# Will American Teens understand this phrase?



## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

"She had been on tenterhooks all morning waiting for him to arrive"

Also what hot drink would US teens have on Christmas Eve? Warm Apple Punch? I know you have something called Eggnog over there, but it is alcoholic yes? Plus it sounds kind of disgusting.

Thanks!!


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## TheGapBetweenMerlons (Jun 2, 2011)

I'd be surprised if my teens knew that term. Also, eggnog can be alcoholic but is often not (but I'm not aware of anyone drinking it hot, if that was what you meant). For a hot drink, they might have hot apple cider (not alcoholic cider, basically a tart apple juice), cocoa, coffee, or tea.

Hope that helps!


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## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

Tenterhooks is not used by American teens but the better-read ones will understand. The drink could be hot apple cider or hot cocoa. Eggnog is often drunk without alcohol, but many adults add alcohol for parties. Also, eggnog is a chilled drink, not a hot one.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

It's cold?? Good grief, I didnt know that.

So at a Christmas party where the adults have an alcoholic mulled wine, what warm spicy drink could the teens have? You think the warm apple punch will do?


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## Jennifer Lewis (Dec 12, 2013)

Hot chocolate is your safest bet as a winter drink. Americans don't really drink mulled wine, either. The variety of Christmassy food and drinks is much smaller over here. I miss the UK every time Christmas rolls around!

Apple cider warmed with cinnamon sticks in it would work. Apple cider is almost always non-alcoholic here (shocking, I know!).


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## Daniel Cane (Oct 16, 2014)

I say hot chocolate as well. I would say hot apple cider but that's out of season.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

Wow and wow. I had no idea I was so clueless about American Christmas traditions. Non-alcoholic cider? Coming from Somerset that is horrifying!

I'm still reeling from the _cold_ eggy drink. YUK


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## TheGapBetweenMerlons (Jun 2, 2011)

Evenstar said:


> Non-alcoholic cider? Coming from Somerset that is horrifying!


 I took a liking to "hard" cider when I was in England back in the 80s, and it's been nice to see more of it being sold here lately. It appears to be a growing market, both at the craft level and (to some extent) bulk production.

I'm not much of a fan of eggnog, so I'll usually have a small glass just for the sake of tradition. My kids love it though.


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## zoe tate (Dec 18, 2013)

Evenstar said:


> I know you have something called Eggnog over there, but it is alcoholic yes? Plus it sounds kind of disgusting.


We have it in Europe, too: under the name Advocaat.

By the way, it* is* disgusting.


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## Jennifer Lewis (Dec 12, 2013)

If you're writing a Christmassy story where food and drink is important you should probably check some American cooking websites for ideas of what people eat and drink here. There's no such thing as Christmas pudding here! I've lived in areas with a large British population so I can usually find mince pies and crackers, but I bet most Americans can't.

Here's a popular food channel with recipes: http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/search-results.html?searchTerm=christmas&form=global&_charset_=UTF-8


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## Felix R. Savage (Mar 3, 2011)

Evenstar said:


> "She had been on tenterhooks all morning waiting for him to arrive"


Yes, they would understand this unless they were illiterate. I don't guess you're targeting illiterates, anyway 

Eggnog is right, IMO.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

It is a short Christmas story and it is set in England. But as 80% of my readers are American teens, I didnt want to alienate them with references they would not get.

So Tenterhooks, yes or no? Alternatives?


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Eggnog.

I am a big fan of eggnog.

You can serve it with rum if you are looking for alcohol - or it is served in coffee in some of the more hoit-toity coffee shops.


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## Jennifer Lewis (Dec 12, 2013)

Evenstar said:


> So Tenterhooks, yes or no? Alternatives?


With bated breath?


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

Steve Vernon said:


> Eggnog.
> 
> I am a big fan of eggnog.
> 
> You can serve it with rum if you are looking for alcohol - or it is served in coffee in some of the more hoit-toity coffee shops.


Not if it is cold. (grossed out shiver) This is being served as a winter warmer at a Christmas street party. Plus this is in England, we wouldnt have it here. I just wanted something that both cultures would appreciate.


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## David Penny (Jun 8, 2014)

What we in the UK call cider, Evenstar, is referred to as hard cider in America. I had to look it all up because I set a fantasy novel on an apple farm in New Hampshire. I might have got some bits wrong because I only sold about eight copies total


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

David Penny said:


> What we in the UK call cider, Evenstar, is referred to as hard cider in America. I had to look it all up because I set a fantasy novel on an apple farm in New Hampshire. I might have got some bits wrong because I only sold about eight copies total


It was "hard" cider that taught me I had the ability to vomit through my nose. Ah, youth.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

LOL, thanks everyone. I think I'll go with "bated breath" just to be sure. 

And hot cider is probably just right, seeing as the Americans will read it as non-alcoholic and the Brits will read it as definitely alcoholic, which is okay because in the UK it is perfectly acceptable to drink "hard" cider at sixteen, which I know it isn't in the US.


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## Daniel Cane (Oct 16, 2014)

Felix R. Savage said:


> Yes, they would understand this unless they were illiterate. I don't guess you're targeting illiterates, anyway
> 
> Eggnog is right, IMO.


Are you sure?
Never heard it before. I'm 63.
I can only guess by the content it means on pins and needles, but not sure.


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## J.A. Sutherland (Apr 1, 2014)

Evenstar said:


> It is a short Christmas story and it is set in England. But as 80% of my readers are American teens, I didnt want to alienate them with references they would not get.
> 
> So Tenterhooks, yes or no? Alternatives?


Even when I was a teen, if I was reading a story set in England, I'd expect it to have references I might not get immediately -- words, phrases, drinks that I might have to figure out from context or even look up. That's part of the joy of reading a story set in an exotic, foreign land, after all.


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## Wifey (Mar 20, 2011)

I have 3 teens. Two read a lot and the other not so much. None of them have heard the word Tenterhooks before.


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## Daniel Cane (Oct 16, 2014)

Just Googled it.
a hook used to fasten cloth on a drying frame or tenter.

Is that a clothespin?


