Ask Jerry
National terminology
Asked by Matthew Ward on May 14, 2020
My novel is set in Scotland. In Scotland and throughout the UK, we would say that we take our 'rubbish' and place it in our 'wheely bin' (a large, plastic trash receptacle on wheels, of which every British person has two outside their front door). I recently received comments on my manuscript from an American beta-reader who said 'wheely bin' was unclear. A British person would not have that problem, and Brits wouldn't typically call it anything else. But I realise the trouble with international readers.
What should I do?
Jerry's Answer
I would use the terminology but work to make it clear to those not in the know, Matthew. For instance, I would refer to it as a plastic wheely bin and work what it's for.
Like:
She dropped her garbage in the plastic wheely bin outside her front door and...