british or american english?

<<i studied british english so i would say that british english is easier. i know a bit of american english.. actually what the differences?? can somebody tell me>>

A few nouns, spellings and pronunciations. Standard English is much the same the world over. The example I use is that I watched American TV shows when I was 3 or 4 and understood them as well as any British ones.

hello ladies and gents.

The fact is, that the correct english is British english...period. The difference is that some "choose" to abuse the language less then others. (abuse = language have been altered and as a result ended up "poor" and "pale")

And there is no reason to take offence, both types has there charm and benefits. But the British english is "richer" then american english. And original is better then any "knock off". As are the examples below....

swedish spoken in sweden and swedish spoken in Finland (same as english VS american english).

Frensh spoken in France and Frensh spoken in Canada.
(same as english VS american english).

hmm...not strange at all.

Is your "richer" dialect now reforming the spelling of "French"? You'll have to pardon my ignorance; we get so little news of these refreshing developments on our distant and inferior shores....

Most native speakers of English are speakers of American English. American English is slightly closer to spelling because it is rhotic, and because some differences between American and British spelling more closely represent the actual pronunciation. Overall, the differences are small, however.

Most international commerce with native English speakers involves Americans, not the British, and on that basis one can say that American English is the preferred dialect to acquire if one is learning English for practical reasons. Even in the UK, virtually no one speaks the RP that is taught in English courses from there. At least American English is actually used by several hundred million native speakers.

Yesterday I was on the phone with an Englishman from the Tyneside area. I was using my finest RP. At some point I said "... but I could never pass for English..." His reply was "Unfortunately, you COULD and to me you would definitely pass as English... why do I say unfortunately, then? Well, because your accent captures a certain very upper-crust stereotype..." To which I say "... but it's a neutral accent..." (since RP is non-regional). He then replies: "No Jason it's NOT a neutral accent (I was actually using U-RP) and because you seem like such a nice lad I would strongly advise you against using that accent in certain parts of England, especially in Northern England since you could get seriously hurt and I would hate to see that happen to a nice person like you..."

Long story short: I am a foreigner who speaks RP English but I have to avoid using it in England (except in the poshest and most cosmopolitan towns and neighbourhoods in SE England) to avoid being beaten to death. (We're not even talking about parts of the US or Australia bit bloody England itself!!!) I don't see why people can't just let each other be.

Don't know what to tell you, Jason. Apparently, and by their own admission, the British get very worked up over accents. Strange, I know.

I don't think it's that strange, considering how class-ridden Britain always has been and continues to be. Accents are very marked.

<<Well, because your accent captures a certain very upper-crust stereotype..." To which I say "... but it's a neutral accent..." (since RP is non-regional). >>

There's a valuable lesson for you, Jason. Whatever non-English people might think, in England RP is most emphatically NOT a neutral accent - for most people, it's seen as the way a few posh, rich people who (mostly) live in the South-East speak.

<<I don't think it's that strange, considering how class-ridden Britain always has been and continues to be. Accents are very marked.>>

Here, they're just natural regional variations. Only a couple are "marked".

Stupid question: what's an RP accent? Is it the BBC-type of accent? or CNN type of accent?
I've seen a few posts refering to the accent and now I'm curious.

CNN is an American network, so I would go with BBC.

"I would go with BBC." why with BBC and not with CNN?

Firstly, I think Eric is being a wee bit unfair in what he says, and furthermore his punctuation is rubbish. Exactly what does he mean when he says that "British English (note the capital E, eric!) is correct"? Correct in what way? As we've discussed before in this Forum, English is now a worldwide Language and as a result it as developed in different ways in different parts of the globe, and each variety is as valid as any other in it's way, so it's wrong to say that British English is any more "correct" than any other simply because the Language started its life in England.

Let's be honest and fair here, to hear many British people speak English you would be excused for thinking it's not their native Language in the first place.....some are barely coherent and that's nothing to do with accent or dialect....more a matter of articularcy and adequate command of the Language and possession of a reasonable vocabulary. Only last week a report issued by an education standards committee in the UK said that for the first time ever students are somehow reaching university entrance level with poor standards of literacy and communication skills! How you work that one out I can't really tell.....by the age of 17/18 and on the point of university entrance you've surely gone through the whole education process to achieve the required standards to meet the demands of higher education to degree level at least. Apparently it's not so in many cases.