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## psychotick (Jan 26, 2012)

Hi,

Speaking as a kiwi I'm horrified by what I'm learning about our American friends. They drink egg nog cold? That sounds absolutely revolting - and if it's got actual uncooked egg in it, a potential food poisoning disaster in the making. And cider is non-alcoholic? Why for the love of God?! Why?!

Cheers, Greg.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

I don't think you need to change phrasing for youth. They not only can infer as well (or better) than adults what something means, they're also perfectly capable of looking things up. 

As for warm eggnog, the thought of that makes me want to vomit. Cold, or not at all. (though to be fair, I'd stick with not at all. It is good, but it's essentially the least healthy drink on the planet!)


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## Wifey (Mar 20, 2011)

If your setting is the UK, then use tenterhooks. If it is the US, then don't use it.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

J.A. Sutherland said:


> Even when I was a teen, if I was reading a story set in England, I'd expect it to have references I might not get immediately -- words, phrases, drinks that I might have to figure out from context or even look up. That's part of the joy of reading a story set in an exotic, foreign land, after all.


Totally agree.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

I think the teens will take their cue from the "hooks" portion of the word. 

My vote for a drink kids in US get would be hot chocolate dressed up with whipped cream and red and green sprinkles or some such nonsense. My mother and step-father were alcoholics, so I imbibed some kind of thick hot tottie rum drink on more than one Christmas as a kid.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Tenterhooks is a word I know but I doubt if my teen would. On the other hand, if he asked, I would tell him to look it up and learn a new word. That's also the beauty of the kindle. 

I once had an apple juice drink that was absolutely delicious. If you have one of those big coffee urns, you can put vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks in the basket, then fill the urn with apple juice and let it perk. 

My teen still loves hot chocolate with whipped cream. Heck, I love hot chocolate with whipped cream.

And I love eggnog. Milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla. What's not to like?


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Jennifer Lewis said:


> If you're writing a Christmassy story where food and drink is important you should probably check some American cooking websites for ideas of what people eat and drink here. There's no such thing as Christmas pudding here! I've lived in areas with a large British population so I can usually find mince pies and crackers, but I bet most Americans can't.
> 
> Here's a popular food channel with recipes: http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/search-results.html?searchTerm=christmas&form=global&_charset_=UTF-8


I spent last Christmas with a group of people from several countries and was shocked to find that the American couple had no idea what to do with a cracker!


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## bethrevis (Jul 30, 2014)

Instead of tenterhooks, use "I was on pins and needles waiting for..." A much more common phrase. 

Hot cocoa or apple cider would work as a drink. Eggnog is gross and more of an old-people drink around here (alcoholic or not).


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## beccaprice (Oct 1, 2011)

Actually, eggnog is quite good when made properly, and when made alcoholic there's no danger of food poisoning. It's just a very rich, rum or brandy flavored drink. I'm quite fond of it.  Some places also sprinkle ground nutmeg on the top.

When it gets cold, my teens drink vast quantities of hot chocolate (aka coco) usually with whipped cream on top.


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## Cookie Monster (Apr 6, 2014)

Evenstar said:


> So Tenterhooks, yes or no? Alternatives?


You could try "on pins and needles" which might be more common here? But I don't know how common that is in the UK. I think people who are well read will know what tenterhooks are, but some of your teenage audience might not.

Hot cocoa or hot apple cider would work well, both are common winter drinks in the US.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

CMD said:


> You could try "on pins and needles" which might be more common here?


I know the op has gotten this suggestion before, but I have to say, "pins and needles" is so... used? Cliche? Tenderhooks is different, albeit maybe only for USA readers. I'd say if you're going to change it, change it dramatically and go original.


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

Jan Hurst-Nicholson said:


> shocked to find that the American couple had no idea what to do with a cracker!


Put cheese on it, right?

I think American teens reading an English-setting book want there to be accurate references to life in England... please don't Americanize it. Leave the tenterhooks and whatever hot you want to drink- I know as a teenager I loved reading British stories specifically to learn more about life there.

And eggnog doesn't have cracked eggs floating around in it... that would be like something out of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. As a kid, I wouldn't drink it because of the "egg" in the name (I opted for the boiled custard which is very similar) but it's really just like a melted milkshake or thick, sweet milk.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Pins and needles to me is the tingly feeling you get in your leg when you've been sitting on it for too long.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

carinasanfey said:


> Be careful. Bear in mind that if sixteen-year-olds are drinking alcohol at a street party in the UK in your book, this could very easily be construed as encouraging illegal behaviour - in fact, that's exactly how I would read it. While, yes, under-18s are allowed to drink at home under close supervision, a street party counts as a public place. It doesn't matter that underage drinking is rampant in the UK; it is still illegal in most situations.


I am curious what you mean by this.

Are you suggesting the author could be in trouble for having kids do something illegal and without consequence in a work of fiction?


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## Sandra K. Williams (Jun 15, 2013)

I drink my eggnog warm and without liquor. FWIW.


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## Incognita (Apr 3, 2011)

As a teenager, I would have gotten the "tenterhooks" reference, but I did read a lot of stuff set in the UK.

I used to think eggnog was nasty until I had this stuff:

http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx/Spirits/Prepared-Cocktails/Pennsylvania-Dutch/Pennsylvania-Dutch-Egg-Nog/18127

It's amazing. (I'm just sad because we can't have it anymore...my gluten-intolerant husband can't handle the whiskey in it.)


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## JumpingShip (Jun 3, 2010)

Evenstar said:


> It is a short Christmas story and it is set in England. But as 80% of my readers are American teens, I didnt want to alienate them with references they would not get.
> 
> So Tenterhooks, yes or no? Alternatives?


What about pins and needles? Tenterhooks sounds a bit old fashioned to me.


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

I think the context is enough to get the meaning across and if someone is reading a book about the UK, chances are they are interested in the background. It's part of the whole charm.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

MyraScott said:


> I think American teens reading an English-setting book want there to be accurate references to life in England... please don't Americanize it. Leave the ten*t*erhooks and whatever hot [drink] you want to drink- I know as a teenager I loved reading British stories specifically to learn more about life there.


This is how I see it, too.


