American & British English In Thailand

[Murf]

Has Arabic taken over Britian yet?

If it hasn't, it won't be long.

[endure]

Has Arabic taken over Britian yet?

If it hasn't, it won't be long.

There are approximately 500,000 Arabs in the UK. Why do you think we'll all be speaking Arabic soon?

[sirchai]

Has Arabic taken over Britian yet?

If it hasn't, it won't be long.

There are approximately 500,000 Arabs in the UK. Why do you think we'll all be speaking Arabic soon?

Maybe because you were so close to speak German many years ago?------

[transam]

Has Arabic taken over Britian yet?

If it hasn't, it won't be long.

There are approximately 500,000 Arabs in the UK. Why do you think we'll all be speaking Arabic soon?

It's in the agenda.

[gemiscorp]

From what I understand, the goal of the English language education sector in Thailand is for Thais to learn English. It isn't to learn a specific variant of English. I would argue that any well-read native speaker (of English) will have familiarity with the different forms of English. As a speaker of American English, if I am teaching a class from a book using British English, I make sure to note differences where they occur. A quick example of this is when in a book using BE students are taught "I have got," I also teach them that in AE, we say "I have."

More importantly, I don't pressure my students. I tell them to just use whichever version they are most comfortable with. I do ask, however, that they attempt to stick with one version - my own teachers back home had told us we could write essays using BE, but if we did so, not to mix AE with them.

All in all, I think it is very important for Thais learning English to be exposed to as many variants as possible. The three main variants of English (American, British, and Australian) are all equal in importance. As far as Canadian English is concerned, it seems to be more or less a mix of American English and British English, eh?

So, what's my point? No version of English is more important than the other and students can only be helped by having teachers who speak various forms of English.

[gemiscorp]

<snipped>

Pissed is also a good one. Pissed in real English is drunk.

Real English???!!!

Well, English was a kind of established in the UK. Didn't mean that they know more about the language than others------

How far back are you going? If we go back far enough, we find that English (or that which became English) is not native to England. The word "English" is derived from the Angles, who did not come from England originally.

As an American, I find the debate on which place speaks "proper English" a bit ludicrous. A lot of my British friends/colleagues like to claim Americans don't speak properly...yet they seem to ignore that the people who brought English to America were from England. Did those people cease to speak English properly when they arrived in America?

BTW, Americans use the phrase "piss drunk."

[TommoPhysicist]

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

Got or gotten should never be used in British English, very common.

[NeverSure]

Well, English was a kind of established in the UK. Didn't mean that they know more about the language than others------

Yeah, that William Shakespeare really had it down pat, didn't he, LOL. Ever try to read the King James Bible, LOL?

Edited October 6, 2012 by NeverSure

[chonabot]

. A lot of my British friends/colleagues like to claim Americans don't speak properly...yet they seem to ignore that the people who brought English to America were from England. Did those people cease to speak English properly when they arrived in America?

Apparently the English used at that time was pretty much the same both sides of the pond. However it continued to develop/evolve in the UK and did not change much in the USA.

Edited October 9, 2012 by Scott
formatting

[kblaze]

I think Brits and Americans will naturally teach more in line with what they are used to, but the good thing is that the differences are not so much that students get utterly confused (at least in my exp), usually they will ask about z in realize or other small things and I teach them both ways, but I never say one is more correct than the other.

Personally, one of the greatest things about living here is that I am exposed to all these differences. I love em all. I find the British English fascinating and I am constantly asking my British colleague about the differences.

Edited October 9, 2012 by kblaze

[Rorri]

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

[Kilgore Trout]

 

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

 

 

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

So "what have you got?" Is wrong?

Whats the correct way to say it?

In US we say "what do you have?"

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Rorri]

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

So "what have you got?" Is wrong?

Whats the correct way to say it?

In US we say "what do you have?"

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"What do you have?" is NOT uniquely US, I really don't understand your comment. I would like to point out that in the US you have a show, "America's Got Talent," so your comment is incorrect, the US does use the "got" word.

Edited November 20, 2013 by Rorri

[transam]

Gotten in English is little used, got is OK. In fact never heard gotten (I am English). Sounds German to me.

American English is very different to English English, toooooooo many abbreviated words are taught. BUT, if someone wants to sound American and not English, thats OK I suppose.

[Kilgore Trout]

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

So "what have you got?" Is wrong?
Whats the correct way to say it?
In US we say "what do you have?"

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"What do you have?" is NOT uniquely US, I really don't understand your comment.

I hear british people all the time say what has she got, what have you got etc, however you stated it is incorrect. I think it is correct.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Kilgore Trout]

 

 

 

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

 

 

 

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

 

So "what have you got?" Is wrong?

Whats the correct way to say it?

In US we say "what do you have?"

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

 

"What do you have?" is NOT uniquely US, I really don't understand your comment. I would like to point out that in the US you have a show, "America's Got Talent," so your comment is incorrect, the US does use the "got" word.

