Why some speak well and others not?

Victoria Andersson   Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:30 pm GMT
I guessed, Lukaas. Can you guess why?.
Travis   Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:20 pm GMT
>>I think you must be confusing 'British' with 'English' here. Only the English can ever truly master English, their own language. The Welsh, Scots and Irish have their own languages and as such are practically non-native speakers. As such their level of English is below that of even the Americans and the Australians.<<

Ahem... most Scots and Irish and a good portion of Welsh have English as their native language, not Scots Gaelic, Irish, or Welsh. Saying that they are "practically non-native speakers" would make a good portion of Americans also "practically non-native speakers", especially considering that in areas like much of the Upper Midwest you tell that English was once not the sole language of the area...
Skippy   Sat Sep 01, 2007 2:44 am GMT
lol we could start up the argument again as to whether or not colonies tend to keep the language more conservative... which would imply that the further you get away from London the more likely you are to hear how they spoke in London centuries ago....

Anyone?
Liz   Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:40 am GMT
<<Ahem... most Scots and Irish and a good portion of Welsh have English as their native language, not Scots Gaelic, Irish, or Welsh.>>

That's exactly what I wanted to say. Not to mention the fact that lots of Scottish, Irish and Welsh people don't speak Scots, Welsh and Irish (respectively) at all.
Lily   Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:27 pm GMT
Guest ( Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:36 pm GMT )

said:

<<I think the Dutch and Scandinavians only speak it so well because they have a lot of English language programmes with subtitles, >>

Are those subtitles in English or Dutch/Scandinavia?
Guest   Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:55 pm GMT
They keep the programme in English and have the subtitles in their own language.
Victoria Andersson   Thu Sep 06, 2007 4:12 pm GMT
In Norway the subtitles are in Norwegian.

Skippy, centuries ago, did English people speak like Kylie?. I like her songs LA LA LA LALA LA...
K. T.   Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:04 pm GMT
This is just another subtle "slam the French" thread imo. Maybe it's a "slam the Americans" thread as well.

While I think most Scandinavians speak English very well, it's also important to note that they start learning English at a very young age. I'm not sure when French kids start English in the public schools. Of course, some parents are probably sending their children to English classes before the age of five or getting a british nanny for them.

Methinks Bruno got insulted for his French in France. If so, deal with it. It never happened to me in France, but it happened to me in French Canada when I was a teenager. I've told the tale before. If someone corrects you, it's a blessing. You won't make the same mistake again.

This is a true saying: "Only a fool despises correction."