BLOG: Two Peoples Separated by a Common Language

I'm a writer. You've probably noticed. I'm also English (for all my sins) and one of the first things English kids learn when they're watching kids TV is those strange and bizarre American words.

A trunk? A semi? Gasoline? Off-Ramp? Zip Codes?

My Mum HATES American-English. She doesn't hate Americans or anything like that, she just didn't like when I was a child using American words. It was probably because they sound strange with my accent as well as a concern over the erasure of British-English through cultural osmosis as American television took up more and more of the airwaves... But that's a whole different issue!

So growing up British kids learn that despite speaking the same language there are some significant differences. I don't know if it's the same in America. Do American kids know that British ones don't say "Fall" but say "Autumn" instead?

When I started writing I had to think about these differences because the ABDL world has a surprising number of differences between American-English and British-English. In fact, when I started my first story I was resolved to only ever use British terms. Perhaps I had inherited some of my mother's stubborness over language or maybe I was just using what I knew.

Whilst there are a LOT of ABDL in Britain my primary audience everywhere I post is American. That's to be expected. My refusal to use American terms lasted all the way up until the first time I was commissioned. It turns out my belief in using only British terms had a surprisingly cheap price!

Soon it became very normal to write in American. I have no doubt I make mistakes occasionally. I have no doubt I accidentally sneak in British words or vice versa but for the most part it's relatively easy to keep track.

I was thinking it might be interesting to examine some of the differences in language when it comes to ABDL terms though. I feel like there are some that come easier than others and I would give my opinions on which I prefer.

1. Pacifiers Vs. Dummies

I'm going to start of with, in my opinion, an easy win for the Americanisms. That makes sense considering they are an American invention. "Pacifier" does exactly what it says on the tin. It is used to pacify a baby. I also think it is a cute word to say and is even better when shortened to "paci."

Apparently the British word "Dummy" came later than the American word. Possibly from an article in a nursing supplement descring the soother as a "dummy teat" and thus the word "dummy" caught on. I don't hate the word dummy at all, weirdly it just doesn't have the same babyish connotations as pacifier to me. Very strange considering I know I heard the word "dummy" a lot growing up... and no, I don't think people were referring to me!

There are many other words used for pacifiers of course. I quite like "soother" but can't stand "binky". What's your favourite term for your paci?

2. Crib Vs. Cot

You don't know how confused I was as a kid growing up and hearing characters on television saying they were getting the "cot" out for another character. I was expecting a baby bed with bars only to be met with a folding camping bed!

To be honest, whereas I never heard an English person say "pacifier" when I was a kid, these two terms seemed quite interchangeable. Again, I think I have to give ot to the Americans. "Cot" is a nice little word but "crib" is nicer to say and sounds more childish to me.

3. Stroller Vs. Pushchair

This is a win for the British in my opinion. It is probably just because I grew up with it but there are certain feelings the word "pushchair" evokes that takes me back to my childhood.

My mum used to work in a laundrette and sometimes, if no one was available to look after me, I would be taken to work with her. I don't know how old I was but I was young enough to still have and use a pushchair. I remember mum putting me in the pushchair and leaving me in oe of the rear rooms where the sounds of the pipes and everything soothed me to sleep.

"Stroller" is a perfectly good word. I'm certainly not comlpaining when I have to use it or when I read it. But "pushchair" just brings back some great memories for me.

4. Mummy Vs. Mommy

I always think this difference is much ado about nothing. The two words are virtually identical and when I think about them they sound the same in my head. That all changes when I hear the words said out loud. The difference in accents really does create a gulf between the two terms.

This, I think, will be very personal to each person but for me the British have it again. I know some of you will be thinking "But a Mummy is that thing in a pyramid wrapped in bandages!" and I can't fault you for that. We call those Mummies too. That said, I couldn't imagine saying "Mommy" out loud without cringing into my nappy like a turtle hiding... Speaking of...

5. Diaper Vs. Nappy

Well, well, well... Here we are at the big one. And would you look at that, the score between the American and British terms is 2-2. I guess this is the tie-break.

Needless to say, I could spark a civil war in the playpen with this one. I will treadly lightly!

I only ever heard the word "Diaper" on television as a kid. In person they were only ever called "Nappies." This was the big one when I started writing. When I said I started with the intention of only using British terms this was the one I was thinking of the most. "Diaper" just... it didn't sound babyish to me. In my opinion the word "Nappy" is much more infantile. 

"Let me check you diaper..." sounds like something you would say to an adult.

"Let me check your nappy..." Now you're talking to a baby!

I suppose the strangest part of all this is that the word "Diaper" was around long, long before "Nappy" and even we in Britain were calling them "Diapers" for a very long time. Which is strange because as a kid I fully believed that "Nappy" was the REAL word and "Diaper" was made up by those wacky Americans who just had to be different!

So... which word do I prefer?

It's honestly a coinflip. In person, if I'm saying the word I will almost always say "Nappy." As I said before it just sounds much more childish. However, often, when writing, I will default to "Diaper." Is that because I know most people reading it are American? Or is it just because I like the word? I think both are true. I used to only use "Nappy" and HATE the word "Diaper" but now I love them both.

If I had to choose though...

I'll give it to "Diaper." The term IS adult baby DIAPER lover after all. ABNL just doesn't look or sound as right. All that said... Hearing an American say the word "Nappy" is the funniest thing in the world!

So there you go. The Americanisms take it 3-2. Does this show that American language is seeping into and invading British English or are the terms just better? Who knows. I just think it is wonderful that so many of our terms have so many variations and yet everyone will know what everyone else means whenever they use any of them.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with me? Are there any particular differences between American English and British English that you find particularly interesting? Any words you love using or hate to hear? Let me know!