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## NoBlackHats (Oct 17, 2012)

Evenstar said:


> "She had been on tenterhooks all morning waiting for him to arrive"
> 
> Also what hot drink would US teens have on Christmas Eve? Warm Apple Punch? I know you have something called Eggnog over there, but it is alcoholic yes? Plus it sounds kind of disgusting.
> 
> Thanks!!


Have three teenagers, who read constantly, and we have many discussions on words they don't know. I would have to explain tenterhooks to them. We'd probably say 'pins and needles' or something similar.

Eggnog is sold in carton, sans alcohol here. It is similar to a melted milkshake, or a thin egg custard that you can drink.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

carinasanfey said:


> I don't know what kind of fiction the OP writes, but if it's intended as family-friendly, this may not go down well with the target audience. On the other hand, breaking the law without consequence may be exactly what she wants in her story; I don't know. I just thought I'd point it out as there is a lot of confusion about what is and isn't illegal with regard to alcohol here in the UK, and the way her post was phrased made it sound as though she thought what she was suggesting is legal (as she did not want to have American teens interpreting the cider as alcoholic), which it's not. Of course, I may well have picked up her post completely wrong.


Ah, I see. Thought when you said '...encouraging' that you were suggesting she might be setting herself up for some kind of liability. I would have disagreed with you there. But alienating readers, I get that.


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## The 13th Doctor (May 31, 2012)

Lydniz said:


> Pins and needles to me is the tingly feeling you get in your leg when you've been sitting on it for too long.


This.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

Op, if you change your "tenderhooks" to pins and needles, I'll be profoundly disappointed :/  Harry Potter is a MG novel, and the kids drink "Butter Beer" When I was reading that as a teen here in Canada I thought, Beer? ... Beer made with butter? Do kids drink beer in the UK? Or just wizards? 


I liked that part. 

ETA: if you had kids getting tipsy off cider, I'd think it funny, then I'd have looked it up and thought it interesting.


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## The 13th Doctor (May 31, 2012)

Steve W. said:


> Op, if you change your "tenderhooks" to pins and needles, I'll be profoundly disappointed :/ Harry Potter is a MG novel, and the kids drink "Butter Beer" When I was reading that as a teen here in Canada I thought, Beer? ... Beer made with butter? Do kids drink beer in the UK? Or just wizards?
> 
> I liked that part.


Wizard kids drink Butter Beer. Muggle kids drink _beer_ beer (well, some do, illegally).


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

garam81 said:


> Wizard kids drink Butter Beer. Muggle kids drink _beer_ beer (well, some do, illegally).


It was the way in which "beer" was used and no "Huh?" by the character. As if a child-friendly version of beer was totally possible. Put "beer" in the name here and kids are pulled back. We brought beer-bread to an event once, and some people wouldn't let their kids eat it.


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## The 13th Doctor (May 31, 2012)

It's probably like Ginger Ale... which contains no actual ale (that I'm aware of,  never tried it myself). Actually, I'd never heard of Butter Beer until HP. 

Never heard of Beer Bread either. Will have to Google it.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

garam81 said:


> It's probably like Ginger Ale... which contains no actual ale (that I'm aware of, never tried it myself).


American / Canadian ginger ale is just soda pop.

So is the ginger beer you can get on tap in the UK, but theirs is much thicker and sweeter and yummier!


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## The 13th Doctor (May 31, 2012)

Cherise Kelley said:


> American / Canadian ginger ale is just soda pop.
> 
> So is the ginger beer you can get on tap in the UK, but theirs is much thicker and sweeter and yummier!


Ah. Thank you for the explanation. I will have to try it sometime.


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## hardnutt (Nov 19, 2010)

J.A. Sutherland said:


> Even when I was a teen, if I was reading a story set in England, I'd expect it to have references I might not get immediately -- words, phrases, drinks that I might have to figure out from context or even look up. That's part of the joy of reading a story set in an exotic, foreign land, after all.


Never thought anyone considered Brits 'exotic'! Feeling all sultry now and not chilly at all.


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## vlmain (Aug 10, 2011)

I don't know about the teens, today, but I knew what tenderhooks meant. I'd use it. If they don't know what it means, they can look it up. It won't kill them to learn something new.  They might think it will, but it won't. 

My family always did spiced cider and hot chocolate for the kids. 

Oh, and someone mentioned mince pie. We have it here, too, but we call it mincemeat pie. My mother made them every year. I couldn't stand it!


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## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

At about age six, one of my granddaughters came home horrified from a friend's birthday party. She said, "Mom, you won't believe it. They tried to give us beer! I didn't drink any. I asked for water." Knowing the parents well, her mother asked, "What kind of beer was it? Do you remember?" Her answer: "Yes, they called it root beer. I just drank water."

After a few chuckles, my daughter explained to her that root beer was a kind of soda pop and it was all right to drink. She was pretty proud of the kid though.


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## vlmain (Aug 10, 2011)

Sapphire said:


> At about age six, one of my granddaughters came home horrified from a friend's birthday party. She said, "Mom, you won't believe it. They tried to give us beer! I didn't drink any. I asked for water." Knowing the parents well, her mother asked, "What kind of beer was it? Do you remember?" Her answer: "Yes, they called it root beer. I just drank water."
> 
> After a few chuckles, my daughter explained to her that root beer was a kind of soda pop and it was all right to drink. She was pretty proud of the kid though.


That story made my day!


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## zoe tate (Dec 18, 2013)

Deb Hanrahan said:


> If your setting is the UK, then use tenterhooks.


Respectfully, I don't agree at all. It's the _readers'_ locations (and presumed comprehensions) that matter, not that of the setting.

"Bated breath" is far safer.


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## vlmain (Aug 10, 2011)

zoe tate said:


> Respectfully, I don't agree at all. It's the _readers'_ locations (and presumed comprehensions) that matter, not that of the setting.
> 
> "Bated breath" is far safer.


To me, it _is_ all about the setting. If I'm reading a book set in England, I expect an apartment to be called a flat. I want an elevator to be called a lift. It's what draws me into that setting. Without that, I don't _feel_ like I'm in England. To Americanize it for American readers seems to defeat the purpose of drawing the reader into the story in such a way that they feel like they are right there with the characters, wherever those characters are.


