American English

[Rabbie]

Has the time now come when British english and American english have diverged so much that American english should be regarded as a separate language known as American? After all Norwegian and Swedish are separate languages but are mutually understood and have many similarities.

 

[DCrake]

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".

In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publikenthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

If zis mad you smil, pleas pas on to oza pepl

 

[Adam Caramon]

Has the time now come when British english and American english have diverged so much that American english should be regarded as a separate language known as American?

Regarded in what way? I've already seen distinctions between American English, British English, and I recall even going to a website before where "English" had a Canadian flag next to it. Is that Canadian English?

Honestly, I don't think it much matters.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

David, your response is tongue-in-cheek - and very nice, I might add... but some USA forums are almost incomprehensible already due to text-speak.

 

[Mike375]

David, your response is tongue-in-cheek - and very nice, I might add... but some USA forums are almost incomprehensible already due to text-speak.

Ditto, it's really bad.

I notice a lot of Australians use American style English on Australian forums. For example "ass" instead of "arse" and the work bloke being used the way Americans use dude such as "look bloke you don't know what you are talking about".

Here are a couple of forums where there is virtually never any text speak and no eight line paragraphs without punctuation


http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/forums/index.php

 

[Banana]

Just to consider... if we were to resurrect good ol' Bill, he'd be aghast at the barbaric language, whether British English, American English or any one of many "English" over the world, can only be perceived as severely bastardized English he knows and speak.

But then again, in his days, grammar books were unheard of.

 

[Rabbie]

Regarded in what way? I've already seen distinctions between American English, British English, and I recall even going to a website before where "English" had a Canadian flag next to it. Is that Canadian English?

Honestly, I don't think it much matters.

If we actually recognised them as different though related languages we might stop the nit-picking on this forum when an americanism irritates certainly members living in England.

 

[Banana]

I doubt it, actually. In order for them to nitpick, they'd have to have a fixed definition of what English should be and deny that it is a living language and thus evolving. There has to be a notion, however absurd, that there exists a "pure English" and all derivates are simply deviant. Of course, such thing has never existed and won't until English joins Latin in leagues of dead languages.

I'd venture to guess they'd sooner nitpick on Bill's poor English before admitting that it can't be fixed, and grammar may be actually more of conventions than absolute rules.

 

[Fifty2One]

English

Adam, that site must have been in Canadian English if it has a maple leaf next to it.

Really it does not matter to most people on a forum as long as the person who is trying to communicate is understood, otherwise they will be either chastized or ignored.
It seems to be such a huge issue with some people rehashing grammar and spelling constantly with no or little effect. Obviously their attempts at teaching are ineffective or being ignored so it might be time to move on to whining about something else. Unless they otherwise have nothing to say but feel like they have to say something to validate themselves.

 

[Adam Caramon]

If we actually recognised them as different though related languages we might stop the nit-picking on this forum when an americanism irritates certainly members living in England.

Sounds like wishful thinking to me. I enjoy a well-written forum post more than most, but mistakes happen. I don't really see the purpose in correcting every mistake, especially if it was obvious that it was a mistake.

I would hesitate to lend legitamacy to certain slang terms or the dreaded textspeak, but I'm cognizant of the fact that it is due to the lack of desire on my part to learn those methods of communication rather than an issue of language purity.

 

[ChipperT]

Sounds like wishful thinking to me. I enjoy a well-written forum post more than most, but mistakes happen. I don't really see the purpose in correcting every mistake, especially if it was obvious that it was a mistake.

I would hesitate to lend legitamacy to certain slang terms or the dreaded textspeak, but I'm cognizant of the fact that it is due to the lack of desire on my part to learn those methods of communication rather than an issue of language purity.

I heard on the radio this morning that teachers are beginning to see textspeak in the papers turned in by students, especially "lol" and smiley faces at the end of sentences. Most seem to be marking them as errors and lowering grades. My guess is that such incidents will become so commonplace that they will become an accepted part of the language before long.

 

[Minkey]

bastardized English

Erm oops but it makes a perfect example of what I hate about the use of American English, MS Office still insists that the American English spelling is correct despite all settings being British English.

IMO America makes sense considering the differences in spelling and pronunciation, I hate British English and American English, English is English

 

[Thales750]

I heard on the radio this morning that teachers are beginning to see textspeak in the papers turned in by students, especially "lol" and smiley faces at the end of sentences. Most seem to be marking them as errors and lowering grades. My guess is that such incidents will become so commonplace that they will become an accepted part of the language before long.

Not if I were their teacher, or their boss.

 

[Thales750]

Erm oops but it makes a perfect example of what I hate about the use of American English, MS Office still insists that the American English spelling is correct despite all settings being British English.

IMO America makes sense considering the differences in spelling and pronunciation, I hate British English and American English, English is English

And it's a great language, great in the sense...

I looked it up. Even the word “great” demonstrates the vastness of our language.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/great

In almost every way you measure it, English is the best candidate for the future of the human race.

A language of inclusion will almost certainly have growing pangs along the way.

 

[DCrake]

Ok something to ponder (without googling) which English word when spoken can have 12 different meanings?

 

[ColinEssex]

American English is a lazy and slovenly way of speaking and writing English. Textspeak is even worse, I always write texts with correct punctuation and words.

I notice now that people refer to "you guys" as being male or female. It's bad enough using the word "guy", but to use it in relation to a females is just stupid.

I could go on but I'm tired and cheesed off with it all. Do what the hell you like, just don't use it around me.

Col

 

[ChipperT]

American English is a lazy and slovenly way of speaking and writing English. Textspeak is even worse, I always write texts with correct punctuation and words.

I notice now that people refer to "you guys" as being male or female. It's bad enough using the word "guy", but to use it in relation to a females is just stupid.

I could go on but I'm tired and cheesed off with it all. Do what the hell you like, just don't use it around me.

Col

You guys get yer panties in a twist over nothing, Col. Jus' chill. K?

 

[Thales750]

American English is a lazy and slovenly way of speaking and writing English. Textspeak is even worse, I always write texts with correct punctuation and words.

I notice now that people refer to "you guys" as being male or female. It's bad enough using the word "guy", but to use it in relation to a females is just stupid.

I could go on but I'm tired and cheesed off with it all. Do what the hell you like, just don't use it around me.

Col

Col,

Why do you persist in nonsensical ravings?

Even if you are from a basically homogenous country, that doesn’t mean the rest of us are.

Come on Col, painting America with a broad brush, after years of being properly instructed, makes you look obtuse.

Certainly we would not judge all Britts based on their ambassador here?

 

[Vassago]

It's not his fault. It's the old hypocritical viewpoint where someone generalizes an entire country in the exact same fashion they accuse the people of that country as being.

 

[dan-cat]

It's not his fault.

It's his fault alrite. Let's be having ourselves a lynchin'...yeehaaaaw!