I never said Americsns dont use got, you said British don't, however I think they do

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Rorri]

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

So "what have you got?" Is wrong?

Whats the correct way to say it?

In US we say "what do you have?"

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"What do you have?" is NOT uniquely US, I really don't understand your comment.

I hear british people all the time say what has she got, what have you got etc, however you stated it is incorrect. I think it is correct.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

There is nothing in my comments that say that its usage in Britain is incorrect. What I said is that when I went to school, in Australia, we were told not to use "got" I also corrected your comment saying that it is not used in the US, when in fact it is.

[transam]

Must confess that ''got'' is not good English, but it is OK, but not good English.

[Kilgore Trout]

 

 

 

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

 

 

 

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

 

So "what have you got?" Is wrong?

Whats the correct way to say it?

In US we say "what do you have?"

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

 

"What do you have?" is NOT uniquely US, I really don't understand your comment. 

I hear british people all the time say what has she got, what have you got etc, however you stated it is incorrect. I think it is correct.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

There is nothing in my comments that say that its usage in Britain is incorrect. What I said is that when I went to school, in Australia, we were told not to use "got" I also corrected your comment saying that it is not used in the US, when in fact it is. 

Are you high? Have anothet read there buddy:lol:

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[attrayant]

To the OP: I don't think it matters. I'm American and I make it a point to introduce my students to the variations between American and British English whenever an example arises. The students seem to become more interested when they learn that a language can be legitimately spoken in different ways depending on the region of its speakers.

On the got/gotten issue: According to the Cambridge Dictionary (British English tab selected), 'got' is the past simple and past participle of 'get'. Do you also have objections to using 'get'?

For those who are saying that "got" sounds wrong, how would you say "I got a letter from my mother yesterday"?

Do these usages sound 'wrong' to British ears? If so, what would you say instead? In some cases, 'have' or 'has' might work, but it sounds stuffy and pompous to me. Some of these usages 'got' carries special meaning or feeling that would be lost with 'have' or 'has'.

He's got a bad reputation for carelessness

I got my mother's permission

He got measles from his sister

Let's get dinner at the inn (We got dinner at the inn)

Go get a pencil from the desk (I got a pencil from the desk)

He quickly got his luggage through customs

Get that mangy dog out of my house

He got his feet wet

I got fired from my job

He got his comeuppance

Her attitude really got to me

I don't get it (I've got it!)

She finally got them to tidy up their room

You've got to see that movie!

I got question #4 wrong on the exam

My last car got 20 miles to the gallon

We all got into the car

Get in trouble / he got in trouble with the police

Edited November 20, 2013 by attrayant

[SlyAnimal]

As a kiwi, I think I'm in a good position to see both sides of the coin. Since although New Zealand English is more similar to UK English than American, it's generally interchangeable since we are a small country, so American media influences us a lot.

In school we're generally taught the UK English spellings, but often aren't too fussed on which one we use.

For those who are saying that "got" sounds wrong, how would you say "I got a letter from my mother yesterday"?

I received a letter from my mother yesterday

Although I wouldn't have any problems with using got, instead of received. Likewise I would have no problems using the word gotten, it seems weird to me that people would think that either or these two words "real" English.

I think that some of you guys are confusing a teacher teaching you "Don't use got", with "Don't use got, because it's a weak word". As it's a "weak" or non specific word, but there is nothing wrong with using it. "Strong", more specific, words which could replace it might be:

He's got a bad reputation for carelessness - He has

I got my mother's permission - I received / I was granted

He got measles from his sister - He was infected with measles

Let's get dinner at the inn (We got dinner at the inn) - Let's have / We had / Let's eat / We ate

Go get a pencil from the desk (I got a pencil from the desk) - Go and grab a pencil / I grabbed a pencil from the desk

He quickly got his luggage through customs - He quickly passed his luggage through customs

Get that mangy dog out of my house - Take that mangy dog out of my house!

He got his feet wet

I got fired from my job - I was fired from my job

He got his comeuppance - He received

Her attitude really got to me - Her attitude really annoyed me / bothered me

I don't get it (I've got it!) - I don't understand it (I understand it! / I have it / I'm infected by it / I'll catch it / I'll handle it)

She finally got them to tidy up their room - She finally made them tidy up her room / She finally convinced them to tidy up her room

You've got to see that movie! - You have to see this movie!

I got question #4 wrong on the exam

My last car got 20 miles to the gallon - My last car travelled 20 miles for every 3.78541 litres of petrol

We all got into the car - We all jumped into the car / We all hopped into the car

Get in trouble / he got in trouble with the police

A couple there I couldn't think of alternatives off the top of my head (without changing the sentence completely), and a few of the ones I did think of do sound a little "awkward", but that's possibly because I'm so used to saying things in a certain way (I often use get/got). But the main thing I want to point out, is that you don't have to use got/get/gotten all the time, but likewise there's nothing wrong with using it either.

