Spelling Errours

edited September 2009 in Wallace & Gromit
I haven't completed the Bogey Man yet, but I can tell the orthography is mostly Webster's American and not The Queen's British. This is a problem.

Here are some examples:
  • A street sign saying "Town Center" instead of "Town Centre"
  • Miss Prudence Flitt saying "Organizations" instead of "Organisations"
  • Miss Prudence Flitt saying "Squalor" instead of "Squalour"
I'm just saying, to immerse myself in the "Britishness" of the Wallace & Gromit license, I think the English orthography should be British rather than American (even though my personal preference is American).
«1

Comments

  • edited August 2009
    Spelling Errours
    This is just so ironic.
  • edited August 2009
    This is just so ironic.

    That was the point. I was making a joke with by spelling "error" as "errour." I was mocking the way the British spell things (colo(u)r, flavo(u)r, etc.).
  • edited August 2009
    I think they try to but being an American company, I'm not surprised they've not picked up on the slightly different spellings of certain words.

    I can't say I even noticed until reading this thread.
  • edited August 2009
    I think they try to but being an American company, I'm not surprised they've not picked up on the slightly different spellings of certain words.

    I can't say I even noticed until reading this thread.

    I'm more concerned with them spelling words correctly for ANY English dialect, since they always seem to have like 50 spelling errors in the subtitles.
  • edited August 2009
    Yeah, that Town Center thing was narking me off a bit, glad someone else picked up on it.

    Also, not really a spelling error as such, but the chemists had a sign saying "DRUGS" in the window. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never seen any chemists selling "drugs", as the word has a bit of a nasty connotation here.
    It's usually medication or prescriptives.
  • edited August 2009
    If were talking technicalities here though, most medication are drugs, as they're absorbed into the body and change bodily functions, which is the definition of a drug... However Harmful drugs have been shortened down to just drugs, so it's no surprising that people don't realise medication can be drugs too. I do agree it does give a bit of a nasty connotation, but that adds to the humour of it. :P

    Personally, although I'm British, and I spell using the british spellings, I've gotten so used to seeing American spellings in games that I've become immune to it, so I don't really notice it. Usually only scan read subtitles anyway too, so I don't pick up the spellings. I can see why some people might get annoyed with it though, considering it's set in Britain.
  • edited August 2009
    But the point is, a British pharmacy wouldn't display a sign saying 'drugs' (Superdrug notwithstanding).
  • edited August 2009
    But the point is, a British pharmacy wouldn't display a sign saying 'drugs' (Superdrug notwithstanding).
    good point..never seen a pharmacy say "drugs" on the window.
  • edited August 2009
    Badwolf wrote: »
    Also, not really a spelling error as such, but the chemists had a sign saying "DRUGS" in the window. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never seen any chemists selling "drugs", as the word has a bit of a nasty connotation here.
    It's usually medication or prescriptives.
    Not really. Superdrug are the second largest chain of chemists in the UK.

    That said we are more coy about drugs than in the States. The "ask your doctor for..." adverts would be illegal over here, but virtually everyone knows medications are normally drugs.

    Personally, I think the games do feel quite British and these are relatively small niggles.
  • edited August 2009
    Yeah but you're missing the point, it's a game, it's meant to be humerous, and personally I think that adds to the humerous nature. If it was a serious game, perhaps.
  • edited August 2009
    You did notice it was "Socks" the chemist, right? :) Nice parody of a famous British pharmacy chain...
  • edited August 2009
    That was the point. I was making a joke with by spelling "error" as "errour." I was mocking the way the British spell things (colo(u)r, flavo(u)r, etc.).
    I am Engish and there is no U in error.
  • edited August 2009
    I am Engish and there is no U in error.

