Children's expressions

[Madamacadamia]

I'm trying a children's story for the first time. My main character is a girl aged about 8 - 11. I currently have her saying 'Wow' and 'Oh dear', but I wonder if she would really say these things? The setting is present-day, Yorkshire.

[MadeMan]

"By 'eck!" is a Yorkshire phrase I believe.

[Madamacadamia]

Yes but sounds more like what an older person would say.

[MadeMan]

I dunno, I quite like the idea of her going round like an oldie saying things like, "By 'eck, things it weren't like that back in my day, chuffin' Nora!"

[Spirael]

I live in Yorkshire, if my daughter is anything to go by then each sentence should be prefixed with "D'you know..."!

"Wow!" is fine, but "Oh dear!" would probably be "Uh oh!", depending on context.

[DeeWe]

I don't think either of those are things my dc used. Wow possibly occasionally. "Cool" is one they use, but will probably date.

Mind you dd2 says "Gosh" and ds has some even more old fashioned ones like "By Jove" picked up from Biggles and various books, so I'm not the best one to comment.

[ppolly]

Currently doing the rounds at our school is 'what the.....' 'and 'awesome' and 'OMG'

[Madamacadamia]

Thanks for these. Settled on Wow! and Oh heck! for the moment.