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Topic : Re: Always sounding idiomatic as a non-native English speaker A lot of people use Google's n-gram to see if something is idiomatic, but for a lot of non-native English speakers even that doesn't - selfpublishingguru.com

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Idioms are part of language, though how a work could be 100% idiomatic seems bizarre.

Oscar Wilde once said we are separated by a common language - that is true. The differences between English spoken in different locations can be a source of confusion or amusement.

Do you intend to write the piece with a strong regional flavour?

Idioms are often a difficult thing to use correctly for non native speakers. Idioms are learned locally and vary from place to place.

In some parts of the US, if you buy a Coke, you bought a soft drink, in others a pop, or a soda, or a soda pop. Same bottle of cola but referred to in multiple ways dependant on location.

Idioms are interesting in that their use will flag a speaker as being from a particular location even if their accent is similar to the local one.

The problem with idioms is that non native speakers often misuse them. They can be confused by the multiple meanings of a word and be unaware that in the region they are visiting, that word means something else.

If, for example, someone who learned English in a formal setting and knows that pop is a sound, or a brief light hit might be puzzled when they hear someone wanting a pop.

Find a proof reader who was born and raised in the area you are writing about and let them teach you the proper use of the local idioms.


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