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## psychotick (Jan 26, 2012)

Hi,

Ignoring the egg nog debacle (it's close to breakfast time and I'm losing my appetite), could I suggest something like "she had been on edge all morning." (probably because someone threatened to make her drink cold, runny eggy custard!)

Cheers, Greg.


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## Raquel Lyon (Mar 3, 2012)

Well it's evening here, and dark and frosty outside, so this thread just made me go get a tasty eggnog to warm my cockles. I'm a Brit, so for me, that's a Snowball (a glass of Advocaat and lemonade with a dash of lime), delicious. In fact, I've downed it in one whilst writing this. Time for another, I think.

Don't judge. It's _nearly_ Christmas.


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

vlmain said:


> To me, it _is_ all about the setting. If I'm reading a book set in England, I expect an apartment to be called a flat. I want an elevator to be called a lift. It's what draws me into that setting. Without that, I don't _feel_ like I'm in England. To Americanize it for American readers seems to defeat the purpose of drawing the reader into the story in such a way that they feel like they are right there with the characters, wherever those characters are.


Agreed. They say you can travel the world in a book. But if everyone has to speak in American lingo you won't feel as though you've traveled very far .


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

carinasanfey said:


> Be careful. Bear in mind that if sixteen-year-olds are drinking alcohol at a street party in the UK in your book, this could very easily be construed as encouraging illegal behaviour - in fact, that's exactly how I would read it. While, yes, under-18s are allowed to drink at home under close supervision, a street party counts as a public place. It doesn't matter that underage drinking is rampant in the UK; it is still illegal in most situations.


Hi Carinsa, actually it is perfectly legal for 16 year olds to drink alcohol here, they are just not legally allowed to buy it. You can buy a sixteen year old a cider to drink in a pub garden (some pubs have rules about under 18's being inside) with no legal consequences. (I recently sat the certification exams as a premises licence holder for my husbands restaurant and this is covered in no small amount of detail!)

But no, the street party is a family affair in this book, and certainly not an incitement for bad behaviour. I think I might go with hot chocolate just in case!

Can I also say thank you to everyone for the input, but actually the setting (whilst in England in reality) is left deliberately vague so as to be all inclusive. Just a made up small town that could easily be English or American. The only clue is that my copyright page states that the book was written in the UK.

I asked the question because I want it that way, I'm not trying to emphasise the Englishness of the story, It's just supposed to be a light hearted teen romance, no serious thought required on the part of the reader!

For those asking re the actual definition of tenterhooks - they are actually a metal hook used for to hang fish inside a smoke-house, so the expression comes from the idea of hanging there uncomfortably.

One last thing that has just given me a near heart failure. *Are you saying Americans don't have mince-pies?* They are also featured heavily in my story, along with the traditional dollop of brandy cream. Do I need to rethink them as well


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Raquel Lyon said:


> Well it's evening here, and dark and frosty outside, so this thread just made me go get a tasty eggnog to warm my cockles. I'm a Brit, so for me, that's a Snowball (a glass of Advocaat and lemonade with a dash of lime), delicious. In fact, I've downed it in one whilst writing this. Time for another, I think.
> 
> Don't judge. It's _nearly_ Christmas.


Ah, a snowball. I remember downing those. Had forgotten all about them after living in Africa for 40 years.


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Evenstar said:


> Can I also say thank you to everyone for the input, but actually the setting (whilst in England in reality) is left deliberately vague so as to be all inclusive. Just a made up small town that could easily be English or American. The only clue is that my copyright page states that the book was written in the UK.


You might want to re-think this. I left the setting of Mystery at Ocean Drive deliberately vague for the same reason, and because at the time I wrote it publishers were not happy about books set in South Africa. However, I've had a couple of reviewers say that they would have liked to know at the beginning where the book was set. I've since put a mention in the blurb.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Evenstar said:


> One last thing that has just given me a near heart failure. *Are you saying Americans don't have mince-pies?* They are also featured heavily in my story, along with the traditional dollop of brandy cream. Do I need to rethink them as well


If you asked my husband, whose family background is British, though they left England many generations ago, he would say yes, we have mince-pie. If you ask me, no, we don't. And I really don't think most Americans have a clue about mince-pie. His family is weird.  (He says, no they aren't! LOL!)

Betsy


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:
 

> If you asked my husband, whose family background is British, though they left England many generations ago, he would say yes, we have mince-pie. If you ask me, no, we don't. And I really don't think most Americans have a clue about mince-pie. His family is weird.  (He says, no they aren't! LOL!)
> 
> Betsy


It's usually 'mince pies' as they are small single servings as opposed to a 'pie' that is larger and cut into servings.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Evenstar said:


> One last thing that has just given me a near heart failure. *Are you saying Americans don't have mince-pies?* They are also featured heavily in my story, along with the traditional dollop of brandy cream. Do I need to rethink them as well


We do have mince pie here, but apple pie is a thousand times more popular.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Cherise Kelley said:


> We do have mince pie here, but apple pie is a thousand times more popular.


Hubby said that, too.

And then asked me what "Get shirty" means--he's reading _The Economist._

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Jan Hurst-Nicholson said:


> It's usually 'mince pies' as they are small single servings as opposed to a 'pie' that is larger and cut into servings.


Is that the same thing as mince-meat? He said they would have one larger pie. They would have one on Thanksgiving. Or two and two pumpkin as they had a lot of company at Thanksgiving.

Betsy


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

Evenstar said:


> One last thing that has just given me a near heart failure. *Are you saying Americans don't have mince-pies?* They are also featured heavily in my story, along with the traditional dollop of brandy cream. Do I need to rethink them as well


I have never had mince pie, nor have ever heard of it other than in relation to some sort of British food. I also have no idea what brandy cream is.


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## Anya Monroe (Dec 3, 2014)

Evenstar said:


> "She had been on tenterhooks all morning waiting for him to arrive"
> 
> Also what hot drink would US teens have on Christmas Eve? Warm Apple Punch? I know you have something called Eggnog over there, but it is alcoholic yes? Plus it sounds kind of disgusting.
> 
> Thanks!!


