Has American English Become The 'Standard' English?

I learned recently that in asian countries they are taught american english, with american grammar and pronunciation.since asia has like 2/3 of the world's population, and combine that with north and south america, is it official that american english has become the standard english around the world? its just kinda funny that the "true" english is being phased out. i'm guessing only in europe they learn english the british way? I guess you can count too australia and new zealand which is closer to the british way

i will refuse to spell it "color" untill the day i die. American english is stupid.

No. People still use British english in many countries.

Not everywhere. Look at Hong Kong.

It may very well be. There is already a law on the books that English is the official language for pilots, especially those who fly into international airports as well as the air traffic controllers at those airports.

yes.

i would endorse American English as a universal language, should we ever achieve one.

Possibly. It doesn't really matter: English is english.

Wish more people would learn how to use it properly, though.

yes.

 

i would endorse American English as a universal language, should we ever achieve one.

frannkzappa

What?  I know most languages have plenty of idiosyncracies, but English seems to me to be one of the worst offenders and most non-sensical choice for a universal language (not that I support that idea anyways).  Also, if you're endorsing American English are you endorsing the common language or official language?  One of my biggest complaints with English is that proper usage of certain words is virtually non-existent in everyday talk (Seriously, adjectives do not take the place of adverbs!)  If we're going to have a universal language can't we at least have one that people know how to speak properly?

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

yes.

i would endorse American English as a universal language, should we ever achieve one.

theone86

What? I know most languages have plenty of idiosyncracies, but English seems to me to be one of the worst offenders and most non-sensical choice for a universal language (not that I support that idea anyways). Also, if you're endorsing American English are you endorsing the common language or official language? One of my biggest complaints with English is that proper usage of certain words is virtually non-existent in everyday talk (Seriously, adjectives do not take the place of adverbs!) If we're going to have a universal language can't we at least have one that people know how to speak properly?

English isn't my number 1 choice.

first is Mandarin (due to popularity)

second would be something akin to Esperanto.

Possibly. It doesn't really matter: English is english.

Wish more people would learn how to use it properly, though.

airshocker

And understand it properly. 

• "brb going to use the restroom/bathroom." A room which has no bath and is not furnished for resting.

• "ahhh whatever man, I could care less."

• "mmm I love jelly on toast."
• "which jelly? that's not jelly, that's jam. what do you call the jelly you put in a bowl with ice cream?"
• "oh we call that jelly too."

• "brb going to use the restroom/bathroom." A room which has no bath and is not furnished for resting.

• "ahhh whatever man, I could care less."

• "mmm I love jelly on toast."
• "which jelly? that's not jelly, that's jam. what do you call the jelly you put in a bowl with ice cream?"
• "oh we call that jelly too."

-Unreal-

1. both originally British phrases.

2. no we don't.. i can only assume you are talking about syrup.

[QUOTE="-Unreal-"]

• "brb going to use the restroom/bathroom." A room which has no bath and is not furnished for resting.

 

• "ahhh whatever man, I could care less."

 

• "mmm I love jelly on toast."
• "which jelly? that's not jelly, that's jam. what do you call the jelly you put in a bowl with ice cream?"
• "oh we call that jelly too."

frannkzappa

1. both originally British phrases.

2. no we don't.. i can only assume you are talking about syrup.

1. I've never ever heard anyone from Britain call a room without a bath "bathroom"

2. You don't call the wobbly stuff used in trifles and commonly eaten with ice cream "jelly"? Strange because I've seen Americans call both jam and jelly "jelly" on many occasions.

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

[QUOTE="-Unreal-"]

• "brb going to use the restroom/bathroom." A room which has no bath and is not furnished for resting.

• "ahhh whatever man, I could care less."

• "mmm I love jelly on toast."
• "which jelly? that's not jelly, that's jam. what do you call the jelly you put in a bowl with ice cream?"
• "oh we call that jelly too."

-Unreal-

1. both originally British phrases.

2. no we don't.. i can only assume you are talking about syrup.

1. I've never ever heard anyone from Britain call a room without a bath "bathroom"

2. You don't call the wobbly stuff used in trifles and commonly eaten with ice cream "jelly"? Strange because I've seen Americans call both jam and jelly "jelly" on many occasions.

1. it is a very old phrase dating back at least a century.. it is rather antiquated in England.

2 we call that jello not jelly. those are two very different things in America.

No.Doom_HellKnight

yes.

[spoiler] u mad? [/spoiler]

British English is the only English worthwhile unlike the dumbed down American mess

[QUOTE="Doom_HellKnight"]No.black_chamber99

yes.

[spoiler] u mad? [/spoiler]

But to return to your original question, it would depend on where you are, surely? Britain uses British English (duh) and I believe the Commonwealth countries do as well? No idea about what the rest of the world does with our language.

British English is the only English worthwhile unlike the dumbed down American mess

EmpCom

how is American dumbed down?

it is an older form of English (mostly) compared to modern British English.

• "brb going to use the restroom/bathroom." A room which has no bath and is not furnished for resting.

 

• "ahhh whatever man, I could care less."

 

• "mmm I love jelly on toast."
• "which jelly? that's not jelly, that's jam. what do you call the jelly you put in a bowl with ice cream?"
• "oh we call that jelly too."

