All The Silly Old Arguments, Brit/american English

[skippybangkok]

had some consultants out from scotland to support a job 10 years back.............. poor thai's could not understand a word he said.

Nee Bother ! (ended up not paying the bill from UK head office who assured me they spoke clear english before coming out )

[garro]

had some consultants out from scotland to support a job 10 years back.............. poor thai's could not understand a word he said.

Nee Bother ! (ended up not paying the bill from UK head office who assured me they spoke clear english before coming out )

There are plenty of people from parts of England with hard-to-understand accents. There are people from parts of the US with similarly difficult accents.

[chiangdan]

had some consultants out from scotland to support a job 10 years back.............. poor thai's could not understand a word he said.

Nee Bother ! (ended up not paying the bill from UK head office who assured me they spoke clear english before coming out )

There are plenty of people from parts of England with hard-to-understand accents. There are people from parts of the US with similarly difficult accents.

I would prefer my child to be taught by an irishman than an american. Just look at how the americans have changed the english language and the spelling. There is American english and there is english. I want my child to learn english not american

[Texpat]

I would prefer my child to be taught by an irishman than an american. Just look at how the americans have changed the english language and the spelling. There is American english and there is english. I want my child to learn english not american

Over the years I've had dozens of Thais remark that my spoken English is far more understandable than others from UK, Oz, NZ or Ireland.

"R"s are not evil. It's OK to pronounce them.

"U"s are overused. Delete them when they add nothing.

English is capitalized when referring to the language. Youf today don't know noffin.

Edited May 16, 2009 by Texpat

[chiangdan]

I would prefer my child to be taught by an irishman than an american. Just look at how the americans have changed the english language and the spelling. There is American english and there is english. I want my child to learn english not american

Over the years I've had dozens of Thais remark that my spoken English is far more understandable than others from UK, Oz, NZ or Ireland.

"R"s are not evil. It's OK to pronounce them.

"U"s are overused. Delete them when they add nothing.

English is capitalized when referring to the language. Youf today don't know noffin.

That is just like saying your thai is better that that os a thai. My son had an American english teacher pulled him away from the american real fast so did a number of other parents he was soon dismissed from the school as he was teaching the american version and not correct english..

[Texpat]

That is just like saying your thai is better that that os a thai. My son had an American english teacher pulled him away from the american real fast so did a number of other parents he was soon dismissed from the school as he was teaching the american version and not correct english.

Would you like to try that again?

Never mind.

Speaking like you've got a mouthful of marbles does nobody any favors. I'll take Obama's diction over Brown's any day.

[Jingthing]

I don't mind if people want to learn the British version of English over the American version. However, be aware that if your child wishes to work with Americans, he will be assumed to be a homosexual. That is clearly another advantage for the British version. Cheers!

[marsteele]

I would prefer my child to be taught by an irishman than an american. Just look at how the americans have changed the english language and the spelling. There is American english and there is english. I want my child to learn english not american

Over the years I've had dozens of Thais remark that my spoken English is far more understandable than others from UK, Oz, NZ or Ireland.

"R"s are not evil. It's OK to pronounce them.

"U"s are overused. Delete them when they add nothing.

English is capitalized when referring to the language. Youf today don't know noffin.

That is just like saying your thai is better that that os a thai. My son had an American english teacher pulled him away from the american real fast so did a number of other parents he was soon dismissed from the school as he was teaching the american version and not correct english..

When you refer to the letter "U" then you mean such things as COLOR as apposed to COLOUR (the correct spelling) Read the Oxford English Dictionary the bible so to speak when it comes to the ENGLISH language.

I must agree I wouldn't want my child instructed in the english language by an American either. I have a thai nieghbour (not nieghbor) who is doing an english language course (not corse) and she asked me if I could help her out with an assignment. Me being a nice guy said, sure why not but after reading her documents I had to decline and inform her that it was an American language course that she what doing and not an english one. I could not help her 100% as I speak english as a 1st language. She informed me that her instructor was an American so I had to tell her if I help her with correct english she would surely fail. She has since changed schools where she now has an English, english teacher. A bit like if you want a loaf of bread you don't go to a stone mason.

The vast majority of Americans if they sat an english exam outside of America they would fail. They have no concept of the english language. American and English language is like chalk and cheese.

Don't get me wrong I like the American people and I am not being racist they have had some great playwrites like William Skakespear and I love the traditional American soul food like pizza.

[mojo80]

Well, is it any wonder.......Im sure if kids want to learn "engggrish" they at least want others to understand them once they have learnt it!

[marsteele]

Interesting. Why wouldn't you wish to learn the more popular version of the same language?

USA > 300 million people

UK > 60 million people

Could it be that poofters don't breed?

BTW, I used to translate documents from British English to US English for international publication. The work dried up when the employers realized that Indians could be trained to do the same job for much less. US English is by far the more popular international standard.

USA 300 mil non true english speaking people

The rest of the worlds english speaking population is far more than the population of the USA. This is the english language v's american language. Not England V America. No I am not english but was taught the english language not american.

[Jingthing]

What a prat. Americans speak English. Deal with it. No, we will not pay you royalties.

[marsteele]

From the African American point of view.

When he is doing well: He is the first African-American president!

If he messes it up: Who the hel_l is that half-white guy?

(Credit, Wanda Sykes)

Yep I guess that will be true

[marsteele]

What a prat. Americans speak English. Deal with it. No, we will not pay you royalties.

I'm an aussie throw me a beer and we call it even.

