Un-hobbity sayings

[dreamflower]

When writing hobbitfic, I always have to have my radar out for phrases that are second nature to me, but would be completely inappropriate in a Middle-earth context, and most especially a hobbit context. I try to keep my eyes open, but sometimes things slip through and then I have to fix them.

For example: If you were referring to someone suddenly taking off and running, you might instinctively say "they were off like a shot", but it would be wrong because there are no guns. So I substitute either "like an arrow from the bow" or "like a stone from a sling" or "like one of Gandalf's rockets". But sometimes I am stumped. So here are some common sayings that I have had to delete either mentally or literally. I'd love to hear some "hobbity equivalents" for them:

-"waiting for the other shoe to drop"
-"walk a mile in his shoes"
-"the shoe is on the other foot now"
-"don't rock the boat" (okay for a Bucklander, but not for other hobbits)
-"take the wind out of his sails"
-"up the creek/river without a paddle" (again, Bucklanders maybe)
-"on the wrong side of the tracks"
-"get to first base"
-"like a jolt of electicity" or even "electrified"
-"not the brightest bulb in the package"
-"another day, another dollar"
-"out like a light" (okay, I know there are other kinds of lights besides electric, but let's face it, electric lights are the image this conveys)
-"he had his own agenda"
-"lit up like Christmas"

There are a lot of others, but these are just the ones that have popped into my head.

Any ideas?

Comments

[shirebound]

you might instinctively say "they were off like a shot", but it would be wrong because there are no guns.

Believe it or not, The Hobbit mentions guns! Somewhere in chapter 1 (I think), there's a mention of a "popgun" (probably talking about a children's toy). But I agree with you about phrases like this; it's a challenge to keep "modernisms" out of fanfic, and I probably slip up once in awhile. (But nothing beats a line I read in a fanfic once, which talked about the hobbits of the Shire planning a big meeting after church.)

:D

[dreamflower]

I know about that. But I think a "pop-gun" is one of those little toys that shoots a cork--something which might have existed even if the real gun did not.

More problematic in The Hobbit is the phrase "like a freight train", so even JRRT slipped up once in a while.

"after church"?!?!?!? Holy cow! (Oh, that's another one...*grin*)

It *is* hard to keep the modernisms and Americanisms out, but really, if one is familiar enough with canon, it shouldn't be impossible. It is a shame when something like that spoils an otherwise nice story. The only problem is how naturally some of the more modern phrases spring to mind. I often end up leaving out the simile or metaphor altogether, though the situation seems to need one.

[shirebound]

even JRRT slipped up once in a while.

That's a comforting thought!

:D