Hello again to all who know more than ME... I am currently redrafting and am now at a stage where the protagonist has travelled back in time to the 1880s, not a problem in itself, he's only there for two chapters. I have realised that when I am using the measurement of distance I am using metric measurements in the narrative. Now this is where I need the help, I think it is correct as the reader will understand better the uptodate expression of measurement, I think! but am I correct, should I be using feet and inches in the narrative as well as conversation? The characters do in conversation but that's then back in the 1880s. So do I continue with the dual system or does the narrative go into character also.
Regards and as usual, thanks in advance, Paul
Thanks Lorraine but I am obviously not making my point clear, during conversation I think the characters should use the language and "measurement" of their time, because that's what they know, it can't be different. I just wanted to clarify the position of the narrative which is from the point in time as the reader, I think it should be told in present day language and measurements, it was the measurement point that was bothering me a little as the book is aimed at around fourteen year old people, I wasn't sure if it could be confusing to change from imperial to metric. but I think as this has caused confusion I will just stick with what I thought.lol
Thanks to all that have helped I am pretty sure now I am ok with my first understanding of it.
Regards Paul.
Paul, in the 50s, things were definitely imperial! Yards, feet and inches, pounds, shillings and pence... Knowing your 12 times table was important!
I'm confused; your protagonist is from the 50s? He'd use imperial not metric. If he's come to the present, which for him is the future, he's still use imperial - that's part of his character. He'd definitely say, 'he was three feet away..' I should point out that not every measurement in England is metric even now - we still use miles, for instance.
If the narrative voice is his, if we're being told the story through his eyes, then stick to what is true for him. He can't know what the future is; therefore he can't speak or think in its language. You'll need to express his confusion at the new things he encounters, and you won't convey that if he speaks in modern parlance.
If your narrative voice is anonymous, you are then watching him acting and reacting, so you could use modern terms. In this scenario, you are painting a picture of a man out of his time. In the former, you are that man, and all is seen from his (50s) perspective.
I live in France. It's not a confusing place really...
Morning and thank you to all who have answered. I probably didn't make myself perfectly clear, which is why I have to redraft so often! The protagonist is from the 1950s so his use of measurement would be metric, but the narrative is the present as this is a time travel story. There isn't any measuring going on, but I can see why people reading my question might think that, it's just the usual "he was three feet away when he realised he was too close" that kind of measurement, that is not part of the book by the way. does the narrator use metric I think he should as he is in the time of the reader, and in the period and in dialog I think it should be imperial, am I correct. By the way Jonathan as it's time travel maybe France would confuse the reader even more,I'm always confused when I visit...lol
PS I think Thimmiri has been posted in the wrong Q/A unless he's a time traveler too and I have broken a record in a different decade, it would have to be a zimmer race then.
So after saying I've finished am I correct in the narrative and dialogue difference.
Thanks and Regards Paul.