I have never heard the term 'been on tenterhooks' and I've never heard my kids use the term, either. And I have six of them. I just looked up tenterhooks and would use 'on pins and needles' instead. JMHO.

Teens would drink hot cocoa with whipped cream or loads of marshmallows, or hot cider. Really yummy and fancy version of cider would include whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Hope that is helpful!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Hi Stella,

I think you may be better off setting it in the UK, than a generic location. Just the food alone is going to through off a lot of US readers.

BTW, if you ever get the chance to try Egg Nog, do give it a try. It's really very tasty and not gross at all. It's rich and creamy and tastes like cinnamon, nut meg, etc. Don't let the "egg" in the name throw you off!

Rue


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

Oh crapola!

_Mince pies_ are a small round dessert, not much bigger than a canapé, with raisins inside. Not meat at all. Usually served warm (though they don't have to be), with very thick set cream, usually brandy flavoured.

What would be a universal Christmas dish that a house wife could be making when her daughter gets in from school, that makes the house smell like Christmas and that her daughter can munch on while she opens her heart to said mother? I've already done gingerbread in another scene.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Sugar cookies, and the daughter would help decorate them.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

Cherise Kelley said:


> Sugar cookies, and the daughter would help decorate them.


We don't have those here....

Oh dear. I think I had better follow Rue's advice and make it clear it is English.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)




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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

The main thing that's surprised me about this thread so far is the number of people who've never heard the expression "on tenterhooks."


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

Again, I would beg you, _do not Americanize your story!_ No, we don't have mince pies or brandy cream but that's why we like reading stories set in England. Seriously. We aren't all so stupid that you have to worry about what kind of pie the characters eat. We can figure it out.

Although I will admit I kept reading about queues in WWII stories and could not figure out it meant standing in line for a long time. That didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story, it made it more authentic.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Evenstar said:


> We don't have those here....
> 
> Oh dear. I think I had better follow Rue's advice and make it clear it is English.


I think that's the best idea, and then you can have whatever you really want.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

MyraScott said:


> Although I will admit I kept reading about queues in WWII stories and could not figure out it meant standing in line for a long time.


Genuine question: I know Americans refer to "standing in line," but do you not use the word queue at all in American English? Or do you use it but it has some other meaning? And for extra points, do you know how to pronounce it?


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Lydniz said:


> Genuine question: I know Americans refer to "standing in line," but do you not use the word queue at all in American English? Or do you use it but it has some other meaning? And for extra points, do you know how to pronounce it?


We do not use the word at all.

I only know it is pronounced like the letter 'Q' because of a punk rock song I heard the word in, back in the day.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Lydniz said:


> Genuine question: I know Americans refer to "standing in line," but do you not use the word queue at all in American English? Or do you use it but it has some other meaning? And for extra points, do you know how to pronounce it?


OK, I take it back. We do use the word in the saying, "right on queue." It comes from Hollywood and the stage. When it is time for an actor to say a line or perform some action, an assistant director says, "Queue." The saying is used to mean, "You did that at just the right moment!"

ETA: Link removed as it was a British take on this and quite off target.

Here, at :22, this junior cheerleader jumps "right on queue" along with the older cheerleaders:


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

My sister had an English boyfriend (who was prettier than her and used to steal my trenchcoat, but I digress) who was over for Thanksgiving dinner.  He told us a fairly long joke that ended up with a wordplay on letters and words and had something to do with a q 2 c u p. 

He laughed hysterically at this and we all (I have 5 brothers and sisters and their various significant others, etc) smiled politely.  He was floored.  

"Don't you get it?  A Q- 2- C- U - P !  A queue to see you pee!  It's brilliant!" 

We fake laughed to make him feel better.  He was so confused.  We finally worked out what a queue was, but you know, when you have to explain a joke...


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

Cherise Kelley said:


> OK, I take it back. We do use the word in the saying, "right on queue." It comes from Hollywood, and it is a TV show trope.
> 
> http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RightOnQueue


I always thought that was "right on cue". As in,

"a thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or performance."


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Yeah, I did, too.

ETA: Yeah, it is cue.

http://grammarist.com/usage/cue-queue/


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

I think that vid has it wrong. It is most definitely "on cue" at least it is here.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Lydniz said:


> Genuine question: I know Americans refer to "standing in line," but do you not use the word queue at all in American English? Or do you use it but it has some other meaning? And for extra points, do you know how to pronounce it?


in NY it is standing ON line, not IN line.

And as for the word queue (pronounced cue) where I work it is used to describe calls that are waiting to be picked up by our client service reps.

one thing i want to say.... asking people if they think someone will know a word will only tell you if they or people in their immediate vicinity know it.

i know what tenterhooks means, but i doubt some of my coworkers do. but i'm sure one other person does.

mince pies, mince meat, egg nog.... some people will know what they are and like them, some people will know what they are and think they are disgusting, and some people will never have heard of them.

write your book so it works for you and be prepared for some people to love it, some people to hate it and some people to miss the entire point.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

I'm late to this party, but I don't know why anyone over the age of 15 who reads relatively often wouldn't either know the tenterhooks phrase or be able to figure it out based on context.

But I also think, as has been mentioned, that perhaps "on pins & needles" might be more easily understood.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Evenstar said:


> I think that vid has it wrong. It is most definitely "on cue" at least it is here.


OK, so then the answer is no, we do not use the word queue here at all.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Jena H said:


> I'm late to this party, but I don't know why anyone over the age of 15 who reads relatively often wouldn't either know the tenterhooks phrase or be able to figure it out based on context.
> 
> But I also think, as has been mentioned, that perhaps "on pins & needles" might be more easily understood.


because it's not really a popular word and not everyone reads the same things?


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I've heard "Queue up" but "line up" more often....

Betsy


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Jena H said:


> But I also think, as has been mentioned, that perhaps "on pins & needles" might be more easily understood.


Pins and needles means something different in British English, though, and so wouldn't be understood by a British reader in that context.


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## Cynthia Shepp (Dec 3, 2012)

I think anyone would understand the meaning of it the way it is phrased. I'm American, and I thought it was a fairly common phrase. I'm from the South, and either I just think it is common because I've read since I could hold a book, or it is said around here. I just looked it up, and it is even in the Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms. 
I also think that most children would tend to drink hot chocolate on Christmas Eve, or even just cold milk with cookies.


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

carinasanfey said:


> Ah, I sit corrected!


Stand up at once! You are not allowed to sit corrected!


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## TheGapBetweenMerlons (Jun 2, 2011)

Evenstar said:


> _Mince pies_ are a small round dessert, not much bigger than a canape, with raisins inside. Not meat at all.


Perhaps not anymore, or not in your experience, but I'm pretty sure we're all talking about the same thing (and variations on it), whether it is "mince pies" or "mincemeat." Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation, including historical use in the UK that included meat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mincemeat

My mother would make something with mincemeat when I was a kid, something traditional from her childhood I think (her parents were both English but moved to this side of the Atlantic before she was born), although not as a pie. I thought it looked nasty and have, ever since, referred to it as "mouse meat." Sorry if that's too off-putting for anyone. 

With a little acting background, I'll say it's "on cue" (or "don't miss your cue"), i.e., a signal (such as a line from another actor, etc.) to do something.

Some here do use the word queue but it's not as common. I might use it more than others due to my computer programming background (a queue is a FIFO data structure) as well as having spent a couple years in England.

One other comment is that one of the worst indie books I ever read was one where the British author tried to "Americanize" the story (even stating so in a condescending note at the beginning) and did a terrible job of it. That ties in with the "write what you know" thread -- if you're not really aware of another culture, trying to write to fit that culture is probably not a good idea.

_(Edited to add missing word)_


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Steve W. said:


> Op, if you change your "tenderhooks" to pins and needles, I'll be profoundly disappointed :/ Harry Potter is a MG novel, and the kids drink "Butter Beer" When I was reading that as a teen here in Canada I thought, Beer? ... Beer made with butter? Do kids drink beer in the UK? Or just wizards?
> 
> I liked that part.
> 
> ETA: if you had kids getting tipsy off cider, I'd think it funny, then I'd have looked it up and thought it interesting.


Butterbeer is cream soda or root beer with butterscotch topping and cream. Mighty tasty. I make mine with cream soda.


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## Lionel&#039;s Mom (Aug 22, 2013)

J.A. Sutherland said:


> Even when I was a teen, if I was reading a story set in England, I'd expect it to have references I might not get immediately -- words, phrases, drinks that I might have to figure out from context or even look up. That's part of the joy of reading a story set in an exotic, foreign land, after all.


Yes, this for sure! Especially since so many Americans are hardcore Anglophiles, many kids will be delighted to learn what goes on in their fave land. Plus isn't the drinking age way younger in England? 
Yes, eggnogg is so gross, no amount of alcohol can make it not gross. Hot chocolate is where it's at.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Omigawd I love eggnog.... 

Betsy


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## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

Queue wasn't used here until recently. Now everyone has heard it at one time or another. I've even written it in my stories and I'm 4th or 5th generation American.


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## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

Sapphire said:


> At about age six, one of my granddaughters came home horrified from a friend's birthday party. She said, "Mom, you won't believe it. They tried to give us beer! I didn't drink any. I asked for water." Knowing the parents well, her mother asked, "What kind of beer was it? Do you remember?" Her answer: "Yes, they called it root beer. I just drank water."
> 
> After a few chuckles, my daughter explained to her that root beer was a kind of soda pop and it was all right to drink. She was pretty proud of the kid though.


I'm probably going to use this in a story someday.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

telracs said:


> because it's not really a popular word and not everyone reads the same things?


?? Popular has nothing to do with it. If they don't know the word, most teens should be able to figure it out based on context. Nothing wrong with readers encountering new words occasionally.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Jena H said:


> ?? Popular has nothing to do with it. If they don't know the word, most teens should be able to figure it out based on context. Nothing wrong with readers encountering new words occasionally.


i agree that people encountering new words is a good thing, but you asked why anyone over 15 wouldn't know the word. that's what i was responding to.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

It all good!! Please don't scrap on my account  

I've gone with waited with bated breath, rather than tenterhooks.

I have added in a line early in the story that says it is England.

I've left in hot apple cider, and the mince pies with brandy cream, but I've switched the street party drink to hot chocolate.

That should cover most bases!

There is no eggnog and no queuing in this story, lol!

Oh one more.... "You're having a giraffe," for "you must be joking" - I assume that is wholly British? (I already cut it out)


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

We might say, "Don't have a cow," but that is pretty out-of-date and means "don't freak out."  No one ever accused me of having a giraffe, which I assume means laugh?


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Evenstar said:


> It all good!! Please don't scrap on my account
> 
> I've gone with waited with bated breath, rather than tenterhooks.
> 
> ...


ooh, i want a giraffe....


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

telracs said:


> ooh, i want a giraffe....


That's a tall order.

Edited to add: Sorry, it's been a long day...


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Evenstar said:


> Oh one more.... "You're having a giraffe," for "you must be joking" - I assume that is wholly British?


Yep.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Colin said:


> That's a tall order.
> 
> Edited to add: Sorry, it's been a long day - absolutely no pun intended.


well, then may i have a small stuffed giraffe.

and yes, it's been a long day (humming the song from How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying)


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## Shannon C (Nov 15, 2014)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Butterbeer is cream soda or root beer with butterscotch topping and cream. Mighty tasty. I make mine with cream soda.


Wow, I didn't know butterbeer was an actual thing.


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

telracs said:


> well, then may i have a small stuffed giraffe.
> 
> and yes, it's been a long day (humming the song from How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying)


I've contacted Small Giraffe Stuffers Inc. It should be delivered in time for Christmas


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Colin said:


> I've contacted Small Giraffe Stuffers Inc. It should be delivered in time for Christmas


yippee! i'll post a picture when it arrives...


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## dgrant (Feb 5, 2014)

Okay, I have now learned that butterbeer is a real drink, not something JK Rowling made up. My husband gave me a funny look and said "No, it's a kid's drink, but it's real!" In that "doesn't everyone know that?" tone. If only I had known that when the godkids were small and absolutely in love with Harry Potter!

He also emphatically states that people in America do not have mince pies. We have cookies, which are similar to your biscuits (at least, that's the closest foodstuff despite no exact equivalent. Our biscuits are closer to your scones.) 

