Help Please! For UK people

[Quillwitch]

Hi guys--
I´m trying to create a character who would speak in a sort of street wise kind of way. he´s 15, street smart but not offensive, yes cheeky. PROBLEM IS--i´ve never been to the UK in my life so I have no idea what kind of words and phrases a kid his age might use. If you can think of something, please post it hear. It would be very much appreciated. I am looking for a catchphrase for him, and just regular speech. Also, how would he say hurry up in a sort of funny/cheeky way? -- " Hurry it up, be quick about it, ...OR....

 

[Jennifer Stone]

Most importantly, where is the lad from? This makes ALL the difference in the U.K, same as the U.S. What sort of book is it? YA? Adventure?
'Make haste' 'Get yer skates on.' 'Shake a leg.' 'Get yer arse in gear.' to name but a few

 

[Sea-shore]

If he's from around London he could say: hurry it up, mate.

 

[Quillwitch]

Most importantly, where is the lad from? This makes ALL the difference in the U.K, same as the U.S. What sort of book is it? YA? Adventure?
'Make haste' 'Get yer skates on.' 'Shake a leg.' 'Get yer arse in gear.' to name but a few

Hahaha, these are all great ideas. Well, it´s hard to say. He doesn´t actually live in England, so I can play around with ideas. It can be outdated or very dated stuff--pref. outdated but very sassy and teen speak.

 

[Quillwitch]

If he's from around London he could say: hurry it up, mate.

Yeah, that´s the one I was going for. Still, if there are more options, keep them coming.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

One of your best sources would be to watch British TV shows, and you'll pick up a lot there. You'll find that in some places people refer to their boss as 'gov'. I think the further north you go, as you get to Scotland you'll find they start sentences with 'Aye.' As they say, depends on the area as it varies a lot.

 

[Quillwitch]

One of your best sources would be to watch British TV shows, and you'll pick up a lot there. You'll find that in some places people refer to their boss as 'gov'. I think the further north you go, as you get to Scotland you'll find they start sentences with 'Aye.' As they say, depends on the area as it varies a lot.

Oh, you´re so right Alistair. Thanks! NOW...any ideas as to what TV shows to watch?

 

[Alistair Roberts]

My favourites are Dr Who (probably not the best source for unusual speech), Lewis, Inspector Morse, Midsommer Murders, frost. If you're in the USA some of those might be hard to find, but you'll find them in most Commonwealth Countries

 

[J. Rook]

The soaps might be a good source. I've been away from the UK for some years and I've lost touch with the popular TV series, but "East Enders" would be a good quarry for vernacular, I think.

 

[Quillwitch]

Thanks! I love Doctor Who, but yeah, that´s not the language i´m looking for. I´m going to try with East Enders. I found something called Shameless. Oh dear. It really is! I don´t think U.S. television would ever have a show like that!
Has anyone seen something called Bad Education?

 

[Amber Zade]

I'm not from the UK ... and I certainly don't know a thing about being cheeky .... but I would suggest looking on Netflix and/or Hulu.

 

[Quillwitch]

Watching Father Ted...laughing so hard!!

 

[Jennifer Stone]

I get what you say about Shameless, though there is an American version. Father Ted is wonderful, Black Books is very funny. The Office is a sitcom I never got on with, though if you want teenage speech perhaps look for Grange Hill, the old 70's version.

 

[Jay Aitch]

The soaps might be a good source. I've been away from the UK for some years and I've lost touch with the popular TV series, but "East Enders" would be a good quarry for vernacular, I think.

Beware with Eastenders, however. It is centred on a "cock'er'ney" (mock cockney) accent in what is perceived to be a run down part of central London. The frightening thing (for this English speaker at least) is that it is used to teach English as a second language.

Of course there is an alternative way to look at this. Avoiding any attempts to write phonetically to a particular accent or dialect (which gets tiresome very quickly) simply consider using words that aren't American. For example, taps instead of faucets, trousers instead of pants, pants instead of underwear (though a 15-year old might call them kegs or whatever). There are some useful (if not always accurate) English-American dictionaries out there.

Oh and one of the expressions en vogue currently is to use the word: "sick" to mean something good or impressive.

The danger of attempting to copy trends of speech is that by the time you're finished it will all be out of synch, which is why I suggest making sure you use English words rather than American. That way, any reader will soon recognise your character ain't from Kansas anymore.

 

[Quillwitch]

I get what you say about Shameless, though there is an American version. Father Ted is wonderful, Black Books is very funny. The Office is a sitcom I never got on with, though if you want teenage speech perhaps look for Grange Hill, the old 70's version.

Never heard of grange hill but i will try that one.

 

[Quillwitch]

Beware with Eastenders, however. It is centred on a "cock'er'ney" (mock cockney) accent in what is perceived to be a run down part of central London. The frightening thing (for this English speaker at least) is that it is used to teach English as a second language.

Of course there is an alternative way to look at this. Avoiding any attempts to write phonetically to a particular accent or dialect (which gets tiresome very quickly) simple consider using words that aren't American. For example, taps instead of faucets, trousers instead of pants, pants instead of underwear (though a 15-year old might call them kegs or whatever). There are some useful (if not always accurate) English-American dictionaries out there.

Oh and one of the expressions en vogue currently is to use the word: "sick" to mean something good or impressive.

The danger of attempting to copy trends of speech is that by the time you're finished it will all be out of synch, which is why I suggest making sure you use English words rather than American. That way, any reader will soon recognise your character ain't from Kansas anymore.

I´m sick of hearing the world sick being used for something that is actually cool, wicked or kick ass, as we used to say. Hate that trend! Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. So kegs are underwear?

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Er??? Kegs are barrels of beer!

 

[Jay Aitch]

Er??? Kegs are barrels of beer!

Yes and yes

 

[Emurelda]

Never heard of grange hill but i will try that one.

It's a children's version of EastEnders and as one of my school friends put it back in secondary school

"If you're in a suicidal mood, Eastenders will push you off."

I survived watching Grange Hill

 

[Emurelda]

Hahaha....just spotted this on the Litopia website

https://litopia.com/shop/1001-reasons-why-eastenders-is-pony/

“If life was like EastEnders – there would be a Dignitas clinic on every High Street,” says Garry.

So my friend was right! lol! How uncanny!!

 

[Quillwitch]

Uncanny indeed!! I will check it out!

 

[jon28]

Ok, problem is that 'teen-speak' changes every few months, so what you're writing now, won't be 'streetwise' in say 6 months. Having been a teacher to teenagers for a few years now, I would say that your best bet would be to mirror the fact that 15 yr old British teenagers actually say... very little. They grunt when they're spoken to, and that's about it. Not sure if that helps...

 

[jon28]

Beware with Eastenders, however. It is centred on a "cock'er'ney" (mock cockney) accent in what is perceived to be a run down part of central London. The frightening thing (for this English speaker at least) is that it is used to teach English as a second language.

Of course there is an alternative way to look at this. Avoiding any attempts to write phonetically to a particular accent or dialect (which gets tiresome very quickly) simply consider using words that aren't American. For example, taps instead of faucets, trousers instead of pants, pants instead of underwear (though a 15-year old might call them kegs or whatever). There are some useful (if not always accurate) English-American dictionaries out there.

Oh and one of the expressions en vogue currently is to use the word: "sick" to mean something good or impressive.

The danger of attempting to copy trends of speech is that by the time you're finished it will all be out of synch, which is why I suggest making sure you use English words rather than American. That way, any reader will soon recognise your character ain't from Kansas anymore.

Oops, sorry Jimithyh... didn't notice you'd already made that point.