    *facepalm*

    You're really dense, are you? I know there's no "u" in "error." It's just that considering that the Brits spell words like "color" and "flavor" with a "u" (i.e. "colour" and "flavour"), I was applying the same "Britishness" to "error" by adding a U to it, AS A JOKE! The rest of the posters here can understand that. Why can't you? :mad:
  • edited August 2009
    Well, he's English, and therefore lacks a sense of humour of course. ;)

    (By the way, is squalor really ever spelled with a u? Even Cambridge's online dictionary lists only squalor so I would say this is really the only correct form!)
  • edited August 2009
    The only thing that bugged me was Town Center. I would have thought that'd be a really obvious one, and I'm surprised no-one noticed it when making the game.
  • edited August 2009
    I think that might have been just a misstype. Loaded up Flight of the Bumblebee's yesterday(Only one I've got installed on Windows 7 since Vista crahsed.... >.<) to have a look at the spellings, and I noticed the map you get in that does actually spell Town Centre.
  • edited August 2009
    There are many more typos in the subtitles. Sometimes entire words end up missing from the subs!
  • edited August 2009
    I am the first person to criticize Telltale, but I'm really don't see how any of this matters... I mean a few spelling errors here & there doesn't really take away from the game. I mean it is VOICED after all.
  • edited August 2009
    I am the first person to criticize Telltale, but I'm really don't see how any of this matters...
    That's because you're from Kentucky. A British based game, should have Queen's English subtitles. Otherwise, why not send Wallace to Kentucky?
  • edited August 2009
    Soultaker wrote: »
    (By the way, is squalor really ever spelled with a u? Even Cambridge's online dictionary lists only squalor so I would say this is really the only correct form!)
    No, it's not. Didn't think it looked right and just consulted my ancient Oxford. No U in Squalor.
  • edited August 2009
    I was mocking the way the British spell things (colo(u)r, flavo(u)r, etc.).

    Well you shouldn't because I find that offensive.
  • edited August 2009
    Well you shouldn't because I find that offensive.

    We should demand our language back from America. Just look at what they've done to it!
  • edited August 2009
    Indeed. How does Color look right? Not to mention the more recent change of Sulphur to Sulfur... Annoying to say the least. I refuse to spell sulphur wth an f.
  • edited August 2009
    Timmeh2006 wrote: »
    We should demand our language back from America. Just look at what they've done to it!
    Ya'll ain't gonna take mah English any more'n ya'll take mah gun!
    Rawr wrote: »
    Indeed. How does Color look right? Not to mention the more recent change of Sulphur to Sulfur... Annoying to say the least. I refuse to spell sulphur wth an f.
    Believe me, if you grew up with the American spelling, the British one would be the version that looks "off". Now honestly I don't care either way, as I've had a lot of Brtish media come my way. However, I live in and am immersed in the culture of the United States. More appropriately, I've been immersed in the local cultures of various east coast US states in my lifetime. "Color" and "Sulfur" are the only ones that look "correct", even though I know that "colour" and "sulphur" are used and accepted by another culture that uses the same language.
  • edited August 2009
    Timmeh2006 wrote: »
    We should demand our language back from America. Just look at what they've done to it!

    How about they're allowed to keep the language if they give us back New England, Virginia, Maryland and Georgia and promise not to invade Canada or Grenada again?
  • edited August 2009
    S@bre wrote: »
    How about they're allowed to keep the language if they give us back New England, Virginia, Maryland and Georgia and promise not to invade Canada or Grenada again?
    You really don't want Georgia. Even with the other states, if you take Georgia you're more or less halving your nation's cultural net worth.

    Granted you gain a pretty good airport and some delicious peaches, but it's just not enough.
  • edited August 2009
    Fine. How about Pennsylvania instead?
  • edited August 2009
    You must be joking. As a Brit expat having lived for many years in France and going back yearly, I am constantly struck by the changes in both the spoken and written language. Don't fool yourselves: English-English is evolving in parallel with the US version. And I think this is a good thing.

    Seriously, why worry about details at this level in games which are as well constructed as this.
  • edited August 2009
    How about they're allowed to keep the language if they give us back New England, Virginia, Maryland and Georgia and promise not to invade Canada or Grenada again?

    The US never invaded Canada. If you're talking about the War of 1812, that doesn't count, since it was British colonial territory then. Ever since Canada was actually founded (that is, drafted its own constitution), the US has respected Canadian sovereignty.
  • edited August 2009
    Even with the other states, if you take Georgia you're more or less halving your nation's cultural net worth.

    Not true. These people come from Georgia: Little Richard, R.E.M., The Chapman Bros., The Allman Bros., Outkast...
  • edited August 2009
    The US never invaded Canada. If you're talking about the War of 1812, that doesn't count, since it was British colonial territory then. Ever since Canada was actually founded (that is, drafted its own constitution), the US has respected Canadian sovereignty.

