Not usually, no. Some of the less standard dialects and accents might be harder for some people, but if you're speaking with a sort of "average" accent from either country, conversation won't be a problem.
Do the Americans speak English better than the British?
<<Orlando is a bloom! Pluck with care. >>
The man's just downright tasty, Damian. Finger-lickin' good, as we say over here.
By the way, nobody's mentioned the down-home accent Kirsten Dunst -- or should I say, Miz Kirsten, as they would affectionately be calling her in that part of the country -- put on in Elizabethtown. Not an expert on that part of the country, but it sounded all right to me -- light and not too overdone.
The man's just downright tasty, Damian. Finger-lickin' good, as we say over here.
By the way, nobody's mentioned the down-home accent Kirsten Dunst -- or should I say, Miz Kirsten, as they would affectionately be calling her in that part of the country -- put on in Elizabethtown. Not an expert on that part of the country, but it sounded all right to me -- light and not too overdone.
Glad you like Mr Bloom, Uriel! :-)
As to who speaks the best English.....Americans or Brits? Neither speaks it better than the other...it's a question without a definitive answer, I reckon. There are loads of Americans who speak "better" English than do loads of Brits, that's for sure. And undoubtedly vice versa...it all depends on so many factors. What exactly does "better" mean anyway?
I've seen chat shows on TV from both sides of the Pond, both similar in style and content, and with similar audience and individual person(s) participation, and I've often thought that the Americans spoke more coherently and articulately than many of the Brits.
Anyway, the UK right now has experienced a huge influx of migrants from Eastern Europe - they are now entitled to come here since the expansion of the European Union included their own countries, and the UK seems to be the fave destination for these guys.
Would you believe that the UK is now actually seeing Polish people (teachers etc) instructing Brits on how to speak proper English!
Strange....but true.
As to who speaks the best English.....Americans or Brits? Neither speaks it better than the other...it's a question without a definitive answer, I reckon. There are loads of Americans who speak "better" English than do loads of Brits, that's for sure. And undoubtedly vice versa...it all depends on so many factors. What exactly does "better" mean anyway?
I've seen chat shows on TV from both sides of the Pond, both similar in style and content, and with similar audience and individual person(s) participation, and I've often thought that the Americans spoke more coherently and articulately than many of the Brits.
Anyway, the UK right now has experienced a huge influx of migrants from Eastern Europe - they are now entitled to come here since the expansion of the European Union included their own countries, and the UK seems to be the fave destination for these guys.
Would you believe that the UK is now actually seeing Polish people (teachers etc) instructing Brits on how to speak proper English!
Strange....but true.
Hey, I once complimented a Mexican friend of mine for using "whom" correctly in a sentence -- something I can't even do! He allowed that it was often people who've had to learn the language formally who have the better grammar. ;)
And hey -- what about the poor Australians and New Zealanders? Don't they get to be contestants on the "Who Speaks Better English" show? Or did the author write them off from the get-go?
And hey -- what about the poor Australians and New Zealanders? Don't they get to be contestants on the "Who Speaks Better English" show? Or did the author write them off from the get-go?
<<Would you believe that the UK is now actually seeing Polish people (teachers etc) instructing Brits on how to speak proper English!>>
Are you sure? That's astonishing. I know that lots of people from Eastern and Middle Europe come to the UK to teach. But I thought not English...
Are you sure? That's astonishing. I know that lots of people from Eastern and Middle Europe come to the UK to teach. But I thought not English...
My sister and I both had huge speach impediments when we were little. We've managed to drop them all except that I still have a little bit of a lisp (it's not one of those REALLY annoying ones because it is really light and most people don't notice). Anyhow, my sister ended up with a German speach teacher for a couple of years. How the heck is someone with a thick German accent supposed to teach someone from the US to speak better English? I don't know, but it worked. Hey, here's a question out of the blue, does anyone else use the question: How goes it? My family uses it all the time, not in jest, but I've never heard anyone else use it.
<<There's a "Middle" Europe?>>
Sunstroke!!!! OF COURSE THERE ISN'T!!!! I meant to say CENTRAL EUROPE.
You shouldn't read my posts without an interpreter :-)) (at least when the weather is hot). Now I declare myself non compos. :-((
Sunstroke!!!! OF COURSE THERE ISN'T!!!! I meant to say CENTRAL EUROPE.
You shouldn't read my posts without an interpreter :-)) (at least when the weather is hot). Now I declare myself non compos. :-((
Overall, British English sounds better; Not only is it easier to understand but I also have the impression that it places heavier emphasis on each word by pronouncing it more clearly. As far as Tonly Blair's English goes; I would have to agree with the earlier comment that his english is indeed special!
He speaks with an unparralled eloquence (among politicians);and he can make his point without sounding too direct or 'intrusive'
He speaks with an unparralled eloquence (among politicians);and he can make his point without sounding too direct or 'intrusive'
****Are you sure? That's astonishing. I know that lots of people from Eastern and Middle Europe come to the UK to teach. But I thought not English...***
Absolutely, positively, supremely confidently sure! If I say that, as a trainee journalist, I have to be certain of my facts and only deal in the truth you'd probably go laugh yourself sick. But it is a fact that some Polish people are employed as secondary school teachers/teaching assistants in England (I'm not sure about the situation in my own country Scotland, where the system is quite different) and they are actually teaching youngsters the basics of the English Language. I'll try and find a link to confirm this.