I knew what waiting on tenterhooks was, but that's because I read it somewhere. Maybe in another story you'll be the next "read it somewhere" to someone else!

As for queue - yes, I know what it is, how to pronounce it, and it's crept into multinational corporation literature enough to be somewhat recognizable, mostly in the term "phone queue" for incoming calls.

In the end, though, I'm willing to bet that your story is going to carry the day and keep people reading, even if they do puzzle over some of the smaller stuff. Don't fret too much!


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

telracs said:


> yippee! i'll post a picture when it arrives...


It should look a bit like this...


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

Another person here who did not know butter beer was a real thing. I thought it was a Diagon Alley specialty!  Is it good?


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## vlmain (Aug 10, 2011)

Lisa Scott said:


> Another person here who did not know butter beer was a real thing. I thought it was a Diagon Alley specialty! Is it good?


I'd never heard of butter beer. I remember a drink called Apple Beer that came out when I was a kid. I think it was just fermented apple juice. It was sold in the soda section even though it had a minimal alcohol content. It didn't last long.


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## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

I love eggnog, it can be mixed with some rum if you like a little spunk in your drinks. Everyone has Google, let them look the word up. I would just add all the words up in the sentence to understand the meaning. No need for Google.

I don't care for cider at all. I worked in Afghanistan with the British when the A/C work slowed down to help rewire the base to British standards. It was a large learning curve, you can imagine the look on my face the first time some one told me hey mate, lets have a ***-"cigarette" and during breaks they looked for their tea and I hunted for my coffee. I worked with the Irish, Scott's, English and the hardest thing I ever had to endure was talking with the Scottish, we never understood each other, finally we used hand signals it was easier then saying hun? what did you say, repeatedly. 

Back then everyone wanted the same thing to go on R & R and get drunk and chase girls. The lucky ones got to drunk to catch the girls.


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## lilywhite (Sep 25, 2010)

,


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Colin said:


> It should look a bit like this...


i will love him, and squeeze him and call him fred.... (cupcakes for anyone who recognizes the quote)


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## LeahEmmaRose (Mar 16, 2014)

Bugs Bunny?

I love eggnog! And I have never heard the term tenterhooks. Thanks for teaching me something new today!


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Is that the same thing as mince-meat? He said they would have one larger pie. They would have one on Thanksgiving. Or two and two pumpkin as they had a lot of company at Thanksgiving.
> 
> Betsy


I've never seen it used with a hyphen.

Mince = minced beef, lamb etc used to make cottage pies and other savoury dishes.

Fruit mincemeat is made from a dried fruit mix of raisins, currants, minced apple, candied peel, sugar, water, butter, spices, brandy, (could also add nuts). They are made into small individual pies. Many people have family recipes that have been handed down.

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/STAR-TOPPED-MINCE-PIES-5238


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

Michael Buckley said:


> I love eggnog, it can be mixed with some rum if you like a little spunk in your drinks.


Spunk can mean something entirely different to us Brits. Please be careful how you use it!


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Colin said:


> Spunk can mean something entirely different to us Brits. Please be careful how you use it!


My thoughts too


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## Revolution (Sep 17, 2012)

While ya'll are at it, do Americans use the term 'entrance hall' or 'foyer'? Because you wouldn't call the first stop in a house a lobby, right?


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Having a giraffe is rhyming slang for having a laugh, so unless Americans have suddenly taken rhyming slang to their hearts, then I doubt it's used much.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Revolution said:


> While ya'll are at it, do Americans use the term 'entrance hall' or 'foyer'? Because you wouldn't call the first stop in a house a lobby, right?


Either, or and more eggnog please.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

cinisajoy said:


> Either, or and more eggnog please.


Every American I know says foyer... well, they use that word... how they pronounce it isn't quite how we canuckers do.


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## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

Some just call it the entry which I suppose is short for entry hall.


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## Moist_Tissue (Dec 6, 2013)

This an American kid set in today's world? Are they in the city or rural America? Cuz, if they are a city kid, they are more likely to be drinking some Salted Caramel Chocolate Mocha with a double shot of espresso while a kid in the country will enjoy plain Hot Chocolate.


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## Shannon C (Nov 15, 2014)

Revolution said:


> While ya'll are at it, do Americans use the term 'entrance hall' or 'foyer'? Because you wouldn't call the first stop in a house a lobby, right?


I believe foyer is used more often. I've also heard entry. Lobby is used for businesses, like a hotel lobby.

This is such an educational thread!


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## vlmain (Aug 10, 2011)

Sapphire said:


> Some just call it the entry which I suppose is short for entry hall.


I hear people use "entry way" quite often, too.


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## Senseidoji (Jul 12, 2012)

I have been thoroughly fascinated by this thread. Learned a great deal from it. I am full blood American from the south. I knew of Christmas crackers, mince pies and butter beer....but only from Harry Potter and my love affair with everything Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens). Outside of those sources, nothing. We have had crackers at parties the past few years and most people round these parts have no idea what to do with them or that they contain anything. I have never tried a true mince pie, would love to though. I love egg nog, apple cider and hot chocolate. I know what a queue is only because we call the line of customers waiting to check out of a store the "queue line". I have been on stage and worked in some well known theaters for the past 20 years, I can tell you that the word is cue, not queue. When you are on your cue, or hit you cue, it is not the same thing as a queue. Lastly, from California to Oklahoma; From Detroit to Tennessee; I have heard the entrance called any of the following, Foyer, Entry Way, Entry, Entrance, Lobby. I don't believe that is region specific, if you use any of the above in any part of this country they will know exactly what you are talking about.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

I grew up lower middle class in Southern California. Most of the homes I have been to don't have a foyer; the front door opens into the living room. In literature, I have seen what we call a 'living room' variously described as the great room, the parlor, or the sitting room. It's the room where the TV and couch are, as compared to the bedrooms, the bathroom, or the kitchen. 

In the few homes I've visited where there is a very small entryway, that's what I've heard it called: the entryway. 

On a humorous note, the small house we currently rent has an entryway, but we use it as a closet! We enter instead through the garage into the kitchen because the garage has a convenient automatic door.