[chonabot]

Is there a difference between the two, other than the accent and "color" in AE is spelled "colour" in BE? I've noticed on Facebook, under languages spoken, it lists Australian English as one of the choices. I'm curious to know what the differences are.

Along this same subject, does it matter if an English teacher seeking a job in Thailand speaks American English, British English, or Australian English?

One of the big differences I have noticed is in grammar. British will say "I have got...." whereas in American English you never use "got" this way. "I have...." is correct. But Americans use "gotten" which I rarely hear British use.

Have never been to England, I am Australian, and I remember in school we were told we should not use "got," so I am not sure whether your comment is correct.

So "what have you got?" Is wrong?

Whats the correct way to say it?

In US we say "what do you have?"

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"What do you have?" is NOT uniquely US, I really don't understand your comment. I would like to point out that in the US you have a show, "America's Got Talent," so your comment is incorrect, the US does use the "got" word.

I never said Americsns dont use got, you said British don't, however I think they do

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

This is a British show - I suppose they would need to use the same terminology as the original one

[Slip]

As a kiwi, I think I'm in a good position to see both sides of the coin. Since although New Zealand English is more similar to UK English than American, it's generally interchangeable since we are a small country, so American media influences us a lot.

In school we're generally taught the UK English spellings, but often aren't too fussed on which one we use.

For those who are saying that "got" sounds wrong, how would you say "I got a letter from my mother yesterday"?

I received a letter from my mother yesterday

Although I wouldn't have any problems with using got, instead of received. Likewise I would have no problems using the word gotten, it seems weird to me that people would think that either or these two words "real" English.

I think that some of you guys are confusing a teacher teaching you "Don't use got", with "Don't use got, because it's a weak word". As it's a "weak" or non specific word, but there is nothing wrong with using it. "Strong", more specific, words which could replace it might be:

He's got a bad reputation for carelessness - He has

I got my mother's permission - I received / I was granted

He got measles from his sister - He was infected with measles

Let's get dinner at the inn (We got dinner at the inn) - Let's have / We had / Let's eat / We ate

Go get a pencil from the desk (I got a pencil from the desk) - Go and grab a pencil / I grabbed a pencil from the desk

He quickly got his luggage through customs - He quickly passed his luggage through customs

Get that mangy dog out of my house - Take that mangy dog out of my house!

He got his feet wet

I got fired from my job - I was fired from my job

He got his comeuppance - He received

Her attitude really got to me - Her attitude really annoyed me / bothered me

I don't get it (I've got it!) - I don't understand it (I understand it! / I have it / I'm infected by it / I'll catch it / I'll handle it)

She finally got them to tidy up their room - She finally made them tidy up her room / She finally convinced them to tidy up her room

You've got to see that movie! - You have to see this movie!

I got question #4 wrong on the exam

My last car got 20 miles to the gallon - My last car travelled 20 miles for every 3.78541 litres of petrol

We all got into the car - We all jumped into the car / We all hopped into the car

Get in trouble / he got in trouble with the police

A couple there I couldn't think of alternatives off the top of my head (without changing the sentence completely), and a few of the ones I did think of do sound a little "awkward", but that's possibly because I'm so used to saying things in a certain way (I often use get/got). But the main thing I want to point out, is that you don't have to use got/get/gotten all the time, but likewise there's nothing wrong with using it either.

To add more on this: I was brought up by my mother (in Southern England from '70 onwards) not to say 'got'. It was a word with a meaning, but one that should be avoided. I well remember being told constantly 'don't say 'got' say 'have'. (Along with 'nice','seeya' and many others). Interestingly the ones that you have not been able to replace, I can't either, so it's definitely a word that got used Of course these days even my mum doesn't object to it, because the language has evolved. Mind you, didn't the verb 'to get' in English use to mean 'to impregnate'? I have never in my life heard someone from the UK say 'gotten'.

Language definitely does and will evolve. Other stuff that I was taught like 'never start a sentence with and, but or because, don't split infinitives, the proper uses of owing to/due to, don't end a sentence with a preposition', and so on, and so on, and so on, seem to have gone by the way-side now. I think that this is largely due to the influence of American English, but it is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just change. The text book manufacturers seen to have made a choice too. I have two different sets of books published by Oxford University Press (in America) which use American English- "Well of course", you might say, but this is what is being used to teach the language worldwide in EFL environments, and it's a British institution of some note that is doing it.

I'm forever complaining in my classes about how the Americans are killing my language, but we have a laugh about it, and it highlights that there are differences. As others have said they do, I highlight the differences and ask them to make a choice about which version they want to use.

I seem to remember the goal of the early English grammarians was not to control how people spoke, but to provide a framework to understand what was being said to you, or summat like that.