-Unreal-

I don't know about your place, but my bathroom has a bathtub in it as well as a shower head for taking showers while standing in the bathtub. Of course, I live in the US.  

An older simplified version for simple peopleEmpCom

i will refuse to spell it "color" untill the day i die. American english is stupid.

Thessassin

An older simplified version for simple peopleEmpCom

simple people with the most technologically advanced country on the planet.

[QUOTE="Thessassin"]

i will refuse to spell it "color" untill the day i die. American english is stupid.

hippiesanta

A BEE CEE DEE EEE F GEE.  H I J K L M N O PEEEEE. Q R S, T U VEEEE. W X. Y ZEEEE.

It's not:

A BED CED DED EDD F GED. H I J K L M N O PED. Q R S, TU VED, W X Y ZED.

I dont have a problem understanding either.  There always regional dialects.  If you travel to a specific country, then it makes sense to know that dialect.  That may be why some schools in China focus on the american dialect - because they suspect their people will do more business with the US than the UK.

[QUOTE="hippiesanta"][QUOTE="Thessassin"]

i will refuse to spell it "color" untill the day i die. American english is stupid.

BMD004

A BEE CEE DEE EEE F GEE.  H I J K L M N O PEEEEE. Q R S, T U VEEEE. W X. Y ZEEEE.

It's not:

A BED CED DED EDD F GED. H I J K L M N O PED. Q R S, TU VED, W X Y ZED.

:lol: I am rolling over here man. 

[QUOTE="EmpCom"]An older simplified version for simple peoplefrannkzappa

simple people with the most technologically advanced country on the planet.

I wonder where this guy is from if he's so confused by the term "bathroom"? Bathrooms in most homes do contain a bathtub or shower to bathe in.

You guys are seriously fighting over regional dialects? 

Anybody who's studied linguistics will tell you that most of the notions attached to the idea of a "standard" for language is nonsense. In fact very few Americans speak "standard" American English. The idea of one variety of English being superior to another is particularly ludicrous. All major international varieties of English are fully elaborated in every lexical domain and are capable of conveying meaning clearly.

When it comes to which variety reigns in terms of new learners I think it's obvious it's the American variety. China alone probably has more English speakers than most Commonwealth countries and American pronunciation and vocabulary are clearly favored there.

i will refuse to spell it "color" untill the day i die. American english is stupid.

Thessassin

i will refuse to spell it "color" untill the day i die. American english is stupid.

Thessassin

You guys are seriously fighting over regional dialects? 

sonicare

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

You guys are seriously fighting over regional dialects? 

TheWalkingGhost

English speakers should adapt the French attitude to linguistic variation. Although a French speaker born in Belgium may have the occasional difficulty understanding a speaker from Algeria or Quebec, variation is understood to be a richness to be appreciated not something to be resented. 

Anybody who's studied linguistics will tell you that most of the notions attached to the idea of a "standard" for language is nonsense. In fact very few Americans speak "standard" American English. The idea of one variety of English being superior to another is particularly ludicrous. All major international varieties of English are fully elaborated in every lexical domain and are capable of conveying meaning clearly.

When it comes to which variety reigns in terms of new learners I think it's obvious it's the American variety. China alone probably has more English speakers than most Commonwealth countries and American pronunciation and vocabulary are clearly favored there.

espoac

English speakers should adapt the French attitude to linguistic variation. Although a French speaker born in Belgium may have the occasional difficulty understanding a speaker from Algeria or Quebec, variation is understood to be a richness to be appreciated not something to be resented. 

espoac

don't parisians look down on every other variant of french?

I knew a girl from montreal that was treated rather coldly in paris because of her accent

[QUOTE="espoac"]

Anybody who's studied linguistics will tell you that most of the notions attached to the idea of a "standard" for language is nonsense. In fact very few Americans speak "standard" American English. The idea of one variety of English being superior to another is particularly ludicrous. All major international varieties of English are fully elaborated in every lexical domain and are capable of conveying meaning clearly.

When it comes to which variety reigns in terms of new learners I think it's obvious it's the American variety. China alone probably has more English speakers than most Commonwealth countries and American pronunciation and vocabulary are clearly favored there.

Fightingfan

[QUOTE="espoac"]

English speakers should adapt the French attitude to linguistic variation. Although a French speaker born in Belgium may have the occasional difficulty understanding a speaker from Algeria or Quebec, variation is understood to be a richness to be appreciated not something to be resented. 

black_chamber99

don't parisians look down on every other variant of french?

I knew a girl from montreal that was treated rather coldly in paris because of her accent

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

[QUOTE="EmpCom"]An older simplified version for simple peopleEmpCom

simple people with the most technologically advanced country on the planet.

if we'er simple the rest of the world must not have functioning brains...

English speakers should adapt the French attitude to linguistic variation. Although a French speaker born in Belgium may have the occasional difficulty understanding a speaker from Algeria or Quebec, variation is understood to be a richness to be appreciated not something to be resented. 

espoac

[QUOTE="EmpCom"][QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

simple people with the most technologically advanced country on the planet.

frannkzappa

if we'er simple the rest of the world must not have functioning brains...