Joopjip Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Silly question but got too much free time on my hand hehe... Met a girl from Liverpool yesterday and found it impossible to understand what she was saying..and this idea came to my head that if in Thailand we learn english english instead of american english it will make it easier to understand every accent..because American accent is much clearer or Im just used to it? When that girl said pub i swear it sounded just like poop, its so funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest placenamehere Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 its just somthing you have to get used to. i find it hard to understand people from liverpool if they have a strong accent but as you say you do get used to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Isn't American English not a language but just a dialect of English anyway, like Australian and Canadian etc ? So by this rationale British English is correct in phonics and pronunciation ,also in grammar and spelling........ In laymans' terms....... It's our language, how can we be wrong......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khun_lung Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 When I teach English I point out spelling differencs and the occasional difference in grammar to my students. Both American and British English evolve and change over time, and that needs to be factored. Most likely Hollywood is responsible for some people's preference for American English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbkbkk Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 i speak wall street english.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farang_subson Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Well, English English and American English started diverging a few hundred years ago. Since then, they've continued to evolve somewhat independently, and get inputs from all sorts of other cultures. So perhaps we should teach the kiddies English as it was spoken 250 years ago if we've got some urge (a bizarre urge, methinks) to speak pure, unblemished English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Well, English English and American English started diverging a few hundred years ago. Since then, they've continued to evolve somewhat independently, and get inputs from all sorts of other cultures.So perhaps we should teach the kiddies English as it was spoken 250 years ago if we've got some urge (a bizarre urge, methinks) to speak pure, unblemished English. You don't have to speak pure unblemished English, just a bit of correct spelling would be nice......... I can totally understand how the spoken language differs , but the written language,how did that happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevnam Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 i speak wall street english.. me too, even worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Punisher Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Yeah, there is only one English + numerous regional dialects which are then further pidgeonised when mixed with non-native English languages. I'd like to see how things shape up in the next 10-20 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I_am_George Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 So perhaps we should teach the kiddies English as it was spoken 250 years ago if we've got some urge (a bizarre urge, methinks) to speak pure, unblemished English. Oh Yeah, Oh Yeah, Oh Yeah.......... Hear Ye this........... Bring back ye olde town cryer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joopjip Posted April 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Not that i was there when they voted English to be an international language..perhaps we should do it again so every country gets to participate not just you-know-who!!! lol Anyway, I think you see the world from a different perspective when your first language i'snt english. There's always this humble or even shameful feeling of not being able to communicate with the world while english native speakers learn other languages for fun and at the end of the day who cares if u can speak thai or not, right? But by learning another language, u also automatically gain more understandings of another culture which ,from my view, is what english native speakers lack.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malky Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Met a girl from Liverpool yesterday and found it impossible to understand what she was saying.. Don't worry about that. A thick Scouse accent is difficult for most Brits to understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haiku_newyork Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 A student will learn what his or her teacher instructs them! If you have an American teacher, you will learn American English. If you have a British English teacher you will learn that style of English. But if you have an New Zealand English teacher, you will get to learn how to correctly abuse a sheep..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrickbseattle Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Well being American I'm tempted to say oh yea were better but if you go to the deep south, with the thick draw or to them "drawelll" lol You might have a hard time understanding them, or some boston people, certain new yorkers. Standard "American" english in terms of speech is West coast english. I think ALOT of foreigners would have alot of time understanding ebonics, spanglish or the numerous other ways to get your point across in the US. Now old Scots, they are hard to understand !!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khun_lung Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 American vs. British: Two nations divided by a common language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 But by learning another language, u also automatically gain more understandings of another culture which ,from my view, is what english native speakers lack.. very good point ... many native english speakers are "lazy" to learn another language expecting everyone else to know english !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sneeeeze Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 I find it easier to understand American English as they don't cut off the end of words often. British people tend to not include the letter R if its at the end of a sentence (undER sounds like unduh) which can be quite confusing for a non-native speaker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OIC Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Both are understandable but only thing that I concern is an accent which drove me totally crazy when I first got here to live in Bri-ish world while I'm speaking A-me-ri-can accent. Most of the time has been misunderstanding and confusing but once I get used to their accent and they try more to understand what the h*ck I'm talking about,we're fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombiedriven Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Well for those whom have met me I have a horrid southern draw I talk fast too boot. But American English is just that it is American nothing new. With that I am out the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khun_lung Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 I find it easier to understand American English as they don't cut off the end of words often. British people tend to not include the letter R if its at the end of a sentence (undER sounds like unduh) which can be quite confusing for a non-native speaker! What you say is true. And not to stray too far off-topic Thais are even worse than the British. I don't know if you speak Thai or not but in the example you give of "under", an "R" consonant at the end of a Thai word is pronounced as "n". And in Thai there is no "uh" sound, so Thais have to substitute "ah". So the Thai pronunciation would most likely be "andan" or "andah". Thai public schools teach *written* English well, but seldom concentrate on spoken English. That's why sometimes you can MSN chat with Thais and be fine, but when you meet them in person you'll strain to understand what they're saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekka Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Their are two different points on this post. Accents is one mentioned. The other is the written word I think Spelling is the more Important point I agree with KHun_lung in regards to the spelling. Yes the spelling is different but the Words have the same meaning. Myself I think the English version is the better of the two. Might be biased, as I was taught the Queens English. The English spelling is more true ,but also much more difficult to spell & learn than the American. The American English is more Phoenetic than it's English counterpart. Just a couple of examples:- AmV * Nite ( Eng * Night) AmV * color (eng*colour) AmV * Harbor (Eng * Harbour) There are many more, but I am not going to lists all of them. them, these three will give you a basic guide as the difference between the two versions. If you are interested you can look them up yourselves. Note:- Accreditation to the early generation of Greeks. They gave us the Alphabet ( Alpha..Beta) which we use to-day. The English Language is derived from some Latin, But the majority stems from the Greek Language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khun_lung Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Just a couple of examples:- AmV * Nite ( Eng * Night) I always thought "nite" was slang, isn't it ? It's a colloquialism. I use it (nite and tonite) in SMS just to save an unneccessary character in my message. No one will misunderstand. And what the hell is the "g" needed for anyway? lol That's why languages evolve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekka Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 I have used Nite & Tonite too sometimes. Yes u are right a lot of people use it in txt messages to save a Character. I have noticed their are a lot of Commercials on TV, they spell the word wrongly. So in actual fact it is implanted in their brain. The more it is used the more people accept it & it becomes popular. That is all well & good but it is not spelt the Correct way.. We have a lot of Illiterate youth in Australia now for this reason. When they are applying for a position, they have to have a Resume'. When their prospective Employer reads it , He can't believe that it is written like a Grade 7 Student. These Students have spent16 years in the Education System. Something is definitely wrong. As for filling that Position, they have not got a chance. Also Grammar is not taught at all. Even the younger generation of Teachers don't understand it, so how can they Teach it. To impart Knowledge you must have Knowledge . I honestly feel for the younger generation. I am not saying they are dumb , far from it, they are smart & Intelligent in other ways.. They cannot help it if they are not taught in the proper way. Their are many Instances in life, certain persons are illiterate ,but have still managed to run successful businesses & have become millionaires. It's just a shame to lose that art. But in time as you say, another Language will evolve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Americans speak english :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyphil247 Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 Hope this link might be of interest http://www.englishclub.com/english-what.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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