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## Axel Blackwell (Aug 10, 2014)

I have a dozen chickens and about as many apple trees. I make my own hard cider, but I do NOT make my own eggnog. 
Nor do I have own giraffe. 

That has nothing to do with the OP, but you all seemed to be having fun and I wanted to get in on it.


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## cub06h (Dec 14, 2014)

My daughter always said "tender hooks."

But then she also thought that undergarments were spelled "underware."

Eggnog, chilled and with rum, is delicious. It's a shame that it is also fattening.


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## Lummox JR (Jul 1, 2012)

Revolution said:


> While ya'll are at it, do Americans use the term 'entrance hall' or 'foyer'? Because you wouldn't call the first stop in a house a lobby, right?


If it's a nice house, foyer. If it's average, entryway or (though this is perhaps too formal) vestibule. Although it's also common for houses to have a "mud room" inside the entrance.

For your run-of-the-mill house, I believe entryway is the term Americans would overwhelmingly use. However, "foyer" is well-known enough not to be a problem.


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## hardnutt (Nov 19, 2010)

Evenstar said:


> Oh one more.... "You're having a giraffe," for "you must be joking" - I assume that is wholly British? (I already cut it out)


I'm a Brit and I've never heard of that one!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Jan Hurst-Nicholson said:


> I've never seen it used with a hyphen.
> 
> Mince = minced beef, lamb etc used to make cottage pies and other savoury dishes.
> 
> ...


I have studiously avoided the idea of mince-meat or mincemeat so had no idea of whether it was hyphenated or not. 

I do know hubby insists the ones his family made had meat in them but were sweet not savory. I didn't believe him but a search on the internet confirms that such things exist. Search for "is there meat in mincemeat pie." Here's one (shudder*):

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blue-ribbon-mincemeat-pie-filling/

Betsy

* in no way meaning to imply anything wrong with anyone who does like such things....


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I have studiously avoided the idea of mince-meat or mincemeat so had no idea of whether it was hyphenated or not.
> 
> I do know hubby insists the ones his family made had meat in them but were sweet not savory. I didn't believe him but a search on the internet confirms that such things exist. Search for "is there meat in mincemeat pie." Here's one (shudder*):
> 
> ...


I've never heard of meat in mince pies and I have a City & Guilds certificate in baking technology  . I would be very wary about eating these because storage of meat products is very different to storage of fruitmince products and I would only eat them fresh. (I could give you horror stories of shopkeepers altering the dates on food products and re-heating meat pies several times  )


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

I think the confusion for Betsy is mince-pie and mince-meat. Two very different things. I have no trouble believing that there is a mincemeat pie of some sort, but it certainly isn't the one we Brits eat at Christmas!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Apparently, from my brief internet exploration, in the US, the term "mincemeat" can be with or without meat...

I'm definitely glad the Christmas one is sans meat! 

Betsy


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## cub06h (Dec 14, 2014)

Daniel Cane said:


> Are you sure?
> Never heard it before. I'm 63.
> I can only guess by the content it means on pins and needles, but not sure.


Pins and needles, yes. Thought I think it would be more comfortable sitting on a pin than a tenterhook.

They're all cliches, however you cut it. "Bated breath" is the worst IMHO.


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## D-C (Jan 13, 2014)

Colin said:


> Spunk can mean something entirely different to us Brits. Please be careful how you use it!


Nearly spat my tea across the room!


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## D-C (Jan 13, 2014)

As far as I know, we don't say 'on pins and needles' at all in the UK. To us 'pins & needles' means a dead arm or leg, that tingles as sensation bleeds back into the limb.

I had to take a look at this thread when I saw how many pages it was. Now I see why!


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

DaCosta said:


> Nearly spat my tea across the room!


It's a good job you wasn't drinking eggnog.


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## TheGapBetweenMerlons (Jun 2, 2011)

Evenstar said:


> I think the confusion for Betsy is mince-pie and mince-meat. Two very different things.


Did you read the Wikipedia article I linked to? Just curious.


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

carinasanfey said:


> I have a dozen giraffes, I get them to make the cider.


I have a dozen eggs but I've clean run out of nogs!


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Colin said:


> I have a dozen eggs but I've clean run out of nogs!


You have to boil the eggs for an hour and then wring them out to get the nogs. It's the best bit of the egg.


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Lydniz said:


> You have to boil the eggs for an hour and then wring them out to get the nogs. It's the best bit of the egg.


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

Lydniz said:


> You have to boil the eggs for an hour and then wring them out to get the nogs. It's the best bit of the egg.


Thanks. I'll give it a go.


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## MyraScott (Jul 18, 2014)

Isn't minced beef what we in the US call hamburger or ground beef?  I feel like I've seen that in some recipes... just in case we haven't beaten the word "mince" to death yet.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Mincemeat and minced (ground) meat are two different things.    Minced meat can be any meat that is ground.


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## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

Uh, could you Brits give us Americans a little clue about the word spunk?


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

Sapphire said:


> Uh, could you Brits give us Americans a little clue about the word spunk?



NO!


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Sapphire said:


> Uh, could you Brits give us Americans a little clue about the word spunk?


Erm. Well. How can I put it?


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

I know and I am American.


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

Sapphire said:


> Uh, could you Brits give us Americans a little clue about the word spunk?


Okay, it's the third definition. But make sure you're wearing safety goggles...

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spunk

You have been warned!


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

Colin said:


> Okay, it's the third definition. But make sure you're wearing safety goggles...
> 
> http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spunk
> 
> You have been warned!


I used to get embarrassed when watching Rawhide with my parents and Clint Eastwood's name was Randy Yates. I thought it meant he was randy  .

ETA just remembered that it was Rowdy Yates . Randy Boone was in The Virginian  (Gee, it was the 1960s so I should be given some slack for misremembering ).


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Jan Hurst-Nicholson said:


> I used to get embarrassed when watching Rawhide with my parents and Clint Eastwood's name was Randy Yates. I thought it meant he was randy  .


With a name like that he probably has plenty of spunk.


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## Colin (Aug 6, 2011)

Lydniz said:


> With a name like that he probably has plenty of spunk.


Kudos.


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