I think all of those who are suggesting one or the other method of learning the English language is better should realize that in every country there are dialects - especially in England, the US and even in Russia. When I moved to Moscow, the locals here were critical of the Russian I learned in Central Asia.
Anyone who chooses to learn a new language will be subjected to differences in the usage. With 14 years of college and university behind me plus 25 years of teaching, I still learn new phases when I read new material. I have worked with American troops in different countries. When I go home to the hills of West Virginia, I find it still takes me a few days to once again understand the dialects used in my home town. I have also lived in many states and in every corner within the US. The differences of dialects within the US are significant and takes effort on the part of most people to understand. For example, the "Downeast" dialect used in northern Maine is one that few folks in any other part of the US would even understand. I have also worked and lived with the British Army in Iraq and with British individuals in Afghanistan. There were some times when I didn't have any idea what they were saying. I simply took time to ask so I could understand. And, by understanding, I became accepted within the group. Perhaps one way to learn any new language is to learn the basics, and then start applying the different usage from different areas. And, in the meantime, perhaps a little respect for the language of others might help in the overall cultural understanding between and among the various individuals from each country. > Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 01:49:47 -0700 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Expat List Russians' preoccupation with British English > To: [email protected] > > My two-penneth: I have for years found Americans get hot-under-the-collar > about this subject. It must be instilled at school or something that British > English is archaic/daft/to be ignored/ridiculed with verve, even labeled > [sic!] idiotic. > > Maybe it's Americans' gall at the audacity of those Limies who dare to think > their version of the language is 'better' because it was the first, or is > somehow more refined because of its stricter rules/old-fashioned spellings. > Understandable. But equally idiotic. > > The only real problem really is that time and money are wasted because we > have both versions of English. Shame we couldn't just choose one, forget the > other, so there are never mistakes mixing up the two, and the differences > between the two don't need learning by anyone. If it be US - let it be. > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Kirill Galetski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tuesday, 2 September, 2008 13:15:31 > Subject: Expat List Russians' preoccupation with British English > > Hi, > > Russians' preoccupation with British English and necessarily having a British > is irksome at best, idiotic at worst. As a former English teacher, I take > offence [sic] to it. > > The world standard for business is American English, with all of the > trappings thereof. It's not an accident that major non-Anglo corporations > such as German concern Bosch have American English as their standard for all > English-language communications. > > To quote Bill Bryson from his book MADE IN AMERICA, An Informal History of > the English Language in the United States, > > "To this day it remains a commonplace in England that American English is a > corrupted form of British speech, that the inhabitants of the New World > display a kind of helpless, chronic 'want of refinement' every time they open > their mouths and attempt to issue sounds. In fact, in several significant > ways it is British speech that has become corrupted, or, to put it in less > reactionary terms, has quietly evolved." > > Nevertheless, I believe that when English is taught, both the American and > British varieties should be taught in nearly equal measure. This implies > having a teacher that is competent to do both, but it certainly does not > limit the teacher to being only of the British nationality. > > Just my two kopeks' worth. > > Kirill. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [email protected] > Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 12:03:37 +0400 (MSD) > Subject: Expat Digest, Vol 47, Issue 3 > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 21:37:25 +0400 > > From: "Dasha Repina" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: Expat List English tutor > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], "The Moscow Expat List" <[email protected]> > > Message-ID: > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > > Hi John, > > > > thanks a lot for your attention, but the requirement of my boss is quite > > exact. He wants British teacher. > > > > All of the best, Daria. > > _______________________________________________ > Expat mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.lists.ru/mailman/listinfo/expat > http://www.expat.ru/forum/ > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > _______________________________________________ > Expat mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.lists.ru/mailman/listinfo/expat > http://www.expat.ru/forum/
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