[Texpat]

I agree with you Jing, regarding US English being more widely accepted than Brit English.

But to follow it further, Indian (dot, not feather) English speakers are approaching the number in the US if you subtract Mexicans who don't speak English.

I wouldn't wish that misfortune on my worst enemies. You'd think that after 200 years of occupation, the Brits could have done a better job of teaching the Indians.

Oh well.

Edited May 16, 2009 by Texpat

[otherstuff1957]

I am not being racist they have had some great playwrites like William Skakespear

That's a great joke post marsteele, until I got to the last line I thought that you were serious.

Edited May 16, 2009 by otherstuff1957

[Texpat]

I thought it rather lacking in humor and creativity. But par for the coarse.

C-

Edited May 16, 2009 by Texpat

[marsteele]

I am not being racist they have had some great playwrites like William Skakespear

That's a great joke post marsteele, until I got to the last line I thought that you were serious.

Crickey a cob who didn't let the roos spoil the billabong.

I person who can read between the lines. Yes we aussie can destroy the english language with the best of them. We must all admit tho there is one true english language and it must be taught correctly in the 1st instance

[Texpat]

Nigeria has more native English speaking citizens than the UK.

[PeaceBlondie]

I moved these off-topic posts here because they does not belong in Teaching Forum.

[beano2274]

Well just think if the vote would have gone the other way, then the Americans would have been speaking German.

I am British, and a teacher, when I teach English I make it a point to tell my students the differences between the two.

Remember we teach English, and there are two dialects - American and British.

Also 96% of the American Population speaks English

but 98% of the UK Population speak English.

[beano2274]

Nigeria has more native English speaking citizens than the UK.

That is because the population is bigger, check the percentages

Country and percentage of total speakers of English

America 96%

India 8%

Nigeria 53%

Philippines 52%

Canada 85%

Australia 92%

Singapore 91%

Check wikipedia

[beano2274]

And am not anti-American, we all speak the English language, but our dialects are different.

[StreetCowboy]

had some consultants out from scotland to support a job 10 years back.............. poor thai's could not understand a word he said.

Nee Bother ! (ended up not paying the bill from UK head office who assured me they spoke clear english before coming out )

wassapro'm jimmy?d'ye no ken English? M'inglishisbrawman!

[StreetCowboy]

That is just like saying your thai is better that that os a thai. My son had an American english teacher pulled him away from the american real fast so did a number of other parents he was soon dismissed from the school as he was teaching the american version and not correct english.

Would you like to try that again?

Never mind.

Speaking like you've got a mouthful of marbles does nobody any favors. I'll take Obama's diction over Brown's any day.

They're both (Brown and Obama) quite well spoken. I doubt many people have any trouble with either. But I dn't understand the relevance of the marbles for a man brought up in Kirkcaldy. He needs to speak carefully and clearly, working South of the Tweed

SC

[tb86]

Well just think if the vote would have gone the other way, then the Americans would have been speaking German.

I am British, and a teacher, when I teach English I make it a point to tell my students the differences between the two.

Remember we teach English, and there are two dialects - American and British.

Also 96% of the American Population speaks English

but 98% of the UK Population speak English.

what vote?

if it wasnt for the Americans the French and English would be speaking german , no?

Anyways who cares, there are plenty of Americans that speak poor English, and a equal ammount of English that cant speak their own language correctly.

[WarpSpeed]

I would prefer my child to be taught by an irishman than an american. Just look at how the americans have changed the english language and the spelling. There is American english and there is english. I want my child to learn english not american

Over the years I've had dozens of Thais remark that my spoken English is far more understandable than others from UK, Oz, NZ or Ireland.

"R"s are not evil. It's OK to pronounce them.

"U"s are overused. Delete them when they add nothing.

English is capitalized when referring to the language. Youf today don't know noffin.

Yep, that's been my take too...heard it plenty of times..

[StreetCowboy]

I thought it rather lacking in humor and creativity. But par for the coarse.

C-

That has got to be the subtlest put-down I've seen on Thaivisa, but would have been better without the unnecessary first opinionated sentence.

I'll certainly be using that one again

SC

[suegha]

What is this thread about???

[Emeritus]

What is this thread about???

I believe it's about tomatoes, how to slice them.

[Jungian]

had some consultants out from scotland to support a job 10 years back.............. poor thai's could not understand a word he said.

Nee Bother ! (ended up not paying the bill from UK head office who assured me they spoke clear english before coming out )

There are plenty of people from parts of England with hard-to-understand accents. There are people from parts of the US with similarly difficult accents.

Yes, indeed try to understand someone with a thick accent from Minnesota or Alabama. I was once accused by a girl from Manchester visiting Chiang Mai of being from London! I told her I was from Pennsylvania USA and she laughed and told me I could never pass as an American... I show her my ID and she still didn't believe me. I ran in to some people from the South West US when I first arrived in Thailand who insisted I was from Canada. I guess it comes down to this, I have an extensive education (I'm not bragging I could not make up my mind what I wanted to do, I'm just saying this is my reasoning) I spent 12 years in university in various countries with various accents, I studied American literature and British literature as electives and somewhere along the line I lost the Philly accent (and that's a good thing). I'm not an English teacher and I would have no clue how to teach English, my written English is horrible especially because I tend to use a mix of "American English" and "British English" and watching BBC TV doesn't help, I think I'm more up to date on UK slang than I am on US slang. In any event I have found Scotland to have the clearest annunciation along the way.