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When a spelling mistake is not a mistake… plus #Giveaway

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A few weeks ago my young adult son finished reading a book by one of his favorite authors. I asked him what he thought of the book. He said it was a great story but…he was shocked to find a spelling mistake in the book!

I was intrigued by my son’s comment because I’ve enjoyed reading books by this award winning author who is an excellent writer.

We all know how easy it is for typos to slip through the editing and proofreading process despite our best efforts to catch them. When I’m absorbed in reading a story, I’ll often miss seeing obvious typos because I’m too busy enjoying the story to care about the occasional typo or unfamiliar word.

This is the phrase that tripped up my son:

“he proffered the shovel”

My son thought the correct word was offered instead of proffered. He didn’t know that proffered was a real word and assumed it was a spelling mistake.

We looked up a dictionary definition of proffer:

“hold out or put forward [something] to someone for acceptance.”

The phrase in the book is grammatically correct, but possibly not the best word choice. If my son falls within the target audience of readers for this particular book, then a different word choice might be a better option.

Being an Australian author, I’m often pondering the wisdom of various word choices. The wrong word could accidentally upset or offend my readers, depending on where they live.

For example, the following sentence makes perfect sense to US readers.

“She slipped on her flip flops and walked along the beach.”

In Australia we call flip flops thongs, which translates to:

“She slipped on her thongs and walked along the beach.”

If I included the above sentence in one of my CCR books, my Aussie readers would nod and  keep reading. In contrast, my American readers would likely have a different reaction and question if this sentence belonged in a CCR book!

My critique partners pick up the writerly words that don’t fit the flow of the story. Beta readers who live in the US will identify the Aussie words and phrases that don’t translate in an American context.

My questions for you: Do you like reading new-to-you words and discovering their meaning? Do you get frustrated by too many unfamiliar words that distract you from the story? Or, are you a fence sitter on this issue and don’t care either way? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Giveaway

I’m giving away a $10 Amazon US gift card to a reader who comments on this post. The giveaway will close on Monday, August 31, and the winner will be announced in the following Sunday Edition.

Narelle Atkins (199 Posts)

A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.


Comments

  2. The word your Son stumbled on I had never heard of so would have had the same reaction.
    Sometimes words do stick out. I am not a good speller and there are words I struggle to say or work out but normally will skip over it cos I can work out what it means by the sentence.
    What I struggle with is strange names. America has a lot of different names and I often have no idea how to pronounce them. Sometimes I change the name to one similar with the letters. I like it when an author will early on tell us how its pronounced (like explaining it to someone in the book).

    I understand the difference from Australia to America there are words or phrases used by Americans I cringe at. It’s frustrating that Aussies and international writers have to be so careful but when something is made known to American authors of how a phrase or word may be offensive some totally dismiss it. Not that this happens a lot but it has at times.

  3. I love words. I love words that fit the locale. I want the language/slang of the location. If I don’t understand, happy to guess – by context – or google.

    Authors should use the words that best convey the meaning. We won’t learn much if the words are always ordinary.

  4. I love learning new words from a book. It is also fascinating to see the difference between countries. One of my boys had an exchange teacher from Portland, US, in primary school, and she made a list of all the ‘Aussie’ words she didn’t know, and what their US equivalent was. That class had oodles of fun that year!

  5. I’m a big fan of learning new words! I also love when Aussie or UK authors just use the lingo of the land (provided their books are set there) – I know what a lift is, where the boot is on a car etc. And I love what it adds to a story. I don’t like when I’m reading a book set non US and it’s only using US terms. I can look stuff up if I need :)

    Also, I grew up calling them thongs too. So it is regional in the US – I’d have known from the context what you meant.

  7. Born and raised in New Mexico, USA. When I was young flip flops were called thongs. I believe that went away when thongs became underwear. It took me years to say flip flops, sometimes thong still comes out of my mouth.

    But you are right if you said she put on her thong and walked along the beach my first thought would be underwear.

    Then again I may be one of the few but I take into consideration where the author is from. Although, the words used should reflect the character and/or the area they are in. I enjoy figuring out the different definitions of common words.

    Some misspelled words in a story doesn’t bother me as much as when the incorrect character’s name is used.

  8. I am a huge fan of learning new words while reading! Using my Kindle makes it easy too look up words too😁

  9. I enjoy new words. I enjoy learning different cultures. I had friends from Jamaica and they had a lot of interesting vocabulary. My friend said they spoke the queens English!

  11. Hi Mary, It’s interesting how word meanings can change over time. Come and visit Australia and you can happily talk about wearing a pair of thongs. Incorrect character names can definitely create confusion. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  12. I enjoy learning new words! I will admit that too many kinda slows me down, but it doesn’t stop me! A lot of typos will irritate me, and sometimes cause me to stop reading, but other times I just push on through!

  13. Hi Jenny, The pronunciations can be challenging and I’ve found there are regional differences to consider as well. Where I live we have a place called Manuka (where the cricket is played) that’s pronounced ‘marnika’ without the u-sound. I guess America is the largest book market and many authors will be primarily writing for a US audience. When I read a common US word as a verb for cheering on a sporting team, for example, I have wondered what the author would think if they knew how that word translates for some Aussies. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  14. Interesting. I have had similar situations with our daughter in reading words like this. I like to learn about different words and their meanings. Sometimes a book has so many like this that it really takes away from the story altogether. And then there are times where I will pick up an author that I know I can follow along all the way.

  16. Hi Malvina, I can imagine that list of words would have been long and colourful! Add in the accent differences and there’s even more fun, lol. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  17. Hi Elizabeth, I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the Aussie and British expressions, and also know about thongs. Interestingly, I have to make a conscious decision to turn off my internal editor when I’m reading Aussie books – otherwise I’m translating Aussie words into US words and phrases. A hard habit to break! Thanks for commenting. 😊

  18. I get frustrated if there are lots of unfamiliar words and then I have to keep looking them up.

  21. Hi Diana, It sounds like your friends spoke the more proper/formal English. There are parts of Australia where the Aussie accent sounds more British, and in other places the Aussie accent can be very broad. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  23. I get frustrated when there are too many words I’ve never seen or heard of. It takes me out of the story. Side note–when I was a kid in the 70s and 80s we called flip-flops thongs. I’m in the states. I’m not sure when the name changed.

  24. Hi Lori, It’s not fun when the unusual words become a distraction. I will confess that is one reason why I usually read genre fiction rather than books that are more literary in style. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  25. Hi Debbie, I like it when authors include a glossary of words that I can refer to as I read. Otherwise I’ll search a word in Google, and then I’ll remember there’s something else I wanted to look up online, and before long I’m distracted and the story is forgotten. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  28. Hi Narelle! Great blog. As a language teacher, German and English, I have done lots of translation and am intrigued with words, syntax, and morphology (study of the form of words). Enjoy studying dictionaries. Each language has a dictionary of choice – Webster in America, Duden in Germany; but my favorite English dictionary is the Oxford because they give English speaking countries definitions (American, British, Australian). As a reader, I enjoy cultural differences in speech as long as it does not deter from the overall meaning and fits the setting. I also appreciate when an other gives a glossary of expressions or words that may not be familiar to the target reading group. Language is intriguing, just like culture, cuisine, and traditions. Great discussion in the comments. Best wishes to all. Stay safe and healthy.

  29. That’s a great question!

    I, too, appreciate learning new words. In high school, my English teacher encouraged me to choose my next book by opening it to the middle and just look for unfamiliar words. If there weren’t at least three words we didn’t know, the book was too easy.

    Now , I don’t always want a book that stretches me when I’m just relaxing or escaping. So I usually prefer new words in a fantasy or a nonfiction. But I don’t mind the occasional uncommon word. However, too many of those big words gives an academic, pretentious sound that doesn’t usually belong in inspirational romance, unless a character is pretentious in his/her dialogue.

  30. Like Mary, above, I grew up calling flip-flops thongs until the underwear became popular; mind you, I can remember when it was considered a bad joke on anyone who wore them. I love new words. Words from different cultures add flavor to a story. I’m more likely to over look misspellings than I am extra or misplaced words.

  31. I love regional words and phrases sprinkled in if their meaning is clear. As for words that are simply less well known, I prefer words that are distinctly correct rather than overused general words. The story sparkles more with that specificity (yup, that’s the word LOL). As a writer, I strive to use the best word in the sentence, and I might not always know whether it’s common to readers. Everyone has a different background!

  33. I love to find new words when I am reading. I really laughed at your thongs sentence. I do get frustrated when I am reading with some of the names. I wish if an author was going to use an unusual name or something unique to a country they would show us how to pronounce the name so I don’t have to keep guessing.

