What language do Americans speak?

[chris]

It's Friday and POETS day. It's also one of those days when after the heated exchanges of this week, maybe a little humor/mickey taking might be appropriate.
I've pondered this for about a week now and ask myself what language do Americans speak?
Ask them and apart from the hispanics they will probably say American English. So what the hell is American English?
If a Frenchman speaks english, does he speak French English? If a Mexican speaks Spanish does he speak Mexican Spanish. When an Englishman speak German, does he speak English German? I think not. So why on earth do Americans, who have butchered our language say they speak American English. What they speak is American. Nothing more, nothing less.
Has anyone got any comments, opinions, fit flops, legal/illegal views on this.
Perhaps we can start a movement to outlaw the use of the phrase American English? Maybe some bumper stickers with 'You are in America, now speak American'!

[Kriz1]

There is Latin American Spanish and Spanish Spanish ....

[TeaPot]

It's Friday and POETS day. It's also one of those days when after the heated exchanges of this week, maybe a little humor/mickey taking might be appropriate.
I've pondered this for about a week now and ask myself what language do Americans speak?
Ask them and apart from the hispanics they will probably say American English. So what the hell is American English?
If a Frenchman speaks english, does he speak French English? If a Mexican speaks Spanish does he speak Mexican Spanish. When an Englishman speak German, does he speak English German? I think not. So why on earth do Americans, who have butchered our language say they speak American English. What they speak is American. Nothing more, nothing less.
Has anyone got any comments, opinions, fit flops, legal/illegal views on this.
Perhaps we can start a movement to outlaw the use of the phrase American English? Maybe some bumper stickers with 'You are in America, now speak American'!

Glad you mentioned fit flops, the pair I ordered last week during the fit flop frenzy have not arrived yet........

I thought you might be gagging to know this vital piece of information. :D

But, trying to keep on your topic.....I have more problems with Americans and how they hear our spoken word. I think Lorraine mentioned this in a post yesterday. The amount of "pardon me?" "excuse me?" conversations I have had are in the thousands now....I understand them perfectly well, why can't they understand me?

Mr TeaPot suffers from this when giving his name over the phone. His name is John. Simple really, John. They invariably say "Joan?", he says, "NO, John."

"Joe?", Mr TP then says a little lounder "JOHN!"

Then there is a silence and the voice will then say "Scuse me?"....

So he then spells it out, there is a brief pause while their brain clogs whirr and then delighted they yell "Oh, Jaaaaaahhhhnnnn, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

:mad:

Once this happens one million times, you do lose the will to live.

He is going to change his name by deed poll to Joan.

Have a great day!

Kind regards, x

[kirtida8]

I have debates with my kids about this virtually everyday LOL. I mean forget about the misspelling of words - they cant even pronounce them, and have the gall to tell us that we cant speak English!!!
I think you may be onto something Chris LOL

[DEE F]

Glad you mentioned fit flops, the pair I ordered last week during the fit flop frenzy have not arrived yet........

I thought you might be gagging to know this vital piece of information. :D

But, trying to keep on your topic.....I have more problems with Americans and how they hear our spoken word. I think Lorraine mentioned this in a post yesterday. The amount of "pardon me?" "excuse me?" conversations I have had are in the thousands now....I understand them perfectly well, why can't they understand me?

Mr TeaPot suffers from this when giving his name over the phone. His name is John. Simple really, John. They invariably say "Joan?", he says, "NO, John."

"Joe?", Mr TP then says a little lounder "JOHN!"

Then there is a silence and the voice will then say "Scuse me?"....

So he then spells it out, there is a brief pause while their brain clogs whirr and then delighted they yell "Oh, Jaaaaaahhhhnnnn, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

:mad:

Once this happens one million times, you do lose the will to live.

He is going to change his name by deed poll to Joan.

Have a great day!

Kind regards, xThats another tee-shirt you owe me Mrs T,you have got to stop making me laugh when I am driking coffee,and to get back to the thread,I tell people I am bi-lingual now with two languages under my belt,English and American:D :D :D

[tracifrost]

i overheard an american woman the other day, shouting at her child, obviously in her eyes, the kid wasnt saying the 'correct' thing.
so she shouted: 'will you speak proper American please!!!'
my husband looked at me, and said 'ive heard it all now'
just sums it up i think.
for the most part, it is so enoying when asking for WATER they dont understand, you repeat yourself and they say 'oh you want waler'
But last time i knew, water had a T in the middle:confused: :confused:

[TeaPot]

