I'm reposting SNAFU which used to be on Sapphire's site but which has now become unavailable. I was asked to do so by several readers including our own Web Mistress. I have tidied up a number of typos and other mistakes, though Grammarly doesn't appear to recognise proper English (ie UK variety) in terms of spelling so it nearly drove me to distraction.
For those who haven't come across it before, it's a full length novel which I will post in chapters as I have time to tidy them up. It involves Egyptian and other magic but not the sort of rubbish that occurs in Harry Potter. It's pure imagination so don't read anything too philosophical into it. Any procedures or processes mentioned with regard to military or medical issues, I have made up.Those who don't know what SNAFU means probably should ask their mummy if they can read it first.
There are mentions of violence, swear words and abuse in an historical setting. They shouldn't push anyone's buttons but if they do, I apologise. It took me ten years to write not helped by posting difficulties at Sapphire's site, the last few chapters were posted on BC a few years ago and I will ask Erin to take them down so everyone can readit all in full.
I hope you all enjoy.
Comments
This is a Great Story
One of the first things I read when I found Bigcloset after finding my way here via Maddy Bells Gaby website.
If you like big cats of the Africa variety, you are just going to love Angharad's story with the way they appear and disappear. I wish I had that power. It is one of those stories I read every year.
Thank-you Angharad, I just love this story.
Sophie
Ops, I just managed to love my own post...
Huzzah!
Look forward to seeing it here.
Hey that's how I found my way here too, for which I must thank Mads.
Teri Ann
"Reach for the sun."
Enjoyed reading
SNAFU the first time around ,It will be great to revisit the story and make Jamies acquaintance once more , Thanks for reposting Angharad
Kirri
There is an option in
There is an option in Grammarly to choose which English you want to use. Go to your Account>Customize.
But, if you write directly in BC there is a problem with it working correctly with Grammarly.
Teddie
BTW, it messes up American
BTW, it messes up American English too.
If it continues not to work properly, complain.
Thank you, Teddie
I did what you suggested and I hope I have sorted the problem and selected British English. I suspect my writing is slightly better than my computer skills.
Angharad
The Winghing about English English Confounds Me.
Those who bitterly complain, and need American Colonist English, to me are the epitome of sissy whinghers. There have been a few Authors who use olde English and I just love it. Sadly they seem to have succumbed to the to the pressure of those who refuse to respect the Queen. Sad, so sad.
Miss Gwen
Proper English?
I'm not sorry all my cousins and kin across the pond in Merry Ol England, Scotland, Irish, Germany, and a dozen other places I inherited DNA from can't speak, spell, nor understand proper English. Yuh'all jest wusn't taught good English by your ma and pa. I's afraids thu system let yuh all down also. Yer showing even more lack of scooling whens yuh talks abouts boot and bonnet for thu trunk and hood. We's alls knows boots go on duh feet and thu bonnet goes on duh head.
Even Erin talks better than yuh'all and she's a blooming ridge running hillbilly.
Sheesh, English indeedie, yuh'all wuddn't knows proper English if it bit yuh in duh butt.
Hugs cousins and others
Barb
Life is meant to be lived, not worn until it's worn out.
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
there's nowt
merry about old England! Yer seem to have the usual colonial view of the world beyond yer own coastline. We won't make a fuss though.
Given proper English has bits of French, Latin, German and old Norse as much as any 'native' content from Shakespeare and his mates, its quite a bastard which is why the half the world who canna sprechen it think the half who do are quite clever. Even more so as its a live language, constantly evolving unlike standardised American which is stuck in the 18th century!
Not only that but it varies hugely around these islands to the point I can't understand what half the country is talking about, once I'm out of GOC its all furren to me! The only reliable spell checker is the latest OED.
FWIW, not much automobile terminology makes much sense, I mean fenders? really? not that wings make any more sense to describe a mudguard. stick shift? whatever ad infinitum.
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Don't forget
words from the Indian sub-continent, otherwise you can't play chukkas of polo in your pyjamas at your bungalow.
Angharad
Language
Thanks Ang for reposting here! Like others, this story led me to find this site too.
Many of the differences between American and British English can be traced to the debates between Benjamin Franklin and Samuel Johnson, who were arguing to convince Noah Webster how to spell things in his dictionary. Franklin largely won, with the goal of “regularizing” the language, to make it easier to learn. It’s both fun and instructive to read their arguments in the original written texts. Some older college libraries have them...
Aurora
Can You Say How Often...
Please I do not intend to be ill mannered. How often do you think you will repost this?
Thank you.
Gwen
I hope to post a chapter a
I hope to post a chapter a week, but editing it seems to take longer than originally writing it.
Angharad
SNAFU.
I'm looking forward to this, and in proper English apparently. There are two types of English; namely proper English and bad English!
There is another language sometimes called American and speakers of that tongue can usually make themselves understood in the UK.
speaking inglish
I have been to England and New Zealand. After 3 days, in each no one suspected any of my family were yanks... Mum was raised in London, Pops was raised by Nebraskans. I was born in the People's Republic of Granolafornia (Californiastani) and taught English by my mum, then picked up Ameriacan from school. 2 years in Malaysia didn't hurt either.
*HUGS*
Robi
G'Day
We speak proper English here in 'Stralia.
With increasing amounts of
With increasing amounts of American spelling, eg medical center.
Angharad
I Concede
We have a Labor Party instead of a Labour Party, but we were talking about speech and all you people with funny accents have nothing to brag about.
Thanks, Ang. It will be good
Thanks, Ang. It will be good to re-read SNAFU.
Kris
{I leave a trail of Kudos as I browse the site. Be careful where you step!}