Who speaks better English?
Better English: Brits or Americans
all britishers sound very dialectal 2 me (cockney, brummie, scouse, estuary, geordie, bristolese)...
Clearly, RP English is the best variety around. All the others (including GAE) are second rate.
I think people's answers are going to be directly related to which dialect they happen to speak. In reality neither one is inherently better, just different. The most annoying arguments come from Europeans who claim their dialect is superior because it's the original. Of course their logic is based on two flawed assumptions; 1.) That being original makes it better (it doesn't) and 2.) That their version is the original (it isn't).
im with E-Rock. the only way you can discern if one variety is better than the other is by some arbitrary point. the only way i can think a language can be better is if it does a better job of communicating than the other [look at the irony there! ha!]
>>The most annoying arguments come from Europeans who claim their dialect is superior because it's the original. Of course their logic is based on two flawed assumptions; 1.) That being original makes it better (it doesn't) and 2.) That their version is the original (it isn't). <<
most annoying arguments ever!
>>The most annoying arguments come from Europeans who claim their dialect is superior because it's the original. Of course their logic is based on two flawed assumptions; 1.) That being original makes it better (it doesn't) and 2.) That their version is the original (it isn't). <<
most annoying arguments ever!
Well, the English probably think they speak the "best" English of all speakers of OUR language, irrespective of which part of the world they may happen to put down roots, but our lovely Englishmen friends being just what they are, bless their wee Sassenach hearts, and I really do have some fantabulous English mates, often regard these "roots" as pretty tenuous at the best of times....no matter where they land in the hopes of seeking "pastures new" they never, ever, really really feel they "belong" in their newly adopted "homelands" no matter what....there is always a part of them which remains back home in England's green and pleasant pastures, where things will always remind them of home - like marmite covered toast spread with real toasted cheddar cheese, decent, real back bacon sarnies (that's sandwiches to the non Brits in this forum), pub grub including a traditional English ploughmans with all the trimmings washed down by decent beer, preferably warm! and often scoffed outside in the pub garden overlooking the village pond with swans gliding by, international Rugby from Twickenham or the Cup Final from Wembley, a Test Match at Lords, the Grand National from Aintree, fresh strawberries and cream on the terraces during the Wimbledon tennis fortnight (that's Britspeak meaning two weeks), the University Boat Race between Putney Bridge and Mortlake, in south west London - a row of four miles on the River Thames each spring, watching the sun rise at Stonehenge on Midsummer Day, the view from the cliff tops at Dover or from Land's End on a stormy day, the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, University Challenge even if it's chaired by Jeremy Paxman!, Corrie, Emmerdale, The Archers of Ambridge on BBC Radio 4, Songs of Praise on BBC1, the State Opening of Parliament by The Queen, Trooping the Colour from Horse Guards Parade, Prime Minister's Question Time from the House of Commons each Wednesday, all the Hunts which continue to be held all over England in spite of the present ******* 'orrible Labour Government's "ban" on foxhunting, (General Elections!!!!! YAY!! Power to the People over Politicians - we can always vote the buggers out as Democracy rules!!), wet and rainy English days when village fetes have to be held in village halls or community centres and local cricket has to be abandoned, traffic jams on the infamous M25 and hold ups at Spaghetti Junction, unarmed coppers on the streets (that's police officers to all non Brits in this forum), dog shows, WI shows (Women's Institute to all non Brits in this forum) and their weekly meetings where the ladies always sing "Jerusalem" at the start of each meeting (And Did Those Feet in Ancient Times Walk Upon England's Pastures Green and Was the Holy Lamb of God on England's Pleasant Pasture's Seen!), corner shops, Marks and Spencer's fabulous Food Halls, fish and chips and hot, hot, hot curry takeaways, the Chelsea Flower Show, street markets, fairs, walks along the seaside promenades and along the piers, bands playing the in the parks on Sunday afternoons, cheese rolling down a hillside in Gloucestershire Cotswolds, Morris Dancers on the village green - always outside a pub, - and British TV, apparently the best in the world according to these expatriate Englishmen in hot and sunny climates abroad pining for cool (in the literal sense as well as the funky sense!) Old England in spite of its many problems - the BBC TV channels are financed by licence payers (every household with a TV set has to pay for this licence and not commercially so BBC TV has none of the incessant, and very intrusive and to many people intensely irritating advertising breaks which plague TV programs elsewhere in the world.
So no matter how long these Englishmen remain in foreign lands they will always remain Englishmen at heart....the Englishman:
"For in spite of all temptations
To belong to other nations....
He remains an Englishman....he remains an Englishman!"
(Gilbert and Sullivan - "HMS Pinafore")
Maybe these very English sounding "Australians" are such Englishmen, remaining very much Englishmen even though they are now in that far off land on the other side of the planet, far removed from green, green grass of home and warm beer in village pubs and train delays on the Piccadilly Underground Line (that's subway/metro to all non Brits in this forum) due to an unforeseen signals failure at Earl's Court tube station.....or essential maintenance work on the West Coast main railway line between Wigan and Preston......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2r9t6l_eE8&feature=related
So no matter how long these Englishmen remain in foreign lands they will always remain Englishmen at heart....the Englishman:
"For in spite of all temptations
To belong to other nations....
He remains an Englishman....he remains an Englishman!"
(Gilbert and Sullivan - "HMS Pinafore")
Maybe these very English sounding "Australians" are such Englishmen, remaining very much Englishmen even though they are now in that far off land on the other side of the planet, far removed from green, green grass of home and warm beer in village pubs and train delays on the Piccadilly Underground Line (that's subway/metro to all non Brits in this forum) due to an unforeseen signals failure at Earl's Court tube station.....or essential maintenance work on the West Coast main railway line between Wigan and Preston......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2r9t6l_eE8&feature=related
Damian... Go write in a blog or something, or write a book for goodness sake, surely some old nostalgic hags will read it... but don't post it on a forum that hasn't got shit all to do with it...
Haha, power to the people... you love democracy so much but if real democracy were to arrive you'd be the first to bawl and whinge when the UK voted itself out of the EU by a massive majority. No more Europa! Haha!
Haha, power to the people... you love democracy so much but if real democracy were to arrive you'd be the first to bawl and whinge when the UK voted itself out of the EU by a massive majority. No more Europa! Haha!
American English is the way English should be spoken. SO of course, American.
American English because it's closer to the original (15th century English).
"is the way English should be spoken"
Based on what exactly?
Because you speak it and everyone should be like you?
In my career as an English teacher I have found that Americans are far more likely to insist that their version of English is the 'correct' one. English people are ready to accept that there are 2 versions of English.
Based on what exactly?
Because you speak it and everyone should be like you?
In my career as an English teacher I have found that Americans are far more likely to insist that their version of English is the 'correct' one. English people are ready to accept that there are 2 versions of English.
Edward Teach,
I find that extremely unlikely. The idea that European dialects are superior based on originality is alive and well in the old country. Infact, it can also be found amongst speakers of non-European dialects. BTW, if the previous posters truly believe American English is superior than they are jackasses but something tells me they are just trying to get a rise out of others.
I find that extremely unlikely. The idea that European dialects are superior based on originality is alive and well in the old country. Infact, it can also be found amongst speakers of non-European dialects. BTW, if the previous posters truly believe American English is superior than they are jackasses but something tells me they are just trying to get a rise out of others.