Thats another tee-shirt you owe me Mrs T,you have got to stop making me laugh when I am driking coffee,and to get back to the thread,I tell people I am bi-lingual now with two languages under my belt,English and American:D :D :D

Well, thats three things I have learned today:

1. Dee drinks coffee practically all the time.

and

2. I always have said it is good to know two languages, I was going to learn Spanish, but won't bother as it is now apparent I already know two, English and American.

and

3. Dee doesn't know where her mouth is as she keeps tossing her coffee all down her front.....

:D

Have a lovely day Dee :hug:

x

[Kriz1]

My Grandson speaks both English and American...and he remembers who to speak it too....diapers for mum nappies for nan...
Next stop Spanish....I've not used it for so long we'll be learning it together...
teapot was it you asking about Rosetta Stone..and did you get it in the end..

[Kriz1]

i overheard an american woman the other day, shouting at her child, obviously in her eyes, the kid wasnt saying the 'correct' thing.
so she shouted: 'will you speak proper American please!!!'
my husband looked at me, and said 'ive heard it all now'
just sums it up i think.
for the most part, it is so enoying when asking for WATER they dont understand, you repeat yourself and they say 'oh you want waler'
But last time i knew, water had a T in the middle:confused: :confused:

Well Bath has an F in it...if you come form Somerset anyway...my grandson is getting a Boston accent...he says waler its the cutest thing...

[TeaPot]

My Grandson speaks both English and American...and he remembers who to speak it too....diapers for mum nappies for nan...
Next stop Spanish....I've not used it for so long we'll be learning it together...
teapot was it you asking about Rosetta Stone..and did you get it in the end..

Hi Kriz1,

Yup, that was me asking about Rosetta Stone. No I haven't got it, there was another system I have been recommended:

http://www.visuallinkspanish.com/index.html

So I just need to research a bit more then choose between the two. :)

[lxh11]

:) this thread makes me smile. I find British accents THE most difficult to understand. There are so many different dialects and accents and little phrases that are specific to certain parts of the country. I'm married to a Scotsman and if goes off on a rant - I just put up my hand and tell him to start over and speak English!!! I don't think British people realize how foreign they actually do sound.

Some American accents are also a bit tricky - South Carolina, Texan and Tennessee - but it's mostly the drawl, and not the content of what they are saying.

My accent is a complete disaster - Scottish, South African that just sounds awful. But I don't get people asking me to repeat myself or not understanding what I say.

Liz

[Kriz1]

I looked at that one after it was posted...it was a bit slow for me...but then I grow up for a good few years with Spanish...I could not get over the cost of Rosetta Stone...I have a free website that is good somewhere I'll dig it out for you see what you think...

[McSporran]

:) I'm married to a Scotsman and if goes off on a rant - I just put up my hand and tell him to start over and speak English!!! Liz

Hi Liz,
I bet your Scots husband simply delights in being told to speak English!!! We're not known for our love of our neighbour country :D :D

[Susie]

It's Friday and POETS day. It's also one of those days when after the heated exchanges of this week, maybe a little humor/mickey taking might be appropriate.
I've pondered this for about a week now and ask myself what language do Americans speak?
Ask them and apart from the hispanics they will probably say American English. So what the hell is American English?
If a Frenchman speaks english, does he speak French English? If a Mexican speaks Spanish does he speak Mexican Spanish. When an Englishman speak German, does he speak English German? I think not. So why on earth do Americans, who have butchered our language say they speak American English. What they speak is American. Nothing more, nothing less.
Has anyone got any comments, opinions, fit flops, legal/illegal views on this.
Perhaps we can start a movement to outlaw the use of the phrase American English? Maybe some bumper stickers with 'You are in America, now speak American'!


Interesting and will have to get my thinking cap on and get back to you but I noticed a car sticker the other day which said

Your in America so speak English !

I had a chuckle at that and wondered at the time , should it have read

Your in America so speak American English !


But that may have seen double Dutch to most, he he

[TeaPot]

I looked at that one after it was posted...it was a bit slow for me...but then I grow up for a good few years with Spanish...I could not get over the cost of Rosetta Stone...I have a free website that is good somewhere I'll dig it out for you see what you think...

Thanks....:)

I know the cost of the RS is awful, so I do need alternatives....

