How do you talk English?

[old-timer]

OT found himself in the Marriot Goa India this morning and after waking up from an absosute skinful of Kinfisher lager well into the early hours of this morning together with waking up to a WFB who definatley wasnt one of thos unshaven indians in the same bed, I was feeling quite good about things.
I was born in London and unless I want to I do not have a cockney accent at all, in fact I speak the Queens English. I pronounce every letter correctly.
However, American is now the language that everyone outside England understands. Ive even adapted to it myself. For instance I dont ask a proper question anymore, I just talk bullocks and say right? at the end of it, and that is correct grammar in America. Had I sat my English Litrature O level I would have failed, its nonsense but used the world over.
Try asking for a bottle of water on philippines airlines first class cabin after youve just abused every part of your body for 5 days and 6 nights, you will be ignored and they will bring a bloody mary.

OT............

[pal52]

Actually OT the only place the true Queens English is spoken is in Scotland. Please correct me someone if I am wrong but I think it is in Inverness Scotland

[Astana]

'Received Pronunciation' is classed as the most prestigious variety of spoken English, especially in the UK. Australian television and radio presenters, decades ago, used to try to emulate that style as well. Funnily enough, the Queen speaks a style of RP which is more exaggerated than the "normal" style.

Only if one subscribes to the notion that there is one, true "correct" or "best" way of speaking English, can we say that there is a spoken variety which will be easily understandable by a majority of people; I feel that this might always be subjective.

Also, the view that the people of Inverness speak the most "pure" version of English seems to have been perpetuated throughout the ages. Seeing as "pure", "correct" and "best" are always someone's point of view, and not objective fact (seeing as the rules of language are as abstract as language itself), then it will always be a matter of what people 'think' is prestigious or correct or best; even though "prestige" is a sociological entity, not an easily quantifiable factor.

[Udon Map]

IME many Thais find it easier to understand an American accent than one from U.K., Australia or New Zealand. Not sure if that's because it's actually easier to understand or because they hear more American accents and thus are more accustomed to them.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Asians find English spoken in Canada to be easier to understand that U.S. English. Outside of Newfoundland, Quebec and some parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick there are not many regional dialects in Canada. The U.S., on the other hand, has a number of regional dialects. There is the southern accent, the New England speech (remember Kennedy saying 'Cuber' instead of 'Cuba', and strange utterances from people living in Detroit and Buffalo. In the latter city, the citizens say, 'Bab' instead of 'Bob'. This is why some U.S. TV networks hire Canadians, with their neutral accent, to read their national news. The speech of the people in the U.S. northwest (Washington, Montana and Oregon) is like that of most English-speaking Canadians.

Lastly, the title might be better if it was written, how do you speak English?

[macca46]

Being an Aussie as kid we were always told to speak the Queens English whatever you like to make of that!

[Bonanza]

The best spoken English is that which anyone spoken to can understand. Similarly, the best written English is that which anyone reading it can understand. Even a sentence such as ' There are a lot of falangs in Udon and there nice blokes', passes this test! However, accents are another matter.

[Earnest]

Had I sat my English Litrature O level I would have failed, its nonsense but used the world over.

English Literature O level? Crikey, Simon, you're older than I thought. No worries, I passed my English Language O Level second time around but still failed my English Literature. Twenty years later, I walked away with my English Literature BA (Hons), so there's hope for you yet, old girl.

The Britischers don't have first dibs on codifying the English language because variations exist in the 21st century. There's American English, Canadian English, Australian English, NZ English and indian English - all valid and widely used.

[pomps]

The best spoken English is that which anyone spoken to can understand. Similarly, the best written English is that which anyone reading it can understand. Even a sentence such as ' There are a lot of falangs in Udon and there nice blokes', passes this test! However, accents are another matter.

I would write 'and they are nice blokes' For a Thai, is a strong scouse accent easy to understand come across a few lasses that speak as if they have met a load of Americans in their lifetime,waiting for one to speak with a geordie accent

[Khun Paul]

One can and often does attempt to assist students by using phonetics in speaking but oft times it fails miserably as, when they leave the class the inout is lost in the daily Thai chit chat and as they listen to the bad English of their Thai friends,the hours spent are wasted completely. You really have to ensure that the Englsih you speak is correct and slower than normal so that they can hear the way the word is formulated then they will learn

having an accent is not the problem, it is how you as an Englishman speaks the language that counts, that smae applies to any of the other countries where English is the pre-dominant language , unfortunately i will say afte a few years of experience that Filipinos in the main , have an accent that defies speaking English correctly as well as many teachers from the African Continent, however well taught SE Asian teachers can and do speak English well if they have a mind to do so.

it is true that in Englan a person from the the North like North shields cannot be understood by a person from deepest Devon due entirely to accent , they are both speaking English. The Queens English ( aka British English/Oxford English ) is the same as High German for Germany and Central Thai in Thailand, it is the official way the language of that country is spoken and is used in the main by Governments and in Education. The Thai curriculum specifies that the English that should be taught is the Queens English ( aka British English ) although judging by the way some Foreign English teachers speak that is obviously open to interpretation.

[trubrit]

IME many Thais find it easier to understand an American accent than one from U.K., Australia or New Zealand. Not sure if that's because it's actually easier to understand or because they hear more American accents and thus are more accustomed to them.

I think that is because most of the English "teachers" at many of the universities, especially in Bangkok are teaching an American version of English, that being their native tongue.I had a friend graduate from Chulalongkorn , reckoned to be the best and her English was spoken , not only with a strong American accent but littered with many wrong interpretations if you take the Oxford English one as being correct.She told me all the English language tutors were American .She was quite horrified when I told her that to talk like that in England would give others the impression of being low class and could even hamper her career progress, she was a lawyer.Now in case anyone thinks I am knocking the Yanks I will add that regional British accents are, rightly or wrongly, often associated with status and could prejudice ones chosen career.

[stattointhailand]

As most of the world is now subjected to American films/TV on cable/satellite channels, and incorrect spellchecks on their computer, it is not really a great shock that American English is becoming the dominant language, even if many programmes need to be subtitled into English

[GT93]

... I will add that regional British accents are, rightly or wrongly, often associated with status and could prejudice ones chosen career.

Some regional British accents could prejudice one being understood. 555

I don't usually find it pleasant to listen to Indian English. It grates a little with me. I guess that's from their first language affecting how they speak English. Leaving aside how much English a Thai might know, I usually find it pleasant to listen to their English. In fact some of their ladies have seductive sounding voices and pronunciation. Perhaps it's because they sound feminine and speak politely. Some gentlemen reading this thread may be familiar with the Thai females that don't speak politely.

[old-timer]

And what about all those English sayings that really have no connection to what you mean unless you understand English. For example, a couple of friends of mine had a little scuffle in the pub one evening over a very heated debate about health and safety issues, they both stormed off home and calmed down. The next day one of my friends returned to apologise to the Pub Managers wife who is French and spoke perfect English, my friend very apologetically said to her that he was sorry he lost his rag the night before, The Managers wife did no more than start looking for the lost rag under the seats etc. It took a couple of minutes for my pal to realise that she didnt understand and took what he said for what it was.

Check this link out if you would like to improve your understanding of true English:
http://www.effingpot.com/slang.shtml

OT................off for a bit of "how's your father"....

[old-timer]

English Literature O level? Crikey, Simon, you're older than I thought.

The big 50 for OT next year Westers, same as you right? (Question asked in American English)

OT........

[Earnest]

Sorry, had to get my US English dictionary out to see what you were talking about (Indian English is easier, readers).

No, another two years before I hit 50.