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Do you use British English, American or some different kind of English?
- Thread starter kabunaru
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Sure, fair enough. I'm all in favour of adding new words and updating the language, and of course, I'm not gung-ho against American English...I just prefer British English as an American, and was curious about Blackadder's statement. That's all
Plus, I think there's a sort of great spirit to old English. So much more formal and fancy sounding.
Reading those pronunciations brought back horrible memories of reading 'The Wife of Bath's Tale' aloud!
EDIT: God bless YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE0MtENfOMU
Americans simplified and latinised the English language.
As for Old English, sure, let start speaking it. Let it be re-vived.
Americans simplified and latinised the English language.
As for Old English, sure, let start speaking it. Let it be re-vived.
Are we talking about pronunciation or written? I wouldn't say American English is any simpler, written, than English English unless you're used to American English. There's nothing more complex about an extra "A" or "U" or whatever the case may be if that's how you learn it.
I speak brummie English. Which is what Ozzy Osbourne would sound like without the slurring. Not all of us in Birmingham do as much drugs/beer/spirits.
I don't think it matters which dialect gets spread around - they are all mutually intelligible.
Shakespeare is actually modern English. Chaucer is Middle English - intelligible in print, but you wouldn't understand it if it was spoken. Beowulf is Old English and seems to be a totally different language at first glance.
I lolled when I read this
I lived in the UP for two years. Now that's a silly accent.
Yeah, I meant Shakespeare and authors/poets going even farther back. Even though Shakespeare is pretty modern, the comparison between Shakespearean English and modern American English is still pretty extreme.
After all, who else would use a word like "Honorificabilitudinitatibus"
My mom's girlfriend is from the UP. I'm not a big fan of the UP/Canadian accent, but, who the hell cares about what I'm a fan of?
Eh!That sounds like it's in Welsh to me.
You may be onto something!
About 2 minutes 10 seconds in, Ali G trying to speak Welsh.
(There are people I know who would be offended, whereas I, metaphorically, p*ssed my pants.)
You may be onto something!
About 2 minutes 10 seconds in, Ali G trying to speak Welsh.
Oh, you mean you piddled your knickers?
Just kidding!
Oh, you mean you piddled your knickers?
How dare you accuse me of wearing knickers! I'm not some kinky Tory MP!
Just kidding!
EDIT: Watching that Ali G clip reminds of just how funny a character he was when he first arrived on Channel 4.
True, but my characterization of it as "modern" English as opposed to Middle and Old English is correct. Wikipedia has turned us all into pedants.
As I'm Irish, I thought I'd introduce the idea of Hiberno-English to the thread (Joyce, Beckett, Yeats, et all). I speak and write British English, have travelled a lot and have lived and worked in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. However, Irish friends refer to what they say is a pronounced "English" (rather than British) accent, while some of my British friends have alluded to an accent which they have termed "educated Irish".
Regional accents used to be very strong in Ireland (think of the "Norn Iron" conflict, or how Ian Paisley/Gerry Adams speak, to get that flavour), while linguistic scholars cite the far south Munster accent as quite similar (they think) to what 16th-17th century English might have sounded like (yes, we are back to what TEG wrote about historical vowel changes). Class is possibly a somewhat stronger indicator of accent than was the case in earlier times, when geography prevailed.
Cheers.
Regional accents used to be very strong in Ireland (think of the "Norn Iron" conflict, or how Ian Paisley/Gerry Adams speak, to get that flavour), while linguistic scholars cite the far south Munster accent as quite similar (they think) to what 16th-17th century English might have sounded like (yes, we are back to what TEG wrote about historical vowel changes). Class is possibly a somewhat stronger indicator of accent than was the case in earlier times, when geography prevailed.
Cheers.
Ok I stand corrected from my previous statement that Wikipedia has turned us into pedants...I should have said that the internet has turned us all into pedants.
I'd challenge you to geographically place my english accent. Some people say Oxford, some people say Hampshire, neither of which I've actually lived in
http://www.planetary.org/radio/show/00000251/ (I'm the guest, from a few mins in)
I'd challenge you to geographically place my english accent. Some people say Oxford, some people say Hampshire, neither of which I've actually lived in
http://www.planetary.org/radio/show/00000251/ (I'm the guest, from a few mins in)
Where is 'Enry 'Iggins when we need 'im?
There's a bit of a warble on your voice, but I'm going to guess at East Midlands maybe Nottingham?I'd challenge you to geographically place my english accent. Some people say Oxford, some people say Hampshire, neither of which I've actually lived in
Thanks to Blakely028 for drawing my attention to a grave omission on my part. Yes, I love Scottish English and the accompanying accent(s). A good friend of mine (Scottish) writes poetry in Scots dialect (I need a translation when reading it). Re accents, are we talking "Taggart" (Mark McManus vintage), or something more like Gordon Brown. Anyway, it sits very pleasantly on the ear. A political philosophy lecturer I had in college was Scottish; subtle, witty, very sardonic and extremely erudite. To this day my understanding of political philosophy has a marked Scottish flavour. Cheers.
I always get upset when Americans talk about the "British Accent". Last time I looked, there were hundreds of accents there. Usually I think they mean the BBC Accent or some other mainstream accent that you can find on American TV (just like Americans think that all Canadians say Eh?). I can only pick out one or two Accents from the Island of Britain, aside from the BBC Accent.
Oh, Michiginian is a cross between Wisconsin/Minnesotan, Mid-western Drawl, Ebonics, and the default Canadian (Toronto) accent. Usually dealing with the about-aboot vowel problem, and changing most 'o' sounds to 'a' sounds. Not to be confused with Michigander, which is mainly on the Upper Peninsula.
TEG
Oh, Michiginian is a cross between Wisconsin/Minnesotan, Mid-western Drawl, Ebonics, and the default Canadian (Toronto) accent. Usually dealing with the about-aboot vowel problem, and changing most 'o' sounds to 'a' sounds. Not to be confused with Michigander, which is mainly on the Upper Peninsula.
TEG