Have a lovely day!

x

[Susie]

Hi Liz,
I bet your Scots husband simply delights in being told to speak English!!! We're not known for our love of our neighbour country :D :D



Hmm,

I am sure there is a historical reason behind this thinking. It is strange how some people make jokes about Irish being thick, Scots being tight so as a matter of interest how are the English thought upon by our neighbors

Hope world war three, does'nt kick off so lets have a good debate;)

[emma123]

Interesting question Chris - I always have trouble being understood in the states and Im convinced its because my accent is a real mixture - sort of a cross between cockney and home counties with a touch of Aussie thrown in - (and because I talk far too quickly) I guess its the same as someone pointed out - you have South American Spanish (and I guess Brazil speaks South American Portugese) and the main difference is accent and slang - if I think about it I speak different English down here to a Geordie for example!!

And Teapot - youve missed out - the Daily Mail were giving out free Spanish CD's with the Sunday papers for weeks!!!

[Kriz1]

I think people just don't like us much....I'm kind of glad I got back up...I can still just about say I'm of South American or French desent....but then again I don't think its a good idea to say you have any French blood in you...they seem to be a bit disliked for some reason.......:D :D

[chris]

Yes I know we have dialects and if you want me and Dee to go off on broad Yorkshire we'll be happy to please. But irrespective of the dialect, we speak english. We don't speak Yorkshire English or Somerset English. That's the point I'm trying to make. Americans do NOT speak english. They speak American.
What does an Irishman who's lived in the US speak for gods sake? :: Irish American English American????????
In our business we sell PINS and PENS. The amount of trouble I have trying to get through to some of the thickos when I say Pins and they say PAINS.and I say NO not PENS or PAINS but PINS.
Dumb asses as they would say in American English:D :D :D
MATH is the big wind up word for me here. The full term is MathematicS which is a plural for the science of mathematics which encompasses all the arithmetic, algebra, etc, etc. Therefore the abbreviated form of a plural would be mathS as in the english version. Yet the Americans manage to take a plural and abbreviate it to a singular in Math. It always sounds like someone has a short tongue whenever I hear it and want to end the damn word for them.
You could literally build another alphabet with the number of letters the Americans leave out. We have S in Maths. I in Aluminium. Who else want to add to the list? Perhaps we all might get jobs teaching literacy to the immigrants.

[kirtida8]

What about all the "u"'s?

[TeaPot]

Interesting question Chris - I always have trouble being understood in the states and Im convinced its because my accent is a real mixture - sort of a cross between cockney and home counties with a touch of Aussie thrown in - (and because I talk far too quickly) I guess its the same as someone pointed out - you have South American Spanish (and I guess Brazil speaks South American Portugese) and the main difference is accent and slang - if I think about it I speak different English down here to a Geordie for example!!

And Teapot - youve missed out - the Daily Mail were giving out free Spanish CD's with the Sunday papers for weeks!!!

*sigh*

[emma123]

Chris - I understand what you are saying but fundamentally Americans do speak English (and according to some of them they even gave us some words - as did most other languages really!) - they could argue we put too many letters in words - u in colour for instance but I can appreciate it is frustrating not being understood - I spent most of my time in the US being called Anna and in the end decided that would do as couldnt be bothered to correct them! I also had trouble getting to New Orleans on the bus as nobody understood where I wanted to go (and then when I did finally get my point across the bus driver wouldnt let me on as my ticket was invalid apparently and he tried to leave my bag behind but thats another story!!). Personally I think we understand Americans better as fwe are inundated (sp) with Amercian films and sitcoms. ;-)

[Kriz1]

The thing I don't get is Irish American..unless you are the first in your family over here then you are one thing or the other...nothing wrong with being proud of where you come from....but my mum was not French Brit...she was born in the UK...

[Cassie]

On the subject of 'math' I thought it was said as they only do one subject at a time? Last year our Daughter did Alegebra this year it is Geometry so one subject = singular. In the UK you do maths several times a week intermingling the variations so you get a broad scope and understanding of maths. That's my tuppence worth anyway. I refuse to go though a drive thru since the time I asked for a medium diet coke to be told we don't do blue juice ? Going through any drive through of fast food restaurants usually involves speaking to someone who's native tongue is not English so with their heavy accent and mine it is easier to go in face to face and ask for a number :D :D

[chris]

The british didn't put a u in color. It originates from the the frenc as many english words do. I learnt this week that the word picnic is from the french pique nique which means small amounts of little consequence. The english (one of the nobility) described their outdoor eating event as a picnic and the word stcuk. English as we all know is like the english themselves - a heinz 57 varieties. it has german, french, greek, etc all thrown in, but it's english. Which brings me back to we don't call a Brit who speaks greek and english greek. They would speak Greek.
As for the problems with the bus in Norleenz (another butchered word), I guess that's why so many Americans drive their own cars. The buses would never get anywhere as no-one can understand whats being said.
Anyway I have to 'gotten' go - ugh??????:D :D :D

[byjove]

hummmmmm! Aluminium does sound like aluminum in American so why is millenium the same? They dont say millenum!

