Why is English the Universal Language of A.S.E.A.N?

[StreetCowboy]

Since we've digressed into bickering and complaining about how other people speak English, is it too late to put in an empassioned plea to my fellow posters to use the 2nd person singular when appropriate. Thou shalt not use "you" when you are speaking to individuals.

Or do we just have to accept that the British, as well as Johnny Foreigner colonial cousins, bodge the language as they see fit to suit the fashio nand whim of the time, even to the extent of distinguishing lower-case 's' and 'f', as was so rarely done in days gone by.

I've heard it told that American pronunciation is probably more like the 18th century English from which it is derived than is the current British pronunciation, and similarly Quebecois to Old French, and the desire for Brits to tell Americans how to speak is merely a desire to be the boss and imperial master - perhaps they would be better speaking German*, in that case.

* stereotype applied with no ill will intended, and I accept that the young Germans I met when I was young were as liberal and broad-minded as the next man (depending on exactly who they were stood beside)

[hugh2121]

My stepson has recently brought home an English text book from school for study. To my great surprise it is written in true English, not American. Americans masquerade by calling very many text books English when they are not written in English at all but American which is a bastardised version of the language much like pigeon English. If Americans want to produce language books please name them for what they are. They are not English but American. Both pronunciation and spelling are different. This is always going to be a problem for people trying to learn the language.

ASEAN have declared their official language to be English. I wonder if it really will be.

It doesn't really matter too much. I do agree that Americans speak English in a slightly different way but please don't forget the English accent varies enormously within the UK itself. If you are talking about "The Queens English" well it is only really spoken across London and the immediate surrounding counties, so actually English spoken that way is very rare, at least by global standards.

My accent is North London / Hertfordshire so I sit in that camp of the Queens English and I would love to hear it spoken, but unlikely I'm afraid.

Any English person can understand American and vice versa, the only exception being very heavy accents, but again this applies both ways. So it isn't too important at the end of the day, we can understand each other and communicate effectively.

I'm not talking regional accents or dialects or even the American drawl here. I'm talking about deliberate misspelling mainly but also the mispronunciation that comes with it (and without). e.g. if plough should be spelt plow, how should blow be pronounced. Even my Microsoft spell checker has flagged plow. If a lever should be pronounced lever, what about Saturday Night Fev(v)er? Reading books by American authors, I wondered for a long time what a stoop was but I still have no idea what a stucco wall is. I now avoid American authors.

After talking about this with English friends, it was suggested that I search in Youtube for "why are americans so stupid" (sorry but that's the title). Frightening!

A language needs to hold-on to its traditions, especially the quaint clash between spelling and pronunciation.

Yes, "plough" pronounced “plow”, sure, why not? Just how should you pronounce that silly little letter combination "ough"? Well, let's see, enough (uff), through (oo), though (long O), bough (ow), trough (off), thought (ott) . . . oh, you get the idea.

So, why not make spelling more sensible? Maybe even break out of the envelope and, oh, I don’t know; spell them the way you pronounce them?

Because the word "lever" is properly pronounced, "lee-ver" with the long "E" sound. One should spell your pronunciation of the word, "levver" with the short "E" sound.

Ah, those enormously curious words, like “stoop” and “stucco” should be banned, because they are American. Yes, isn’t that a shame, Americans, how dare they try to coin new words.

Hmmmm, Americans are so stupid; yes, that must be true, it is on YouTube. That must be why they pay us more than Brits.

However, all is not lost, you may learn something; if you keep reading American authors.

Spell and pronounce words any way you like. Even invent new words if you must. But don't call it English, it's not!!!!

YouTube carries several videos of ordinary Americans interviewed in the street. The responses to uncomplicated questions is incredible and undeniable. The sheer beauty of the English language will always be lost on those who are too lazy to learn it.

Examples: one American said Obama is in his third term,

several others could not name a country beginning with the letter U (United States of America???)

However, my original post was, I believe taken out of context. It was intended to highlight the fact that there are English books and American books being used by some schools. Both claim to be English. They contain different spellings. This is bound to confuse students trying to learn English or American as a foreign language. I believe American books should cease claiming to be teaching English and own up in their titles to being what they are...American. This would enable schools to select what they want to teach and would let students know which language they are learning.

Edited November 13, 2015 by hugh2121

[i claudius]

All my wife's nieces and nephews speak English,the 4 children in our street speak it,their parents say it is an absolute must,luckily our son in his early years went to school in England ,now he is leaving uni soon ,he has been offered quite a few jobs ,for that main reason ,he speaks English like I do

[fang37]

Where I live NE of CNX, there may be 30 expats.

Generally, the locals have zero interest in learning the basics of English.

BKK Bank - zero

LOTUS - zero

I/O - zero

Children - no interest

Teachers - similar or incapable

But there have been a few surprises ie a pharmacy & a furniture shop.

[Fabricus]

YouTube carries several videos of ordinary Americans interviewed in the street. The responses to uncomplicated questions is incredible and undeniable. The sheer beauty of the English language will always be lost on those who are too lazy to learn it.

Examples: one American said Obama is in his third term, several others could not name a country beginning with the letter U (United States of America???)

Those videos are probably staged.

Even so, you'll find similar ignorance in the UK (and elsewhere, for that matter).

[masuk]

My adopted Thai son teaches Advanced Thai Language. 7 years ago I asked him to teach me Thai. He laughed and told me: "Don't waist your time. Learn things you might need, but as for learning how to speak it fluently? Forget it, as 90% of Thai can't speak or write it correctly."

He also believes that the Thai government/elite don't want Thai to learn English, as it might "wake them up" to what's actually going on in the world.

"Keep the peasants ignorant"

Mao Tse Tung

[hugh2121]

YouTube carries several videos of ordinary Americans interviewed in the street. The responses to uncomplicated questions is incredible and undeniable. The sheer beauty of the English language will always be lost on those who are too lazy to learn it.

Examples: one American said Obama is in his third term, several others could not name a country beginning with the letter U (United States of America???)

Those videos are probably staged.

Even so, you'll find similar ignorance in the UK (and elsewhere, for that matter).

Are you suggesting that an American TV interviewer would deliberately lie to his audience? No!!! Surely not!!!

There may be a degree of ignorance in other countries I agree. However, the morons in other countries do not have a vote for the man who has his finger on the trigger of probably the biggest nuclear arsenal in the world. That is what is frightening.