Poll: American English or English English?

[Razzle Bathbone]

American vocabulary, English spelling. That's how we do it in Canada.

 

[Gamer137]

I object to the lack of Canadian English! We've got the British 'u's and the American 'z's. We're unique!

Does French happen to get into that mix as well at times?

I prefer American because although I think British sounds pretty cool at times, if I actually tried to speak it full time, it would not have the same flare.

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

I come from England and I use English.

Since English originally comes from England, the English are speaking what would be considered the 'original' English. The American's have taken the language and made alterations from slang developed over a century or 2.

So American English is just English with slang in effect.

See what I mean?

Let me tell you a truth, neither the English spoken in America nor the English spoken in Britain is more similar to the English spoken during the Middle Ages, or even when the first British colonies were founded.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I think the sticking point is in the original question.

There can be no such thing as "American English" because you wouldn't talk about Mersey English, you'd say Scouse.

If the languages were just called American and English, then there wouldn't be half the problems there are. However, by tacking on US to English, you're using a whole different language.

Any English speaker can differentiate any other English speaker, but most US English users can't, or won't, differentiate between the differing schools of English.

There are hundreds of variations of English used across the British Isles; and there has to be hundreds used across America/Canada etc.

US English is just an attempt to stamp their own trademark onto a language that's already bastardised, and as such is, at best, an infringement of copyright similar to Scrabalous, or whatever the facebook version is called.

English is spoken by the English, American is spoken by the Americans. JD.

I thought that's what the Boston Tea Party was all about.

That's why most of the English speaking world knows what a pensioner is, or a fruit machine, or an aubergine.

Not a senior citizen, slot machine or eggplant.

 

[revolverwolf]

Some sort of horrible bastard child of the two. Why? Because school taught me British and TV taught me American.

Put me in this catagory. But British English is dominant for me because I was born in England.

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

By the way, overly defensive Brits. Most of that was verifiable fact so don't dispute it. My opinions you can ***** about all you want.

No they can't. My thread, no flame-baiting. I won't report you, but you're opening a can of worms here.

I come from England and I use English.

Since English originally comes from England, the English are speaking what would be considered the 'original' English. The American's have taken the language and made alterations from slang developed over a century or 2.

So American English is just English with slang in effect.

Let me tell you a truth, neither the English spoken in America nor the English spoken in Britain is more similar to the English spoken during the Middle Ages.

I suppose if you wanted to prance about original English, we'll all go become fluent in Beowulf. But ultimately, it doesn't matter. The "English" we know is the awkward child of German and French, with lots of little who-sits and wha-sats stolen from other languages

Really, this is a preference thing. You can speak whatever dialect of English you'd like, because you can learn whatever dialect you like. Stop turning my thread into a who has a bigger Engl-is, and more into who uses what and why. This is a discussion, not a contest.

Although, a question to the Canadian/Australian/British/Non-American speakers out here, are there any phrases or sayings you've picked up from the American dialect, because it seems to be uniform "I've picked up some English expressions" from a lot of the American speakers, but no equivalent from the Non-Amies.

Also, apologies if I made this thread with option: American and option: Other, but I wasn't thinking too carefully on the topic. I'd rectify it if I could, but know that I'm not doing it 'cause I'm racist, I'm doing it because I'm stupid. =P

 

[vamp rocks]

I was born in England then moved to America at the age of 4... so I am a bit of both.. seeing as my parents use English English but I was taught American English.

 

[EeveeElectro]

Something that really annoys me is when someone British uses American words.

When they say something like; "I was at the mall, buying sneakers and my cell phone rang in the elevator"

I just stare at them until they slowly back away. I don't know why it annoys me so much.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

All in all what I find most annoying is when an Englishman mispronounces words and then claims his pronunciation is inheirently correct because "we invented the language."

Bang. Nail. Head. We don't 'mispronounce', we pronounce in our versions of English.

By the way, overly defensive Brits. Most of that was verifiable fact so don't dispute it. My opinions you can ***** about all you want.

As was said, there's no need to resort to flames. Different languages. Bath is pronounced both "Barth" and "Bahth" whilst still being English.

You may say "Potayto" or "Potahta", but the pronounciation is based around ethnicity. Spelling and Other words aren't.

 

[VeNT666]

tbh I think that the Americans should be glad we gave them a language at all!

 

[Hiddlebits]

Well i'm Welsh so i speak the merry "Wenglish" language which is generally different to both.
We tend to mangle phrases quite a bit, eg.

Where to you now? = Where are you now?
You awright but? = Are you ok mate?
I don't do nuffin wrong, ever! = I never do anything wrong, ever!
ect. ect.