[McSporran]

Yes I know we have dialects and if you want me and Dee to go off on broad Yorkshire we'll be happy to please. But irrespective of the dialect, we speak english. We don't speak Yorkshire English or Somerset English. That's the point I'm trying to make. Americans do NOT speak english. They speak American.
What does an Irishman who's lived in the US speak for gods sake? :: Irish American English American????????
In our business we sell PINS and PENS. The amount of trouble I have trying to get through to some of the thickos when I say Pins and they say PAINS.and I say NO not PENS or PAINS but PINS.


Hi Chris,

This really made me smile...it reminded me of the Two Ronnies sketch...4 candles/fork handles...very funny :D :D :D And thanks for the thread...I've not heard "POETS day" for years...and definatley a concept worth reviving.

[DEE F]

What about all the "u"'s?Oh Kay dont even get me started on the "U" someone needs to show the Americans how to spell neighbour,colour,labour etc etc,that is not English,and Chris I agree 100% with the Math thing,bloody stupid,how very dare they:confused:

Dee xxxxxxxx

[kirtida8]

Well I had to chuckle at the article in the Reporter last week, where they had to explain that a car park is what we Brits call a parking lot!:D

[byjove]

Hi Liz,
I bet your Scots husband simply delights in being told to speak English!!! We're not known for our love of our neighbour country :D :D

Funny! We had some friends from Abberdean come stay with us. We went to a theme park, we supplied the towels. As a joke we only had towels with ENGLAND or the george cross on it! Our friend said WHAT!!! then started first pretended to be blowing his nose on the towel, then while laughing openly wiped his A**E with it! :rofl: He did have trolley's on, must point that out, didnt lift his kilt!!!! hehehehehe

[lxh11]

oh boy don't start him on "our neighbors down south". Many a story that makes me wonder how the country didn't just actually split at the border and become 2 completely separate countries.

I do recall being annoyed that my Scottish pound notes were not accepted in England, as they considered it foreign currency:confused:

I find the way Americans spell to be so much easier phonetically. Color, tire, check, labor etc. I was told on my first ever interview here, that unless I learnt to spell correctly, I wouldn't get a job. I was ****ed off, but looking back, she was correct.

[McSporran]

Funny! We had some friends from Abberdean come stay with us. We went to a theme park, we supplied the towels. As a joke we only had towels with ENGLAND or the george cross on it! Our friend said WHAT!!! then started first pretended to be blowing his nose on the towel, then while laughing openly wiped his A**E with it! :rofl: He did have trolley's on, must point that out, didnt lift his kilt!!!! hehehehehe

Classic! :D :D My mum is English so I'm not quite so staunch about these things (which I believe makes me half a Sassenach)...but I know how "touchy" my brethrin get when referred to as English. And of course I was making mass generalisations ;) ;) Oh- and I cant resisit..but its Aberdeen :D

Sue - I dont think I responded to your Q...there are many reasons for the begrudging nature of the English / Scots feeling...too many to go into here (and I'm afraid of starting another "illegals" debate) but lets just say it stems from many hundreds of years ago...who every said "dont hold a grudge and dont go to bed on a arguement", was definately not Scottish. :D

[chris]

I am sure the american language or their version of the english language became what it is because of the melting pot and the fact that immigrants from all over were learning the english language for the first time. That maybe explains why the spelling is closer to the phonetic pronunciation of the word. It's my guess anyway.
I find it strange on this site that the word p**s gets blanked out, because we see it as a bad word in the the UK. Yet it is an everyday word in the UK referring to ****y.
Anyhow, if we are english bashing from the Scots, isn't the reason they have a Cross on the flag is so that on a map they know that X marks the spot for Scotland? I guess there aren't many up there that can spell Scotland are there???:p :p :p :p :p :p
Oh and bye the way, as a born amd bred Yorkshireman, I'm so glad that the honor of being the tightest wads around does not belong to a Tyke but a Scotman.

