Differences between American & British English

Xatufan   Monday, May 17, 2004, 01:01 GMT
Wow! That was a low punch from Kayla to the Britons. A fight in Internet! Who's going to win? Stay tuned...
Xatufan   Monday, May 17, 2004, 01:11 GMT
I think Kayla thinks that the word "chemist's" is old fashioned, and maybe it is. But what about "drugstore"? It sounds like a group of teenagers selling their TVs to pedlars in order to smoke marihuana (but Tylenol can be a drug too).
Iain   Monday, May 17, 2004, 04:50 GMT
Sorry to disagree with you Kayle, but the accents vary little across the US compared to the UK. I'd say that there is more variation on a short trip from Liverpool-Manchester-Sheffield-Leeds-Newcastle (about 100 miles or so) than across the entire USA.

I'm not trying to suggest that makes English people superiour, it's just the way things are.

I've been to over 30 US states and the greatest difference to my English ears was going from Texas across to Florida when the famous souhern drawl becomes more pronounced.

BTW, one thing which is definately better in the US is the distinct lack of "txt spk t@ kds r in luv wiv" which irritates the hell out of me.
Ryan   Monday, May 17, 2004, 06:06 GMT
There are many different accents in the United States, but it's not like the UK where you can go to the next town down the road and people will have a slightly different accent.
Boy   Monday, May 17, 2004, 17:56 GMT
<<boy, do you know what those slang terms mean. where are you from.>>

To mack,

Yes. I know what they mean. They are common slang terms. I'm from Pakistan.
Eugenia   Monday, May 17, 2004, 20:47 GMT
Ian: Accents don't vary little in the USA, you just don't get them. ''I'm not trying to suggest that makes English people superiour, it's just the way things are''. Just the way things are??? Came on! Be a little bit more open minded!!!!! Nobody knows ''HOW THE THINGS ARE'' You don't live in the USA and you can not know ''how things are'' (Sorry If I'm being a bit rude, it's not my intention)
Xatufan: ¿Che que?
Ben   Monday, May 17, 2004, 21:03 GMT
Part of the problem is that people recognize differences in the regionalisms of their own country more than others. As American, I am able to distinguish the difference between Northern English and Southern English accents. But frankly, Iain, I would really have to listen closely to discern the difference between a Leeds and Manchester dialect.

I am also an American who firmly believes that the traditional notion that Britain has far more dialects than the US is nonsense. If you include Scotland, Wales and Ireland, well, yes, that would be the case, but those are areas that spoke completely languages at one point or another, and it's therefore not an apt comparison.
Iain   Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 04:33 GMT
I've lived in the US for almost 4 years and don't notice a great deal of difference between say Oregon and Montana or Texas and Oklahoma. Or New York and New Jersey for that matter.

I'm amazed that someone cannot tell the difference between Manchester and Leeds. Maybe you should travel to those places?
Ryan   Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 07:41 GMT
Texas has (at least) the following accents alone--

Dallas area
Houston area
East Texas
West Texas
Panhandle
South Texas (strong hispanic influence)

But to an outsider's ears, they probably all sound about the same.
Jo   Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 14:21 GMT
isnt it fair to say that the US and ther UK probably dont differ too much in the amount of accents they have, but its somewhat more noticeable in the UK because they change so greatly in such short distances?

to say the british accent is boring is just plain ridiculous- its not just a matter of opinion- but of logic- it would be like saying films are boring- youd have to be much more specific to make sense.
Jo   Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 14:26 GMT
Texas has (at least) the following accents alone--

Dallas area
Houston area
East Texas
West Texas
Panhandle
South Texas (strong hispanic influence)





when you consider just how large texas is though- is that really that impressive?




I am also an American who firmly believes that the traditional notion that Britain has far more dialects than the US is nonsense. If you include Scotland, Wales and Ireland, well, yes, that would be the case.



Why would you not include ireland, scotland and wales? are they not part of Britain? (rhetorical- im english- i know they obviously are! :-))
mjd   Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 20:55 GMT
Jo said:

"Why would you not include ireland, scotland and wales? are they not part of Britain? (rhetorical- im english- i know they obviously are! :-))"

Northern Ireland...yes

The Republic of Ireland....no
Ryan   Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 22:42 GMT
I'm not arguing that the UK doesn't have more accents/dialects than the US, like others on here seem to be doing. That's pretty obvious to me. However, I take issue with the assertion that all Americans basically sound the same.
Xatufan   Wednesday, May 19, 2004, 03:16 GMT
To Eugenia:
¿Che qué? I thought you were from Argentina, or as we Spanish-speakers say, "creí que venías de Argentina". Che is the most famous word from the vartiety of Spanish spoken in Argentina, but it is never said in other varities of Spanish, except when referring to a person from Argentina (like Che Guevara). I think it means something like "friend", but in Italian is only "which" (or "que" in Sp.). Anyway, this shows that every language varies from region to region, like in English.
PS: I am also getting adicted to reading and writing in this Forum.
Sirako   Wednesday, May 19, 2004, 11:51 GMT
mjd Tuesday, May 18, 2004, 20:55 GMT
Jo said:

"Why would you not include ireland, scotland and wales? are they not part of Britain? (rhetorical- im english- i know they obviously are! :-))"

Northern Ireland...yes

The Republic of Ireland....no



I'm afraid that both Jo and Mjd are wrong. Ireland is separate from the island of Britain.

That Northern Ireland is currently under British administration does not make it part of Britain.

I suggest that our English friend check the cover of his British passport for proof of this.