Tag Archives: straightaway

I’m enjoying the first Jack Reacher novel (actually the second, after a prequel, though one is advised to read a few before the prequel) by Lee Child. But I keep stumbling over two British-isms that don’t belong in the mouths of characters from rural Georgia: "straightaway," and, especially, the obscure phrase "parked up." Sloppy work, Mr. Child, even if you are a Brit yourself. But, really, sloppy work seems to be the nature of book publishing these days. Doing a bit of Web wandering I see the books are published simultaneously in the U.S., Britain and Australia. That explains it, I guess. Wonder if they think American Southerners use their lingo? Take my word for it, you chaps, we don’t.