  34. I like new words scattered in. But, not to many in each book. Names. Names that all sounds alike makes it hard for me to keep the names straight in my head. Detest when description of lead couple and picture are not compatible. In the book a redhead but on cover a blond.

  35. I like to learn new words too and just look up any word I’m unfamiliar with while reading.

  36. I like learning new words, and I find that usually if you don’t quite know what the word is you can figure it out based on the context of the sentence and conversation. I can see how some things from Australia might not translate well to the U. S..

  37. This is a great post, Narelle. I don’t like reading words I don’t understand. It takes me out of the story. As a writer, I’ve always tried not to use words my readers might have to look up to understand. I don’t want anything to interrupt their fictional journey with my characters. As an editor, I give the same advice. At a long ago writers’ conference, a multi-published author said not to use $10 words when you can use a $5 instead. That stuck in my head.

    And on the flip flop matter, I once wrote that my character piddled in the yard until her nephew got home from school. In Arkansas, piddle means to do nothing. My Minnesota critique partner informed me that there it means to go to the bathroom and tinkle. So to her, my character was tinkling in the yard. Made her LOL.

  39. I always like the new words. I also love the new slangs. My kids are always wondering how I know these things, and it’s because I spend a lot of time reading social media. A few years ago none of us were aware of LOL or LMAO.

  40. I agree with mist of the commenters, I like new words, I do look them up. I also like the idea of an author putting a glossary in the book, with pronunciation and meanings of words and names that are unusual. Have a wonderful weekend!

  41. I read quite a bit of ebooks lately (but I am still very much a paperback lover through & through), and the one thing I love about my Kindle is it will give me the definition of a word when I highlight it on the page. That helps me to understand the word and how it relates to the sentence. Then I can go on and read the rest of the story. Really for me, it depends on the book & writer as to whether I can put up with a lot of unfamiliar words or not. I think there are times when I’ve had to stop reading a book because there were too many words I didn’t know and it ended up jerking me out of the story. Kind of like when someone interrupts my book reading too many times, I have a hard time getting back into it.

    I do like learning new-to-me words. Especially if it’s set outside the US because it makes the story authentic to the setting. As long as I can look up any phrases that I don’t know, or maybe the author explains them. I do appreciate when a writer tries to “Americanize” their writing a bit because it does make it easier to read & understand. Again, it kind of depends on the story for me. :-)

    Like you, if I’m really into the story, I usually don’t notice typos. Unless there are just blaringly obvious! :-)

  42. I do like learning new words! But if there are too many I will skip looking them up and hope to deduce meaning from context.

  43. I love learning new words. I’m not a English native, so the English language is a very learning full language for me!

  44. My parents were both teachers and language lovers, so learning new words was like eating breakfast. It happened every day and was nourishing to the mind. The problem, though, was that we lived in a rural area where knowing the difference between effect (a thing) and affect (an action) was considered snooty (a fine rural slang word meaning arrogant or condescending). I didn’t make many friends that way. I still enjoy learning new words AND reading stories with proper usage.

    Regional dialects (both between and within countries) are also interesting to me but I can get lost if the issue is foreign slang. I have had coworkers who grew up with such specific dialect that it was impossible to understand just listening to them. They found it handy when they wanted to have a private conversation!

    As for typos and other errors, I am much more bothered by incorrectly used words than I am by typos. If you are going to be a professional writer, you should know your tools. (He said, desperately trying not to sound snooty). :)

  45. I have no issue reading books with British or Australian spelling, or slang if it’s set if one of those countries.

    I actually like learning new words. Though I can often tell the meaning of the word by the context, I don’t mind a quick search to check.

    I LOVE when my child reads books with vocabulary that’s new to her. She quickly and easily converts vocabulary she reads to “speaking vocabulary.”

  46. I don’t mind a few new words when the meaning is obvious from the context, or the author includes a glossary. But if there’s too many, it’s just distracting. I read a book not too long ago in which nearly every sentence used by the main characters had some word very unique to that country, and it drove me nuts by the end :-) I really appreciate authors who are able to introduce meanings in context or naturally in dialogue between characters.

