Biggest Spammer Semifinal

**Arhazivory** · 05-09-2009, 06:25 AM

I wouldn't use it as a standard, and even if that's the case...American (as you're so kind to remind us) is as opposite to English as north and south. We are closer.

**Binky** · 05-09-2009, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by Asce

If we use the English accent (NPG) as a standard, I can safely say I am closer to it than you are.

There are lots of English accents. Bloody hunners, and sounding like - for example - a Geordie is not a ringing endorsement of one's elocution. If you had an old 50's BBC presenter then it would be a different matter, but the English have regional accents too.

**RedneckNoob** · 05-09-2009, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Binky

There are lots of English accents. Bloody hunners, and sounding like - for example - a Geordie is not a ringing endorsement of one's elocution. If you had an old 50's BBC presenter then it would be a different matter, but the English have regional accents too.

Just like there are hundreds of American accents. My accent doesn't match Asce, Mister_Death, or DFX.

**Binky** · 05-09-2009, 10:20 AM

Yeah, I'm just questioning the validity of using English speech patterns as a comparitive standard for assessing the quality of spoken English endemic to particular countries and regions thereof, especially given that England itself has extremely wide variance - not that I'm accusing NPG of a wacky accent by the way - just saying...

It is probably the case that on the most normative end of the spectrum, written Jamaican English will resemble Queen's English more than American English will, which mangles spelling for no apparent reason much of the time. When spoken, both will be a fair distance from received pronunciation, for example the majority of American English dialects are rhotic (In RP, /r/ is not vocalised unless followed by a vowel, this is non-rhotic) and of course, some words that have spelling modifications are pronounced differently such as aluminium versus aluminum.

Also, Asce, you talk funny.

**RedneckNoob** · 05-09-2009, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Binky

It is probably the case that on the most normative end of the spectrum, written Jamaican English will resemble Queen's English more than American English will, which mangles spelling for no apparent reason much of the time.

America started out as highly agricultural colonies. The majority were home taught and didn't receive official training. After the split and after the War of 1812, the wave of Nationalism encouraged Americans to avoid learning learned Queen's English and keeping to the ignorant farmer American English. This caused the difference in spelling and the way things are pronounced the most. Canadia wasn't revolutionary, so the change wasn't as strong for them.