simple question

[Jo Zebedee]

Which I bet gets about 6 pages of answers...

A football match is on and I want my character to say it's Man U Liverpool. I don't want to put versus in, cos it's close thoughts in his voice.

So, would it be:

Man U, Liverpool

Man U -- Liverpool

Man U/Liverpool.

And should it be Man U, or Manu, or Man. U.

See, six pages....

 

[Venusian Broon]

Took a while to find an example:

Manchester United v Liverpool: live - Telegraph

This journo just has (in the sentence after 15.27 right at the top) : Man U Liverpool

But that was for a live internet, so maybe not absolutely correct, a bit texty perhaps. However I think that's how I'd do it for close thoughts, especially if it's edging towards some sort of "stream of consciousness" style.

I might, just to make it really clear, write: Man U-Liverpool

Edit: Examples (perhaps over eager use of ) hyphen in the title here from the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/17/chelsea-arsenal-villa-park-play-off
But they put Chelsea-Arsenal to denote the game.

 

[Ursa major]

Of the ones you suggest, I'd go for 'Man U -- Liverpool' (where the -- is a hyphen or n-dash).

If your character wouldn't think 'versus', might they think 'v', as in 'Man U v Liverpool'?

For myself, I'd probably use - 'ManU -- Liverpool'.


I don't think the examples with a comma or a solidus work, as they might mean something else to readers; not enough to obscure your meaning, but enough to interrupt the flow.

See, six pages....

Not if you change your setting to 30 posts per page.

 

[HareBrain]

I'd go with "Chelsea-Arsenal", but that falls apart when one team has multiple parts to its name. "Man U-Liverpool" makes it look like one team is called "U-Liverpool".

Does it have to be those teams?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks, VB, Ursa; looks like the hyphen is the easiest way to go. (So long as no one comes along and confuses the issue... )

HB: no, probably not. But I think they're the most followed teams in Ireland (and I don't want to go with local teams and open horrendous cans of worms.) I shall have to consult a local football expert and find out what teams are likely. A-hem...

Alchemist! Help!

 

[Mouse]

Don't football type people just sort of think 'Chelsea game's on tonight' or whatever or do they actually think 'Chelsea Arsenal game tonight.' I dunno. (I thought they just mentioned whichever team it was they supported).

 

[Ursa major]

Now that Mouse has inserted some sense into the proceedings....


In what context would someone watching a match between, say, Manchester United and Liverpool, either say 'ManU -- Liverpool' or think it? They are there (or are watching it on the TV). They know who's playing whom. Are they on the phone? When asked what they're doing, wouldn't they say, "Watching the match." If the person on the phone knows them, that should probably be enough. If the person doesn't know them, why would they be interested in who was playing?

 

[Venusian Broon]

In what context would someone watching a match between, say, Manchester United and Liverpool, either say 'ManU -- Liverpool' or think it? They are there (or are watching it on the TV). They know who's playing whom.

It could used in a 'discovery' moment. A character could walk into a room, where the television is showing Manchester United play Liverpool and notice that 'Man U-Liverpool were on'

 

[Ursa major]

It could used in a 'discovery' moment. A character could walk into a room, where the television is showing Manchester United play Liverpool and notice that 'Man U-Liverpool were on'

But under those circumstances, wouldn't they think:

Bugger! ManU was on the TV. And playing Liverpool."
​

(or something vaguely along those lines)?

 

[mosaix]

If the character is a United fan he'd say / think 'United v Liverpool'. Otherwise 'Man U v Liverpool'. Alternatively 'United at home to Liverpool'.

 

[Venusian Broon]

But under those circumstances, wouldn't they think:

Bugger! ManU was on the TV. And playing Liverpool."
​

(or something vaguely along those lines)?

Another good possiblity and valid.

But I've definitely used the Man U-Liverpool type construct in conversation to described what's on the telly whilst at sports bars etc..., so that's ok too.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

He pushed his way through a crowd gathered just inside the door, and went up the bar. A second, rowdier, group were gathered at the far end of the counter, around a big screen showing the footie. Man U - Liverpool; he’d forgotten it was on tonight. They’d been talking about it all week at work.


That's the passage it's in for context.

 

[HareBrain]

Looks fine to me, assuming you think the detail of the teams etc is important.

 

[mosaix]

He pushed his way through a crowd gathered just inside the door, and went up the bar. A second, rowdier, group were gathered at the far end of the counter, around a big screen showing the footie. Man U - Liverpool; he’d forgotten it was on tonight. They’d been talking about it all week at work.


That's the passage it's in for context.

Man U v Liverpool.

 

[HareBrain]

That could read as "Man ultraviolet Liverpool" (gotta get those six pages somehow!)

 

[Ursa major]

But Juventus aren't playing....

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Looks fine to me, assuming you think the detail of the teams etc is important.

Me? Waffle? Never... I'm not sure. It feels useful. Like one of those scene setting, enhancing thingies that I don't do enough.

Man U v Liverpool.

But would you think versus if you were looking at it on the telly? I'm not sure.

Okay... so, page two.

 

[Ursa major]

The v in ManU v Liverpool is often (usually, in my case) pronounced (including in one's head) as vee:

Man Ewe Vee Liverpool
​

(I have to own up to not being sure of the correct term for a creature that's half man and half sheep, but I know it isn't Mosiac....)

.

 

[mosaix]

But would you think versus if you were looking at it on the telly? I'm not sure.

No you'd think 'v'.

I do it all the time. I think / talk City v Newcastle etc., all the time.

But

'around a big screen showing the footie. Man U at home to Liverpool; he’d forgotten it was on tonight.'

would work equally as well.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Oooh, I like at home. That'll do lovely. Cheers, Mosaix. Feel free to derail for four pages, everyone.