I just realised that it's quite hard to type my accent out. Even though i don't speak like a retard like most people in my area, in fact my speech is considered quite posh.

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

All in all what I find most annoying is when an Englishman mispronounces words and then claims his pronunciation is inheirently correct because "we invented the language."

Bang. Nail. Head. We don't 'mispronounce', we pronounce in our versions of English.

Warped vowels come from accents, I'm talking about words like "schedule" which is mostly pronounced in England as something along the lines of "shezoo-ul" instead of "skedjool."

It's not so much that they mispronounce (and it is until they change the spelling) it's the argument that they usually give. "We invented it so we're right" is no better than saying only the Chinese can shoot guns properly because they invented them. "That's how I've always said it" would be less elitist and more accurate.

I guess that's British patriotism, they're cultural identity predisposes them to uplifting their own nation whenever possible.

Americans are more likely belittle others, maybe that has to do with being a superpower?

And British society is in general bitter about losing it's status as superpower, just like Arabic society.

Wow, tangent. I guess I apologize for not being more specific.

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

All in all what I find most annoying is when an Englishman mispronounces words and then claims his pronunciation is inheirently correct because "we invented the language."

Bang. Nail. Head. We don't 'mispronounce', we pronounce in our versions of English.

Warped vowels come from accents, I'm talking about words like "schedule" which is mostly pronounced in England as something along the lines of "shezoo-ul" instead of "skedjool."

It's not so much that they mispronounce (and it is until they change the spelling) it's the argument that they usually give. "We invented it so we're right" is no better than saying only the Chinese can shoot guns properly because they invented them. "That's how I've always said it" would be less elitist and more accurate.

I guess that's British patriotism, they're cultural identity predisposes them to uplifting their own nation whenever possible.

Americans are more likely belittle others, maybe that has to do with being a superpower?

And British society is in general bitter about losing it's status as superpower, just like Arabic society.

Wow, tangent. I guess I apologize for not being more specific.

Both of you, I said no flame-baiting to the other, both reported. We're keeping this thread clean, darnit, even if I have to stomp around shaking the angry thread-starter stick.

EDIT
If you must keep this "discussion" up, then go at it through messages. This isn't the place for it.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

You reported me for that?????? Grief man...a touch defensive.

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

You reported me for that?????? Grief man...a touch defensive.

Agreed

By the way, is your avatar from Doctor Who?

 

[Limasol]

I suppose I use American English... because I'm American. I anticipate many similar responses in this thread.

Also, I was under the impression that crêpes and pancakes were two entirely different things.

They are. Crepes are French, and can be savoury or sweet (mostly savoury from what I've seen, but I have seen sweet ones.) Pancakes (in my experience at least) are sweet. Both are made differently, from different ingredients, and look/taste different.
I use English English, because, well, I'm English. Living in Australia, the major differences I've noticed are in pronuciation- Aussies use a weird mix of American and British words/ pronunctiation.

actually they are pretty much the same and the stuff you put in them doesn't really define the pancake, scotch pancakes are the vastly different ones; sorta fluffy and soft rather than plat regular pancakes.

UK English here, i only every use American English when talking in an American accent for comic effect. In my time visiting the states i have never had trouble understanding so i can't say anything bad from my experience.

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

Grief man...a touch defensive.

Apologies,but the thread was both being derailed and the general call-to-stop ignored. I appreciate good discussion, but let's keep it on-topic without going at one another. And honestly, it was mostly Eldritch Warlord that was provoking, but you played off of him.

If you want to discuss, discuss. Everyone else, that's what PMs are for. Especially if you disagree with any above poster. Sorry gents, just trying to keep it clean.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

And I was just about to comment on the fact that an America/Britain topic hadnt turned into a 'your a bunch of dicks' shouting match

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

You reported me for that?????? Grief man...a touch defensive.

Agreed

By the way, is your avatar from Doctor Who?

The Vashta Nerada, yep. Also available at the London exhibition.

/tangent.

US English just bugs me because of the hold it tries to exert over normal English language. As a metaphor, what sound do frogs make?
If you said "croak", nope...because it's only the ones around Hollywood that croak. Frogs makes all sorts of noises, but if you ever see "What sound does a frog make?" (Even in England) it's a 'croak'.

That just shows how powerful the idea of US English is, and why people will fight to retain languages like "Pure" English, Scots or Celt. Same reason we still want the pound rather than the Euro. It's not just about patriotism, it's about not being engulfed with terms that are meaningless to us.

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

And I was just about to comment on the fact that an America/Britain topic hadnt turned into a 'your a bunch of dicks' shouting match

It'd be "you're," for the record. And all discussions turn into that eventually. I'm just clinging to whatever discussion I can get out of this while I can.