irg7620

I recently found some questions to answer for my characters and one of them is about mannerisms. What are mannerisms? Does it have to do with manners? Please let me know.

lin

Nothing to do with "manners" really. It refers to a manner of behavior or speaking.

Military officers of many countries tend to have the same mannerisms, which I am sure you recognize just from the mention of them.

"He had the languid, heedless mannerisms of young athletes"

"She displayed the nervous mannerisms of somebody caught in a lie."

We;re talking about behavior, either traits or momentary symptoms, that can be "bagged" is a descriptive phrase.

Really unusual mannerisms are often referred to as "quirks"...nervous tic, limp, spitting between sentences, etc.

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irg7620

thanks lin. that helps greatly. i am going to write that down in my notes so i can have it handy when i go to work on my characters again.

LionofPerth

Lin, that's a bit vague to be honest.

Mannerism are particular habits in body language, speach or written languages. Turns of phrase and particular habits, like tugging on one's ear would be good examples. Other things like turning a wedding band, playing with an amulet, chewing on your own hair, or playing with it like curling it around a finger are other examples.

In language itself, it's more complex. Certain phrasings, or turns of phrase are one way of showing a mannerism. Also in that, certain accents, or particular meanings, like say chav's for the UK being close to trailer trash, or similar, in the US.

While lin does have a good point with the military, as they would have habits like saluting, step count, exercise patterns and techniques as well I suppose.

On the language side, you have a particular.... well, I guess it depends on the service, each has their own particular methodology, for lack of a better word, in terms of lingo, each has a general, internationally recognised base, with certain regional additions.

That's all I can think of really.

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lin

Restricting "mannerisms" to language is way to restrictive. Somebody stomping on every bug they see, or crossing themselves when they pass a church, or always dragging something along a picket fence or blinking when insulted...these are all mannerisms.

Accents and dialect are mannerisms, I guess, but fall into specific other terms. Like "accents" and "dialect". Most people wouldn't refer to saying "ain't" or dropping "aitches" as a "mannerism". Hitching up the pants before approaching a woman in a bar is a mannerism.

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seigfried007

When people talk about mannerisms, they are usually refering to unconscious bodily movements and habits--much like the examples Lion of Perth and Lin used.

These gestures and reflexes show a great deal about a character without 'telling'.

For instance, you can have someone twiddling with their hair, turning the wedding band, stuttering, darting their eyes everywhere but to whomever's speaking, shifting in their seat, pulling a leg under their bottom while sitting.. and all of these things will show a reader the extent of your character's nervousness without you ever telling the reader "So-and-so was nervous' or even breaking into direct thought.

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