Anyway, when it comes to being articulate and confident in the use of English, I reckon that Americans (whatever their accent) score points over their British counterparts a lot of the time. Rarely do Americans struggle in an effort to get their words out clearly and concisely. What they say is irrelevant in this instance...it's how it's presented. You only have to see UK and US chat shows on TV involving people putting their private lives and problems on public display to see what I'm getting at here.

Jason's accents matter is much more of an English "thing" I reckon. I'd have thought it no longer mattered that much anyway in England, but seemingly it does. I've never heard of anyone being "beaten to death" over an accent but it wouldn't surprise me all that much. The UK is becoming more of a violent country for various reasons, so why not beat someone to a pulp if that person speaks "posh"? * But is the North of England that dangerous a place to speak RP? When I was in Leeds we had loads of RP speaking English students.....they all seemed to go about the place unmolested. Everything is so complicated really.....it depends on circumstances, and so many factors are involved in one way or another.

*I was being facetious.....of course it shouldn't happen, but as I say, violence happens for all sorts of reasons.

>"I would go with BBC." why with BBC and not with CNN<

Read very carefully Larissa.

BBC = British News Channel
CNN = American News Channel

BBC before hearing a RP on CNN is less likely than on BBC.

Understand?

At last, Damian brigns some sense to this thread which is fast being taken over by the "drilled view" of the last few US posters!

a). What Jason is saying about 'being beaten up' is complete rubbish. You are not beaten up in the UK for having a certain type of accent. In the States, I'd say extreme things like this would be more common, especially if their are racist elements). The most you would get in the UK, generally, in the odd comment.

"Don't know what to tell you, Jason. Apparently, and by their own admission, the British get very worked up over accents. Strange, I know."

Urial - You generally come across as an intelligent person on here but occasionally you show clear signs of A.S.C (American Superiority Complex), which really degrades your otherwise interesting and thoughtful views. When were you last in the UK ? The Brits embrace accents, we have a wider range of accents than any other country in the world.

"I don't think it's that strange, considering how class-ridden Britain always has been and continues to be. Accents are very marked."

Candy - Pretty much same goes for you. Have you been watching a period drama of Britain in the 19th century on Fox ? Modern day Britain is virtually classless. There are posh people who are working in call centres on £12,000 per year because the money has 'gone', and there are ex-working class people who have made millions in the world of random opportunity and wh park their Bently next to the trailer with their yacht on. In th UK, everyone gets emergency medical attention if they need it, regardless of background or class. I believe that doesn't apply in the US, and that injured homeless people are often left on a drip awaiting critical surgery while administrators search systems to see if the person is "covered" (by Medical Insurance).... now which society is class-ridden again... ummmm.

"Most international commerce with native English speakers involves Americans, not the British, and on that basis one can say that American English is the preferred dialect to acquire "

Mxsmanic - I'm afraid I can't afford you the same complient as Uriel and Candy because your posts are always mega right wing, demostrate a total lack of objective thought and awareness. Most international commerce happens where one party in native english speaking and the other is not. Add to this the fact that the US is in present day an insular country with more embargoes and trade conflicts that any other nation, and what you get is that whereas Brtish business may transact with countries from Portugal to Papa New Guinea, the US tends to buy it's foreign import from 3rd party English speaking nations (like Britain, Ireland and Canada), so as not to have to deal with the Libyans, Lebanese and Kazaks.

It amazes me that language institutions like Linguaphone sell courses on "American English" ! American English is not a language. The language is English - the variation is that the Americans have changed some of it's form. Good for them - contrary to what you might think I am not a right wing fascist like some around here are, and the Americans have clearly simplified a lot of the English language, adding logical elements to spellings;

Centre .... "that can't be right, let's make it how it's said...Center".

The differences between English and "American English" are what makes a visit to either country interesting and they highlight a degree of 'foreignness' for people visiting one country from another that is fun.

But to preach American superiority in the variation in English that has developed in the States is just nutes!

".....is just nutes! "

Or nuts even ;-)

Funny how passion speeds up the rate of typing and increases the typos!