[McSporran]

As it's POETS day and its 4.30, I'm off for a wee dram...and just to live up to our reputation...if I can get someone else to buy it...it'll be a large dram or two :D

Have a good weekend all. :drunk:

[byjove]

Classic! :D :D My mum is English so I'm not quite so staunch about these things (which I believe makes me half a Sassenach)...but I know how "touchy" my brethrin get when referred to as English. And of course I was making mass generalisations ;) ;) Oh- and I cant resisit..but its Aberdeen :D

Sue - I dont think I responded to your Q...there are many reasons for the begrudging nature of the English / Scots feeling...too many to go into here (and I'm afraid of starting another "illegals" debate) but lets just say it stems from many hundreds of years ago...who every said "dont hold a grudge and dont go to bed on a arguement", was definately not Scottish. :D

Give me a giggle why dont cha! :rofl:

[tillyberry13]

my friends say that i speak american when im at school but my mummy and daddy say i speak english so i dont know

[Sharon]

Well, thats three things I have learned today:

1. Dee drinks coffee practically all the time.

and

2. I always have said it is good to know two languages, I was going to learn Spanish, but won't bother as it is now apparent I already know two, English and American.

and

3. Dee doesn't know where her mouth is as she keeps tossing her coffee all down her front.....

:D

Have a lovely day Dee :hug:

x

your so funny ;) is another one you have learn't today

[Kriz1]

Its called Mid Atlantic tilly...my son speaks it too..:)

[tillyberry13]

[QUOTE=Kriz1;33177]Its called Mid Atlantic QUOTE]

:( but i dont know what that means

[Susie]

Yes I know we have dialects and if you want me and Dee to go off on broad Yorkshire we'll be happy to please. But irrespective of the dialect, we speak english. We don't speak Yorkshire English or Somerset English. That's the point I'm trying to make. Americans do NOT speak english. They speak American.
What does an Irishman who's lived in the US speak for gods sake? :: Irish American English American????????
In our business we sell PINS and PENS. The amount of trouble I have trying to get through to some of the thickos when I say Pins and they say PAINS.and I say NO not PENS or PAINS but PINS.
Dumb asses as they would say in American English:D :D :D
MATH is the big wind up word for me here. The full term is MathematicS which is a plural for the science of mathematics which encompasses all the arithmetic, algebra, etc, etc. Therefore the abbreviated form of a plural would be mathS as in the english version. Yet the Americans manage to take a plural and abbreviate it to a singular in Math. It always sounds like someone has a short tongue whenever I hear it and want to end the damn word for them.
You could literally build another alphabet with the number of letters the Americans leave out. We have S in Maths. I in Aluminium. Who else want to add to the list? Perhaps we all might get jobs teaching literacy to the immigrants.

Chris,

You have really well and truely got me laughing so much, my tummy is hurting, very good post ;) ;)

[Susie]

Yes I know we have dialects and if you want me and Dee to go off on broad Yorkshire we'll be happy to please. But irrespective of the dialect, we speak english. We don't speak Yorkshire English or Somerset English. That's the point I'm trying to make. Americans do NOT speak english. They speak American.
What does an Irishman who's lived in the US speak for gods sake? :: Irish American English American????????
In our business we sell PINS and PENS. The amount of trouble I have trying to get through to some of the thickos when I say Pins and they say PAINS.and I say NO not PENS or PAINS but PINS.
Dumb asses as they would say in American English:D :D :D
MATH is the big wind up word for me here. The full term is MathematicS which is a plural for the science of mathematics which encompasses all the arithmetic, algebra, etc, etc. Therefore the abbreviated form of a plural would be mathS as in the english version. Yet the Americans manage to take a plural and abbreviate it to a singular in Math. It always sounds like someone has a short tongue whenever I hear it and want to end the damn word for them.
You could literally build another alphabet with the number of letters the Americans leave out. We have S in Maths. I in Aluminium. Who else want to add to the list? Perhaps we all might get jobs teaching literacy to the immigrants.

Chris,

You have really well and truely got me laughing so much, my tummy is hurting, very good post ;) ;)

[Susie]

my friends say that i speak american when im at school but my mummy and daddy say i speak english so i dont know

Well Tilly

All I know is you are a very well spoken young lady and polite too :hug: I would not worry too much, because you are doing fine

You can speak Spanish can't you? so there you go, very clever too ;)

[SHEILA 13]

Susie,Yes Tilly does speak Spanish which comes in handy living here,when she gets going you wouldnt know she was English lol !!!!!

[chris]

Que!!

[SHEILA 13]

Chris ,Dee comes form Oldham Lancashire not Yorkshire !!!!


meda yo tabien me habla Español tu ;)