Middle Europe? What's wrong with that? They use the term Middle England, don't they, even though the term is used somewhat pejoratively. :-)
Absolutely, positively, supremely confidently sure! If I say that, as a trainee journalist, I have to be certain of my facts and only deal in the truth you'd probably go laugh yourself sick. But it is a fact that some Polish people are employed as secondary school teachers/teaching assistants in England (I'm not sure about the situation in my own country Scotland, where the system is quite different) and they are actually teaching youngsters the basics of the English Language. I'll try and find a link to confirm this.
Middle Europe? What's wrong with that? They use the term Middle England, don't they, even though the term is used somewhat pejoratively. :-)
<<Middle Europe? What's wrong with that? They use the term Middle England, don't they, even though the term is used somewhat pejoratively. :-)>>
Then I'm rehabilitated. :-)
It's really strange. I imagine youngsters starting school with a certain (British) accent and then ending up with a thick Polish accent. Their parents don't believe that they are their own children.
By the way, aren't these Polish teachers criticised by their students? As far as I know, adolescents usually have an extremely vitriolic tongue. And no one likes being told by non-native speakers how to speak his/her mother tongue.
But there are lots of Polish people (and other nations from East/Central Europe) who speak English extremely well (sometimes with an RP accent), and they are grammatically correct. They know the grammar rules and can explain them, unlike most native speakers. Although it's all true, I find this quite strange (that Polish people teach English to the English).
I didn't know it. I've heard that these people taught English both in the UK and in the US at universities. They teach the basics (or a more advanced level) to foreign students whose command of English don't come up to the requirements. The other thing I've heard is that they taught other subjects in primary and secondary schools, but not English.
Then I'm rehabilitated. :-)
It's really strange. I imagine youngsters starting school with a certain (British) accent and then ending up with a thick Polish accent. Their parents don't believe that they are their own children.
By the way, aren't these Polish teachers criticised by their students? As far as I know, adolescents usually have an extremely vitriolic tongue. And no one likes being told by non-native speakers how to speak his/her mother tongue.
But there are lots of Polish people (and other nations from East/Central Europe) who speak English extremely well (sometimes with an RP accent), and they are grammatically correct. They know the grammar rules and can explain them, unlike most native speakers. Although it's all true, I find this quite strange (that Polish people teach English to the English).
I didn't know it. I've heard that these people taught English both in the UK and in the US at universities. They teach the basics (or a more advanced level) to foreign students whose command of English don't come up to the requirements. The other thing I've heard is that they taught other subjects in primary and secondary schools, but not English.
>>My sister and I both had huge speach impediments when we were little. We've managed to drop them all except that I still have a little bit of a lisp (it's not one of those REALLY annoying ones because it is really light and most people don't notice). Anyhow, my sister ended up with a German speach teacher for a couple of years. How the heck is someone with a thick German accent supposed to teach someone from the US to speak better English? I don't know, but it worked. Hey, here's a question out of the blue, does anyone else use the question: How goes it? My family uses it all the time, not in jest, but I've never heard anyone else use it.<<
I once had an English teacher in middle school who was from Germany myself. However, he had lived in the US since the late 1940s-early 1950s (I am not quite sure), having fled from what would become East Germany, and only had a slight German accent.
I once had an English teacher in middle school who was from Germany myself. However, he had lived in the US since the late 1940s-early 1950s (I am not quite sure), having fled from what would become East Germany, and only had a slight German accent.
I've heard "How goes it?" as an alternative to "How's it going?" a time or two before.
No reason why non-native speakers can't teach natives English; the principles of grammar don't change, right?
No reason why non-native speakers can't teach natives English; the principles of grammar don't change, right?
<<No reason why non-native speakers can't teach natives English; the principles of grammar don't change, right?>>
Some do, some don't. You are right, the basic principles don't really change.
Sometimes non-native speakers use more correct grammar than native speakers do. Since they have learnt (and not acquired) grammar, they know the exact rules and therefore can explain them clearly.
The only problem that might arise is the question of pronunciation and the constant change of vocabulary.
Some do, some don't. You are right, the basic principles don't really change.
Sometimes non-native speakers use more correct grammar than native speakers do. Since they have learnt (and not acquired) grammar, they know the exact rules and therefore can explain them clearly.
The only problem that might arise is the question of pronunciation and the constant change of vocabulary.
As far as lessons about literature go; Chaucer/Shakespeare etc.. ; I believe only a person that has studied the works of the gentlemen extensively (almost scientifically) is entitled to teach about them; This could be a polish/greek whatever teacher.. In this case, I don't think it matters what the origin of the teacher is.. As long as he/she is competent.. ; And this rises an interesting question; What do you consider a good english teacher? Surely being British does not entitle you to call yourself a good English teacher .. as there are many other areas such as Philology, Literature and Phonology that need extensive study and Not all native speakers are necessairly competent in those areas of English.
I think we should distinguish between Teachers teaching the basics of English and those who are to teach about the more advanced subjects such as the earlier mentioned ones.
After all, teaching is a skill as well and a teacher teaching about the advanced subjects might not be able to teach the basics to children or foreigners as it requires a different approach.. (or the other way around..)
I think we should distinguish between Teachers teaching the basics of English and those who are to teach about the more advanced subjects such as the earlier mentioned ones.
After all, teaching is a skill as well and a teacher teaching about the advanced subjects might not be able to teach the basics to children or foreigners as it requires a different approach.. (or the other way around..)