Help me perfect my American English

1. 38

   Spacey Graceyposted 13 years ago

   I want to write some honest product reviews. In the UK I would use phrases like 'totaly frank', 'up front', 'blunt' 'to the point'. - any suggestions for US equivalents since I am aiming for a US audience.
   Thanks in advance you lovely lot.

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   1. 84

      earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I can't help other than to give the thread a bump. I speak Australian English myself, so it would be like "fair dinkum" in ya face and all. Plenty of Americans here fortunately!

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      1. 38

         Spacey Graceyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         You don't really say 'fair dinkum' do you? What about 'flammin gallar' (sp?). Thanks for the bump. It has just occured to my tiny feeble mind that all the Americans are asleep right not so I will need to bump this again later or have it lost forever.

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         1. 48

            Jackson Riddleposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Like Earnest I'll try to help, maybe after I put another shrimp on the barbie.

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            1. 84

               earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Half of bloody Melbourne is on hubpages tonight I swear!
               G'Day fellow Melbourneans

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               1. 48

                  Jackson Riddleposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Stupid threatening clouds and rain keep me off my bike, so I'm stuck with HubPages
                  
                  But I guess it's not too bad

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   2. 73

      relacheposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Speaking (well...typing really) as an American, I have to say I use all the phrases you just did.  I find it interesting you don't think Americans talk that way.  Okay, to be honest, I'd spell totally with two "Ls" but otherwise, what you've said so far seems the same as what I'd say, at least based on how I myself speak and write.

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      1. 51

         Cyndi1553posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Well, you had the two L's thing down pat, only to flub yourself.  You need to use either I or myself, not both.  That is redundant.  In fact, I don't see how using myself in your answer,  would even fit; unless you were to restructure the sentence.

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   3. 86

      rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      sounds fine to me, we use all of those words/phrases.
      it may also help to read product reviews to see how others write.  check out 'hubs' and 'topics' categories here on HP for some great write-ups.

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   4. 56

      Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      ". In the UK I would use phrases like 'totaly frank', 'up front', 'blunt' 'to the point'."
      
      Those are all common phrases in the US.

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   5. 51

      Cyndi1553posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Straightforward, unswerving, or direct would be good choices.  Hope this helps.

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   6. 60

      Originposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm an American, and I use...
      
      blunt
      to the point
      to be frank
      upfront
      
      

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   7. 59

      Shahid Bukhariposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I think,  to begin with, you should Read Mark Twain ... see how he Describes Events, Sentiments and People ...

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2. 60

   megs78posted 13 years ago

   I would say 'to be honest', or 'to come straight to the point' as well, but other than that, what you say is pretty much what we say.  well, im a canadian, but other than the occasional 'eh', canadians and americans speak the same language.  hope that helps.

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   1. 59

      Dame Scribeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Don't forget the occasional French word or two also lol

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3. 94

   Jayne Lancerposted 13 years ago

   I have a question: For the sake of search engines, is it better to us American variations of words and spelling rather than British? I mean with words like 'color' rather than 'colour', or 'blush' rather than 'blusher'.

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   1. 62

      Pandoras Boxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, Jayne, if you're trying to reach an american market. In fact, lol, kind of embarassing, me being american and all, but you also might try tagging with the common american mis-spellings. I read that somewhere.
      
      Spacey's phrases are fine.
      
      Megs I can't understand at all...

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      1. 60

         megs78posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         ummm, are you talking to me?  what is it that you don't understand eh?

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         1. 62

            Pandoras Boxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Eh?

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   2. 86

      rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I don't know if it makes a huge difference. google does the auto-correction for misspelled words at the top of a search page.
      
      it will say, 'did you mean ________'. with the correct spelling.
      
      this came out recently in their blog which may help.
      http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/ … etter.html

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   3. 51

      Cyndi1553posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Since more people around the world use the American vernacular, that's what I would stick to.  By the way, misspellings is one word, not hyphenated.  Also, make-up would be cosmetics, makeup is something you do with someone with which you've had a quarrel.  Hope this helps.

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4. 94

   Jayne Lancerposted 13 years ago

   Thanks, Pandora's Box and RebekahElle!
   Actually, I use tags with mis-spellings and American equivalents, but that might seem like double tagging, so to speak. Like 'make-up' and 'makeup'.
   It gets confusing sometimes. That link was most enlightening, too. Thanks for the great info!

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5. 93

   Rochelle Frankposted 13 years ago

   I'm totally Frank.

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   1. 62

      Pandoras Boxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Frankly I'll tell you up front that I'm totally blunt to the point.
      
      Eh?
      
      Wait a minute, that came out wrong...

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   2. 94

      Jayne Lancerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Frank we can all be, frankly.

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      1. 93

         Rochelle Frankposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         In our family we have to be-- it's  always on all of our IDs and nametags..

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   3. 75

      Jeff Berndtposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Does Rochelle know you hacked her hubpages account, Totally?

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6. 62

   Pandoras Boxposted 13 years ago

   megs I'm just playin' around. Avoiding working. I hate to say it, but it becomes increasingly clear to me that I'll never make money if I take it seriously. So I'm just putting off selling my soul.
   
   Wasn't sure the joke was coming through in the written form. Would hate to cause needless drama over it. I was just kiddin' around.

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   1. 60

      megs78posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      thats why i added the 'eh'.  kind of hard to be playfully sarcastic sometimes when typing eh? 

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7. 60

   Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

   I've been American all my life, and I use the phrases used in the OP's question (although I'd probably say, "entirely frank", rather than "totally" - because "totally" comes across as something an American teen might say (or might have said in the eighties, but not today).
   
   "Brutally honest" and "completely candid" are, I think, big ones.

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