  47. As someone who has read books written by authors all over the world, different words don’t bother me. In fact, if I’m not sure, I’ll look it up. It’s a great way to learn. You shouldn’t have to redact and edit words for USA reading and I shouldn’t have to for those in other countries. In fact, many publishers do not change them because it changes the author’s voice.

    By the way, when I was a kid, flip-flops and thongs were interchangeable words in the USA when referring to the shoes. Technically, thong is correct because it refers to the strap fastener which holds the sandal on the foot.

  48. I do not mind it because who am I to judge. I still slip somethings when I spell certain words. I think as readers we need to be less critical of our writers and be more culturally aware of the language of that author. I actually smile when I see common British phrases because it reminds me of home. I remember how when I first came to this country and people were training me in the American idioms. I didn’t appreciate it because they were not patient to listen and understand what I had to say.

  49. I’m all about the “new-to-me” words in a book as long as there’s someone there to explain them, otherwise, I’d just feel left out, lol. I love to learn new things in books, and I think these words can be a fun way to learn something new from a different country/culture.

  50. I like learning new words while reading books, but if there are too many it distracts me from the story. I enjoy the dictionary feature while reading Kindle books, although I prefer print books normally.

  52. Someone used that word referring to how we would say nursing the baby and it just sounded so wrong.
    The first time I read (the work for rubbish) in a book I was what. now we all say it and its not an issue but its interesting how words mean different things in different places.
    We grew up knowing if we said blood with a y at the end we would be in big trouble. Even now I do not like hearing it or reading it cos to use its slang.

  53. Oddly enough, growing up in the US, we called them thongs also. I don’t remember when I quit doing that. Maybe when people actually started wearing thongs. :)

  55. I don’t mind a few unfamiliar words but don’t want too many because it disrupts my reading flow. Also, I like it if it’s fairly easy to figure out the meaning without having to stop and look up the word.

  56. I would say on a whole, I am a fence sitter. As long as there is not an abundance of these or phrases so it does not mess up the flow of the story, I am fine with the occasional word or phrase.

  57. Hi Jenny, Good points! The nursing translation is another interesting one. I remember learning about trash cans from watching Sesame Street, lol. Our familiarity with US words (and also British) is helped by watching tv and movies. I remember being surprised to learn blood -with the y- isn’t an issue in the US.

  58. Hi Carol, I agree, similar sounding names can be confusing. I have a traditionally published author friend who was directed to change her main character’s hair color from brunette to blond because they wanted a blond female on the cover to make the book stand out. That particular genre at that time mainly had brunette female lead characters. It’s awhile since I’ve seen a mismatched cover image and many indie authors create the book cover before they start writing the story. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  60. Hi yes, I like to see new words and when I see them I look them up,so while I’m enjoying myself reading I am also learning. This is so very interesting, Thank you for sharing it with us, I just learned a new word, Thank you. Have a Great weekend and stay safe.

  62. Hi Renate, The Oxford and Macquarie dictionaries are the ones I’ve used. I’m thankful for copy editors who pick up all my errors. Those glossaries are so helpful and I always read them before I start reading the story. Best wishes and thanks for commenting. 😊

  63. I love learning the meaning of new words. I beta read for a friend who comes from the south in America and every book I learn new jargon that is regional there. The meanings of words can vary so widely according to regions within countries and between countries and can be quite hilarious at times. It’s not just words, it can be phrases, gestures, practices etc too! For example that extra weight many people are carrying since the covid-chaos, well is it iso-butt, iso-bum, iso-rear, iso-panninculus, covid-kilos or covid-pounds :) Have a great weekend! Thanks for a great post.

  68. Hi Lori, I have seen glossaries at the front of books that include pronunciations with the phonetic spelling. An advantage of audiobooks is we hear the correct pronunciation. The GPS App I use for directions when driving has an American accent and it’s amusing to listen to all the street name mispronunciations. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  71. Even though I am a retired teacher, sometimes there are too many uncommon words included that make it difficult to read a book.

