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Setting and Dialect
- Rowan
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1462
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I love history, but it's boring in school. Historical fiction brings it alive for me.
- Preferred HF: Iron-Age Britain, Roman Britain, Medieval Britain
- Location: New Orleans
- Contact:
Setting and Dialect
You know, I don't mind dialogue written in dialect - if the author uses the correct dialect for the setting of his/her story. Nor do I think dialect-style words work in the narration part of any story. I'm trying to figure out, then, why the author if this particular book I'm reading has Scandinavians speaking like they have a Scottish accent. The story is set during the post-Roman occupation of Britain (Dark Ages? I forget), but I'm not understanding why the author has chosen to make Scandinavians sound Scottish.
- MLE (Emily Cotton)
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 3566
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
- Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
- Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
- Location: California Bay Area
Re: Setting and Dialect
I would guess that the TV production of Outlander has something to do with it.
- Mythica
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1095
- Joined: November 2010
- Preferred HF: European and American (mostly pre-20th century)
- Location: Colorado
- Contact:
Re: Setting and Dialect
Is the author Scottish? Do you have any examples?
- Madeleine
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 5860
- Joined: August 2008
- Currently reading: "Mania" by L J Ross
- Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
- Location: Essex/London
Re: Setting and Dialect
Some of the Scottish islands had Scandinavian settlements eg Jarlshof on Shetland, so maybe that's why? Where is the book set?
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross
Re: Setting and Dialect
Some of the Scottish islands were still Danish until the reign of James III. They came to him as his wife's dowry (most of which remained unpaid).
Currently reading - Emergence of a Nation State by Alan Smith