    Don't be so picky. You know what I mean. That's like saying the US has never been at war with Mexico because the 1846-1848 war was before their 1917 constitution.

    The name "Canada" referring to the bit of North America above the USA excluding Alaska long predates the modern Canadian constitution. Plus, Canada can't really be classified as having being "founded" in that conventional sense, it evolved from the British colony into the modern sovereign state through a whole course of constitutional developments, acts and treaties that go from 1763 to 1982.
  • edited August 2009
    I am the first person to criticize Telltale, but I'm really don't see how any of this matters... I mean a few spelling errors here & there doesn't really take away from the game. I mean it is VOICED after all.

    criticise...

    you seem to be proud that you criticise them.
  • edited August 2009
    S@bre wrote: »
    Don't be so picky. You know what I mean. That's like saying the US has never been at war with Mexico because the 1846-1848 war was before their 1917 constitution.

    The name "Canada" referring to the bit of North America above the USA excluding Alaska long predates the modern Canadian constitution. Plus, Canada can't really be classified as having being "founded" in that conventional sense, it evolved from the British colony into the modern sovereign state through a whole course of constitutional developments, acts and treaties that go from 1763 to 1982.

    My point was, we were at war with Britain, who had territory in Canada at the time, and it was British North America at that time with which the US was at war and not any sovereign nation called Canada.

    For Mexico's example, we were at war with Mexico, who was a sovereign nation at the time. It wasn't "Spanish North America" or "New Spain" or "The Spanish colony of Mexico." So your example falls flat.
  • edited September 2009
    Well you shouldn't because I find that offensive.
    Couldn't of said it better.
    Soultaker wrote: »
    Well, he's English, and therefore lacks a sense of humour of course. ;)
    Also offended by that quite a bit.
  • edited September 2009
    You really don't want Georgia. Even with the other states, if you take Georgia you're more or less halving your nation's cultural net worth.

    Granted you gain a pretty good airport and some delicious peaches, but it's just not enough.

    Granted, they would also gain the Brothers Chaps and all the H*R universe. Pretty strange that you would think that that would "more or less halv[e] your nation's cultural net worth," considering your username and icon and all.
  • edited September 2009
    *facepalm*

    You're really dense, are you? I know there's no "u" in "error." It's just that considering that the Brits spell words like "color" and "flavor" with a "u" (i.e. "colour" and "flavour"), I was applying the same "Britishness" to "error" by adding a U to it, AS A JOKE! The rest of the posters here can understand that. Why can't you? :mad:

    When we say Americans don't get irony and you people insist that you do, I get a nice warm feeling and a wry grin when I see reactions like this. Sorry, but you walked right into that one. :)
    Soultaker wrote: »
    Well, he's English, and therefore lacks a sense of humour of course. ;)

    Ahem, see my previous point... honestly, I've got nothing against cultural variations, as for instance I've known very witty and madcap Germans which totally belies my country's own stereotype. I can therefore take that comment in the (wow) ironic tone I will assume it was presented in.
    Couldn't of said it better.

    It's "have," not "of," don't show us up.

    Grammar police - out.
  • edited September 2009
    When we say Americans don't get irony and you people insist that you do, I get a nice warm feeling and a wry grin when I see reactions like this. Sorry, but you walked right into that one. :)



    Ahem, see my previous point... honestly, I've got nothing against cultural variations, as for instance I've known very witty and madcap Germans which totally belies my country's own stereotype. I can therefore take that comment in the (wow) ironic tone I will assume it was presented in.



    It's "of," not "have," show us up.

    Grammar police - Stay in.
    Fixed
  • edited September 2009
    I think use 'trash' to refer to a bin in the first episode too...

    Though, really, I reckon if I've enough time to care, I've got waay too much unused time :)

    For my money, TellTale have done a fantastic job including regional (North England) colloquialisms. Definitly one of the best licensed games I've ever played.
  • edited September 2009
    As my good friend Homer would say: "English? Who needs that? I'm never going to England!"
  • edited September 2009
    Eagle wrote: »
    As my good friend Homer would say: "English? Who needs that? I'm never going to England!"
    And look where that got him. Sat drinking an' eating on the couch all day. :p
Sign in to comment in this discussion.