89 replies to this topic

[J. K.]

As a public school teacher, I am appalled at the language usage I see by our teenagers.  Spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors abound.  Additionally, they use text-speak more and more in their writing.  It truly makes me wonder what our language will be like in another two generations.

[FLOMBIE]

That professor did not know much, then. German can be hard, soft, commanding or submissive, just like any other language. But its grammar makes it very poetic.

Maybe he learned German from British WWII films. I don't blame people on thinking German would be super harsh if they only know that.

I wish I could whisper you some nice words. You'd see the difference.

Edited by FLOMBIE, 29 May 2012 - 09:04 PM.

[Bella-Angelique]

J. K., on 29 May 2012 - 08:51 PM, said:

It truly makes me wonder what our language will be like in another two generations.

I see signs of an international form of English emerging that contains favorite words from languages around the planet.

[Mantis914]

FLOMBIE, on 29 May 2012 - 08:05 PM, said:

Edit: I would also miss all those girls with cute foreign accents!

[Michelle]

FLOMBIE, on 29 May 2012 - 08:05 PM, said:

Edit: I would also miss all those girls with cute foreign accents!

You haven't traveled around the US have you? Regions have different accents,...so much so that some of them are difficult to understand and it's hard to believe they were born speaking English.

[Oppono Astos]

FLOMBIE, on 29 May 2012 - 03:10 PM, said:

It's not 'pavement'?

Cyclepath...

[stevewinn]

as long as a language can be understood who cares how it evolves? its only there to provide a function of communication. its estimated 70% of adults in the UK have poor spelling. if a simpler method of spelling /language is evolved and that 70% figure falls to 10% of adults have poor spelling, punctuation ect doesn't  that mean the language is evolving in the right direction. language is there to serve us not us to serve language.

doesnt the ability to read jumbled up words prove this? Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Languages evolve, pronunciations change, spellinf changes.
I still refuse, as a personal point of pride, to write "gaol" as "jail" though unless I have o despite it being phonetically correct the American way, and I will refuse until my dying day to call the last letter of the alphabet"zee". I can see how we've all moved onto saying "loo-ten-ant" rather then "leff-ten-ent", that's how the word is written after all, but converselt "aluminum" is mising a letter sound if said American style "aluminium", there's and "i" here that in ever other iteration of "ium" words is vocalised.

[Andami]

Aluminium is not American. We all say aluminum as well.

I really don't see the big deal with Britons using "American words." Like it matters. If American English becomes the dominant form over there, should any of you care? Language is only there to convey ideas. It should not be constrictive.

[Star of the Sea]

J. K., on 29 May 2012 - 08:51 PM, said:

As a public school teacher, I am appalled at the language usage I see by our teenagers.  Spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors abound.  Additionally, they use text-speak more and more in their writing.  It truly makes me wonder what our language will be like in another two generations.

Totally agree with you J.K. the kids here in the UK (including my own) use texting/Facebook abbreviations in their school work. Parents need to know how badly it affects their writing comprehension. If they go through school with these bad habits in grammar, it then impacts on College and then University. Teachers are fighting a losing battle.

[Arbenol68]

Wearer of Hats, on 30 May 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

"aluminum" is mising a letter sound if said American style "aluminium", there's and "i" here that in ever other iteration of "ium" words is vocalised.

This isn't a mispronunciation, it really is ALUMINUM. And it isn't an Americanism either. It has more to do with Humphrey Davy not being able to make up his mind properly.

http://www.worldwide...s/aluminium.htm

Edited by Arbenol68, 30 May 2012 - 11:50 PM.

[lightly]

Sure,  i guess mass communications of our time are contributing to word swapping .   Internet is a big factor?

I don't know much about Olde English ..  but modern English English, what with  such a long list of invader/occupiers, is already full of words from many many languages.  Then it came to the Americas and a melting pot full of more words from native and immigrant languages were absorbed into "English".     .. and it's all come down to. .     hey ....  .. sup?

[little_dreamer]

Wearer of Hats, on 30 May 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

Languages evolve, pronunciations change, spellinf changes.
.. and I will refuse until my dying day to call the last letter of the alphabet"zee"....

OK, so what is the last letter?

So if you had won the wars in 1776 and 1812, maybe we would be doing things your way,  ha ha.

[questionmark]

lightly, on 31 May 2012 - 12:01 AM, said:

Sure,  i guess mass communications of our time are contributing to word swapping .   Internet is a big factor?

I don't know much about Olde English ..  but modern English English, what with  such a long list of invader/occupiers, is already full of words from many many languages.  Then it came to the Americas and a melting pot full of more words from native and immigrant languages were absorbed into "English". .. and it's all come down to. . hey ....  .. sup?

It is more a question of fashion. But I don't mind that people use different or new words, that is OK with me. I just mind that the use of language, or better said the writing of it, starts loosing discipline. That just leads to ineffective communications.

[FLOMBIE]

Michelle, on 30 May 2012 - 06:14 PM, said:

You haven't traveled around the US have you? Regions have different accents,...so much so that some of them are difficult to understand and it's hard to believe they were born speaking English.

Sure, I have! Dialects are natural in any language, in German as well. You should compare a guy from Hamburg, Switzerland and Austria, or simply a guy from the east and the west of Germany. It's as diverse as people speak who are from Houston, Boston  or Chicago.But that is not what I meant. I meant accents from Spain, Russia, Korea. Foreign Accents. The way I speak English.