancing act really, isn't it? Near enough to feel real, but not so real no one knows what you're talking about.

I try to make sure if there are really obscure words (and the modern equivalent just sounds too modern) I try to make it clear in context.

But there's plenty of words that are maybe not hugely common, but still in use and most people will know what they mean. They can give you a flavour of the age.

Since I write 20th century historical fiction, I've found http://www.alphadictionary.com/slang/ to be a very helpful resource. I was surprised when I discovered some words had more modern mintings than I'd thought, and was able to root out anachronistic slang words in my Forties manuscripts.

A couple of weeks ago my niece and I watched all of the HBO Rome series. There were some words and phrases that I doubt if the Romans would have used and they did jar. I think it was the use of 'OK' that made us giggle. The swearing was either modern, e.g f**k or what I would call cussing e.g 'by Juno's tits!'. Niece and I discussed the language after we had watched the whole series and we both found that the swear words worked but that some words/phrases really stood out as anachronisms. We both write and we both care about language and historical accuracy so we tend to notice when language feels wrong in a specific context. Some of language was character specific and used to show social boundaries.

If I was writing about the times your work is set in I would read some novels written at the time - though not necessarily all the way through. I'd also look at various newspapers and try to get a feel of the language from them.

lorna_w said:

I know the OED gives first date usage of a new meaning for a word, but I wondered how one goes about determining what word might be used, or which is in most common usage, at a certain place, among a certain class of people.

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I'd be inclined to ask Medi.

(Did that sound totally sucky-uppy? But I would ..)

Shakesbear said:

A couple of weeks ago my niece and I watched all of the HBO Rome series. There were some words and phrases that I doubt if the Romans would have used and they did jar. I think it was the use of 'OK' that made us giggle. The swearing was either modern, e.g f**k or what I would call cussing e.g 'by Juno's tits!'. Niece and I discussed the language after we had watched the whole series and we both found that the swear words worked but that some words/phrases really stood out as anachronisms. We both write and we both care about language and historical accuracy so we tend to notice when language feels wrong in a specific context. Some of language was character specific and used to show social boundaries.

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Yes, this made me giggle too. I don't mind the cussing so much [sometimes they can impress me with their creativity], but I really dislike the use of Anglo-Saxon swears.

I only watched season 1, and seemed to spend the whole time picking apart lack of accuracy and anachronisms. I think the part that had me raging was when sexual exploits were seen as a measure of 'manliness'. Wrong, wrong, wrong. That is a modern idea, in Ancient Rome it would have resulted in a reputation as 'effeminate.'

I watched it once, and sold it on ebay.

Indeed.

Ah, McCardy!You brown noser you!

You can find out for yourself. Read the newspapers, diaries, letters, addresses given by judges, MPs, city mayors, royalty, these can give you a good taste of who said what.

Once novels were written then you have an excellent record from a contemporary writer. I always think the Victorian era is so popular because people can find all that stuff out so easily.

if you have grown up in a country with a class system then you develop a feeling for what's u and what's non-u s far as who said what.

Resources by Era has a collection of books and dictionaries which would help too.

pdr said:

what's u and what's non-u

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Now there's a phrase I haven't heard for ages!

gothicangel said:

Yes, this made me giggle too. I don't mind the cussing so much [sometimes they can impress me with their creativity], but I really dislike the use of Anglo-Saxon swears.

I only watched season 1, and seemed to spend the whole time picking apart lack of accuracy and anachronisms. I think the part that had me raging was when sexual exploits were seen as a measure of 'manliness'. Wrong, wrong, wrong. That is a modern idea, in Ancient Rome it would have resulted in a reputation as 'effeminate.'

I watched it once, and sold it on ebay.

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But ...but ... but ... James Purefoy is in it! And Ray Stevenson...

Shakesbear said:

But ...but ... but ... James Purefoy is in it! And Ray Stevenson...

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SP will probably shoot me for this, but every time I see a film/tv show with James Purefoy, I start giggling. He has this same, very dramatic register in his voice in the way he delivers his lines.

I'll fetch the bullet-proof vest now . . .

Alessandra Kelley said:

Does anyone fret about "serviette" any more? Does anyone even use the word in English?

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It's common in Canada.

Alessandra Kelley said:

Does anyone fret about "serviette" any more? Does anyone even use the word in English?

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I've worked in a few 4 and 5* hotels, and they use the term serviette.

Canadian PhD candidate of Scot origin 1953-54 at Cal's I House always used serviette.

The cloth thingies you get at the better class of restaurant (or even just actual restaurants as opposed to cafes) are napkins to me.

The little papery things you get elsewhere are serviettes. To me at least

SO I'd ask for more serviettes if the dispenser has run out at Mac D's, or ask for an extra napkin at my local Italian resutrant.

I'm half u, half non u? lol

IdiotsRUs said:

SO I'd ask for more serviettes if the dispenser has run out at Mac D's, or ask for an extra napkin at my local Italian resutrant.

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I'm currently working at McD's to pay the bills, we call them napkins. You must be one of the posh punters.

gothicangel said:

I'm currently working at McD's to pay the bills, we call them napkins. You must be one of the posh punters.

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Ahem, napkins is U, serviette is non U.


MacDonalds is posh?

*snickers*

I also note though, that (IIRC) in the original wassname it was noted that the Upper class and the lower classes often used the same words for things. It was the middle class (aspiring to be upper, or at least separate themselves from the oiks) who would use the other words.

I can't remember who said it, but there's a big similarity in some ways between the working class and the really very posh - and in fact the manners of the very very posh are often much worse (just throw the bones to the dogs! Sorry, I'm afraid he likes to dribble on your knee....often with a very practical attitude. See Sybil Vimes in Terry Prachett. Though there obviously a great many differences too). But say hand-me-down clothes. The old rich, the upper class, would think nothing of wearing a skirt that belonged to their mother or whatever. It's only those aspiring to be accepted by the upper classes (or the newer posh) that got all classest about it..ETa well not only, but you see what I'm getting at?

The whole thing - the middle classes dreaming of one day being posh, while the working classes laughed at their pretentions and the super posh had manners and habits that would make most of them blush...Sad really.

Have you ever seen this? Cracks me up.