Sunday, February 28, 2010

Cultural Divide


When writing, I have discovered cultural nuances which I have absorbed. In particular when I sub work for critique to my group of fellow writers from all parts of the globe.

It is not just the spelling, or the actual words, such as "port" or "bitumen" that catch me out, it is the things my characters do - like walk under buildings.

Any person from Queensland would read that character has walked under the house and understand. We spend much of our lives under buildings. I did not realise this was unique until now. So to assist with global confusion, please see above a "Queenslander" - the architecture that defines our state.

1 comment:

Barbara Flowers said...

I'm sure that house is the one over the road from me... or down the street. Didn't David Malouf make the observation that in Queensland because of 'under the house' we grow up with an awareness of the our subliminal selves. That's probably equally true of children who play in attics. But we have dirt under the house, so maybe it IS different. Interesting reading your various posts Kathryn, Barbara