Which country has the best english speakers?
Except the countries like US and others, ofcourse.
Except the countries like US and others, ofcourse.
best english speakers
Kirk Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:32 am GMT
Do you mean nonnative English speakers?
Yes
Do you mean nonnative English speakers?
Yes
There are two largish countries which have two or more official or semi-official languages, but where English is, at least nominally, widely spoken.
Both versions are fairly wide of the mark, however.
Both versions are fairly wide of the mark, however.
Well for me... I have found from exprience the Swedes along with other Northern Europeans and the Dutch are excellent English speakers in most cases with a floorless accent that I have often mistaken them for native British speakers.
Could be the excellent school systems they have there (as far I have heard).
Could be the excellent school systems they have there (as far I have heard).
<<Well for me... I have found from exprience the Swedes along with other Northern Europeans and the Dutch are excellent English speakers in most cases with a floorless accent that I have often mistaken them for native British speakers.>>
That's been my experience as well. Also, not to be pedantic but I assume by "floorless" you meant "flawless," or is that a different term? I don't pronounce those two words anything alike but if you're a nonrhotic British speaker I would assume you do. Very interesting.
<<Could be the excellent school systems they have there (as far I have heard).>>
Also, they do have a head start since their languages are closer to English than many others, but the educational system must have to do with it, as well.
That's been my experience as well. Also, not to be pedantic but I assume by "floorless" you meant "flawless," or is that a different term? I don't pronounce those two words anything alike but if you're a nonrhotic British speaker I would assume you do. Very interesting.
<<Could be the excellent school systems they have there (as far I have heard).>>
Also, they do have a head start since their languages are closer to English than many others, but the educational system must have to do with it, as well.
<<Could be the excellent school systems they have there (as far I have heard).>>
Yes, that's true but the REAL reason for the "floorless" accent is that Dutch and the Scandinavian languages are phonetically similar to English. I'm Greek but I learned English VERY early and attended a British school so I speak with a 1950's U-RP accent. However, most Greek speakers I know (and this also goes for Spanish and Italian speakers) have HORRENDOUS accents when attempting to speak what to them passes for English. The thing is to start them while they're still young because English has an extremely complex vowel system (unlike the a,e,i, o,and u (and the various dipthongs which are merely a combination of two of the above) of Spanish, Italian, and Greek).
Yes, that's true but the REAL reason for the "floorless" accent is that Dutch and the Scandinavian languages are phonetically similar to English. I'm Greek but I learned English VERY early and attended a British school so I speak with a 1950's U-RP accent. However, most Greek speakers I know (and this also goes for Spanish and Italian speakers) have HORRENDOUS accents when attempting to speak what to them passes for English. The thing is to start them while they're still young because English has an extremely complex vowel system (unlike the a,e,i, o,and u (and the various dipthongs which are merely a combination of two of the above) of Spanish, Italian, and Greek).
"Not people from India, they have strong accent. "
You may say that, but often when I ring a call centre I find the Indian phone operators easyer to understand than the Scotish ones!
You may say that, but often when I ring a call centre I find the Indian phone operators easyer to understand than the Scotish ones!
<That's been my experience as well. Also, not to be pedantic but I assume by "floorless" you meant "flawless," or is that a different term? I don't pronounce those two words anything alike but if you're a nonrhotic British speaker I would assume you do. Very interesting.>
Kirk
'Floorless' is simply another way of spelling 'flawless' here. And yes I have a nonrhotic accent (not British BTW) it's actually a Northern New Zealand one. Yes the words 'floor' and 'flaw' are pronunced the same here. Would you mind telling me how you would pronunce these words?
Thankyou
<Also, they do have a head start since their languages are closer to English than many others, but the educational system must have to do with it, as well.>
Wow I would of thought (as a non language specialist) that the French would have the advantage over other languages for some unknown explained reason. - Let me think about it and I will reply later. =)
One just popped into my head - our English vocab is full of words of French origin.
Kirk
'Floorless' is simply another way of spelling 'flawless' here. And yes I have a nonrhotic accent (not British BTW) it's actually a Northern New Zealand one. Yes the words 'floor' and 'flaw' are pronunced the same here. Would you mind telling me how you would pronunce these words?
Thankyou
<Also, they do have a head start since their languages are closer to English than many others, but the educational system must have to do with it, as well.>
Wow I would of thought (as a non language specialist) that the French would have the advantage over other languages for some unknown explained reason. - Let me think about it and I will reply later. =)
One just popped into my head - our English vocab is full of words of French origin.