  72. Hi Shannon, The $10 and $5 example is a great analogy. Interestingly, I had the same LOL reaction as your Minnesota critique partner. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  74. Hi Audrey, I’ve learned to understand the abbreviations from text messages with my kids. Social media has changed the way we all communicate. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  75. Hi Kathy, yes, the one thing I’ve learned from everyone here is the importance of adding glossaries in my Aussie books. Thanks for commenting and enjoy your weekend. 😊

  79. Hi Lincoln, I’m familiar with the meaning of snooty as an Aussie slang word, lol. It’s interesting how certain dialects can sound like a foreign language. Reign and rein are words that I’ll accidentally mix up – I’m very thankful for copy editors! Thanks for commenting. 😊

  81. Hi Margaret, That book sounds like a frustrating read. I do think the seamless inclusion of setting-appropriate words is challenging for all writers. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  82. Hi Denise, I agree, too many changes can mess with an author’s voice. Interestingly, I’ll sometimes read Australian or British authors and I’ll be thinking about the appropriate American word or phrase to substitute in the sentence. My internal editor can be hard to switch off! Thanks for commenting. 😊

  83. Hi Sonnetta, yes, I totally agree! I’ve seen reviews that have been super-critical regarding word choices that are unfamiliar and the use of British or Australian grammar and spelling. One of the quirks of ebooks sold via the major distributors is the same version goes to readers in all the different English speaking markets. There isn’t an option on Amazon, for example, to upload an Australian Kindle version for the Australian store. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  86. Hi Abigail, I set aside books that have too many grammatical errors. A few mistakes are no biggie, but multiple mistakes on every page should have been picked up in the copy editing and proofreading process. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  89. Hi Debra, I prefer to stay in the flow of the story without being distracted. I find I have enough real life distractions to contend with when I want to focus on reading without having additional distractions from within the story. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  91. Hi Alicia, I’m glad you’ve learned a new word. Life can be boring if we’re not learning and experiencing new things. Thanks for commenting and enjoy your weekend. 😊

  92. Hi Dianne, Out of all the regions in the US, it’s the south that I find has the most interesting expressions and the hardest to follow accent. The movie Sweet Home Alabama comes to mind. I’ve found US writing conferences to be very educational for learning more about the regional differences. That said, the very broad Australian accent can be harder to follow than anything I’ve ever heard in person during my trips to the US. My day job is classified as essential work. Being in Canberra with no community transmission of the virus and lighter restrictions, I’ve missed the whole iso experience and I’m wondering how it could possibly be September next week! Thanks for commenting. 😊

  94. I’m a fast reader and often miss words or just get where the story is going without looking up what the word means. The spelling variations or different meanings of words get me too. I’m from New Zealand so we are more like Aussie & England (though we have jandels not thongs or flip flops lol).
    I think writing all the books at once makes a lot of sense as you can go back and changes things if needed before publication.

  95. I would find it very distracting to have a lot of new words in a book. Because I read to relax, if there were new words to look up, it would take away from the story. I would prefer to learn new words separately.

  96. I get frustrated when all of the names are ones I am unfamiliar with or can’t pronounce well. I’d assume I’d also get frustrated at too many new words in one book. My mind just wants to skip over them and then I lose half the plot.

  97. I am somewhat of a wordsmith and like learning new words. I subscribe to a daily word from Mirriam-Webster.

  99. I don’t mind new words, but I dislike misused words. The book series I’m reading with my kids kept saying the character careered into something and we thought it was a typo for careened but apparently, they mean basically the same thing. The book I just finished kept having the girl take the guy’s “preferred” arm. I think they meant “profferred”.

  100. The series I’m reading with the kids gave us a new favorite word though. It is Squidgy which means uncomfortably damp.

  101. Hi Carolyn, There are a lot of differences between Australia and New Zealand regarding word usage and meanings. Copyediting is definitely more complicated for international authors. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  102. Hi Judy, If I’m reading to relax and escape into a good story, and there are too many unfamiliar words, I will put the book aside and read something else. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  103. Hi Arletta, I find similar sounding character names confusing if I’m reading quickly or reading in short bursts. Once I start skimming, I’m more likely to close the book and read something else. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  106. Hi Becky, Misused words are frustrating. Interestingly, when I first read your comment I read ‘careered’ as ‘careened’ and then back tracked to find I’d correctly misread the typo. Hence, why all authors need excellent copyeditors and proof readers with an excellent eye for detail. Thanks for commenting. 😊

  107. I love learning new words and meanings, but agree with the others that I want the dialogue to fit the location. I’m sure that is challenging between countries as it’s definitely an issue in country. My husband and I are from 3 hours apart in the same state and I often use colloquialisms he’s never heard.

  109. I love learning new words from books! It’s just one of many reasons I enjoy historical fiction.

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