An easy one for the educated amongst you! As my book is being edited in house, that house being ours house... I am at an impasse with my editor, she being the one with the an education unlike me!!! I think Hmm she thinks Mmm. Context I can hear from here every one shouting, Ok I will put it into context.
"The handsome looks... hmm, well maybe! however, just now they were hidden behind the grime and grit that also covered his clothes.
or mmm
My Wife, sorry my editor thinks that modern day speech has changed it to the latter. Well who is going to be smug, the educated one or me?
Thank you, Paul.
Too flowery before anyone says anything... Jimmy lol.
Paul
Thank you Lorraine and Jimmy for your comments. I will take a look at the way the "Hmm, well maybe" reads with the just "well maybe". It is there not as speech but as a hesitation in thought from the narration. However, as I have asked and I have had a lot of feedback and sound advice I will now go back to my text and consider taking it out. I know from your point of view as an editor Lorraine, I should listen to your advice and just rip it out with heartless abandon. (is that to flowery) Isn't it hard when you have written something and in your head (that being mine) you are happy with the way it looks and sounds but then you get advice that you know is right and one still has to consider. I think it will have to come out, the more I think about it the more I understand what you are saying. Hey Ho and I thought it was Hmm OK.
Thank you again. Regards Paul
I wouldn't correct speech in all its glories, Jimmy - I'd just cut out the unnecessary hmming and haaing.
Mind you, we had a farmer neighbour down in the Vienne (a Frenchman, of course) who would come in for coffee, and we'd chat for a while in our odd bi-lingual, hand-signal way; and then, after a little while, he'd say, 'Aaaah' with an upward inflection, get to his feet, and leave. It would be part of his character to write him that way.
I think you can take it as read that people make non-verbal sounds when thinking or considering. But a page splattered with errrs or hmmms is just an annoyance.
Still, this is writing - each to their own. For me, there must be a really good reason for it to be there.
Lorraine