Why are we so keen to speak like Americans?
Discussion
I am always amazed at how readily English people want to forsake thier language to speak like Americans.
Every year people start using new trendy American words for reasons I cannot comprehend.
Recently 'movie' has almost overtaken 'film' to describe a film and everyone seems to find it clever to call one another 'retard' or even more baffling abbreviating it to 'tard, or even more extra-ordinary prefixing this abbreviation with a different word eg f
ktard, wktard, tttard.
WHy do people do this? I can't comprehend it. It doesnt make any sense to me at all.
If you want to speak a different language then go and learn a usefull one like French or Spanish.
The end.
Every year people start using new trendy American words for reasons I cannot comprehend.
Recently 'movie' has almost overtaken 'film' to describe a film and everyone seems to find it clever to call one another 'retard' or even more baffling abbreviating it to 'tard, or even more extra-ordinary prefixing this abbreviation with a different word eg f
ktard, wktard, tttard.WHy do people do this? I can't comprehend it. It doesnt make any sense to me at all.
If you want to speak a different language then go and learn a usefull one like French or Spanish.
The end.
Well it's not that surprising really. Regions have accents because people talk in the way they are spoken to (you wouldn't choose to sound like a Brummy, people end up talking like that because that's how everyone around them speaks). Now since America is the biggest producer of films, and we also take a lot of their TV onto our networks, it is not surprising at all that we pick up some of their language. American media is very popular here - mystery solved.
Why do so many continental europeans have such good English (even if their business doesn't demand using English). Because of TV and films.
Exactly the same here in England. We are exposed to so much American tv, be it series (Simpsons, Friends, 24, CSI, Will and GRace etc. etc) or films. I'd guess that 90% of what I watch on a screen is American made. Not intentionally (far from it, in fact) but just the way these things happen.
As such, it's hardly surprising that our language is becoming influenced by it.
Exactly the same here in England. We are exposed to so much American tv, be it series (Simpsons, Friends, 24, CSI, Will and GRace etc. etc) or films. I'd guess that 90% of what I watch on a screen is American made. Not intentionally (far from it, in fact) but just the way these things happen.
As such, it's hardly surprising that our language is becoming influenced by it.
Justayellowbadge said:
blindswelledrat said:
I am consistently astonished at the fact that the second you become a moderator you follow me around like a school prefect critisising everything I write.
Yes, yes, you're quite correct. I do that. It's a passion.You're a bloody loony.
In 7 years on this site you have never made a single negative comment in my direction and yet suddenly someone hands you a moderator badge and every time I post you rush on like a baby that has s
t itself crying about how much my posts are hurting you.marshalla said:
Oh man, I hadn't noticed that.JAYB must be furious. Not one but two anti-americanism threads in a week.
Doobs said:
Well it's not that surprising really. Regions have accents because people talk in the way they are spoken to (you wouldn't choose to sound like a Brummy, people end up talking like that because that's how everyone around them speaks). Now since America is the biggest producer of films, and we also take a lot of their TV onto our networks, it is not surprising at all that we pick up some of their language. American media is very popular here - mystery solved.
Logical to a point but it is only 'trendy' words that seem to infiltrate (movies is not a great example). We don't run around saying "hood" and "kindergarten" which have been around for years. I don't know what this means exactly, but it annoys me neverthelessTrying to get the thread back on topic, it is a strange trend which I suppose highlights how dynamic and fluid language is. It's not a new trend however. The very nature of language means we'll always be adding to it, rather than removing from it - save for a few archaic words which are deemed obsolete every year. Traditionally we've always borrowed words from other languages (as have most if not all cultures to varying extents), and as time goes by the spellings, pronunciation and meanings have sometimes changed.
What's happening now is no different to what's been happening since language became language. I'm sure all those years ago when Latin or Greek was starting to gain widespread popularity it had it's opposition from those who believed it compromised the soverignty of their native tongue, yet it's common parlance now. To me, it's just history repeating itself, and a natural process.
I can't say it's something that bothers me greatly, though I do hate some facets of language where the rules seem to be torn up and thrown away. I'd rather here someone say dude, than blud, for example.
As rightly pointed out, in the media age the USA is bringing more to the world stage than everyone else. It's inevitable some of their lingo is going to be adopted. Dynamic language is the bomb.
What's happening now is no different to what's been happening since language became language. I'm sure all those years ago when Latin or Greek was starting to gain widespread popularity it had it's opposition from those who believed it compromised the soverignty of their native tongue, yet it's common parlance now. To me, it's just history repeating itself, and a natural process.
I can't say it's something that bothers me greatly, though I do hate some facets of language where the rules seem to be torn up and thrown away. I'd rather here someone say dude, than blud, for example.
As rightly pointed out, in the media age the USA is bringing more to the world stage than everyone else. It's inevitable some of their lingo is going to be adopted. Dynamic language is the bomb.
Edited by Stu R on Friday 15th January 10:53
America is extremely dominant as a force in modern popular culture and this reflects itself in many different areas. As a country of 60 million we stand as a similar but different culture against the might of the USA for example. The USA has over 300 million as a population and hence can generate more popular culture stuff than we can - and in many cases its vastly more popular too!
So yes, its an inevitable aspect of modern pop culture - we will get influenced by America and everything that it is. That said though, if there wasn't a market for it we wouldn't have it here. We consume it because its what people want - sorry but its very much the case. Its been a few years since we had an Empire and dictated to the world.
So yes, its an inevitable aspect of modern pop culture - we will get influenced by America and everything that it is. That said though, if there wasn't a market for it we wouldn't have it here. We consume it because its what people want - sorry but its very much the case. Its been a few years since we had an Empire and dictated to the world.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff