Comments on: British and American English: How to teach English you don’t speak http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/ travel culture worldwide Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:35:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ruth Dear http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-94449 Ruth Dear Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:54:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-94449 I don't see how 20 (minutes) to 5 wouldn't be straightforward. Perhaps it's not what Americans are used to but it's hardly a difficult concept to grasp and I would write 25th October 2011 but I would SAY the 25th of October 2011. That's what I've always taught my students as well. I teach in South Korea now which is saturated with American English. I have no problem teaching it but it is difficult to get around the pronunciation differences. The two biggest for me (a British Southerner) are 'can't' and 'dance'. I end up with some very strange looks when I try and get the students to repeat after me. It can certainly be frustrating at times! I don’t see how 20 (minutes) to 5 wouldn’t be straightforward. Perhaps
it’s not what Americans are used to but it’s hardly a difficult concept to
grasp and I would write 25th October 2011 but I would SAY the 25th of October 2011. That’s what I’ve always taught my students as well.

I teach in South Korea now which is saturated with American English. I have no problem teaching it but it is difficult to get around the pronunciation differences. The two biggest for me (a British Southerner) are ‘can’t’ and ‘dance’. I end up with some very strange looks when I try and get the students to repeat after me. It can certainly be frustrating at times!

]]> By: Ruth Dear http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-94450 Ruth Dear Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:54:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-94450 I don't see how 20 (minutes) to 5 wouldn't be straightforward. Perhaps it's not what Americans are used to but it's hardly a difficult concept to grasp and I would write 25th October 2011 but I would SAY the 25th of October 2011. That's what I've always taught my students as well. I teach in South Korea now which is saturated with American English. I have no problem teaching it but it is difficult to get around the pronunciation differences. The two biggest for me (a British Southerner) are 'can't' and 'dance'. I end up with some very strange looks when I try and get the students to repeat after me. It can certainly be frustrating at times! I don’t see how 20 (minutes) to 5 wouldn’t be straightforward. Perhaps
it’s not what Americans are used to but it’s hardly a difficult concept to
grasp and I would write 25th October 2011 but I would SAY the 25th of October 2011. That’s what I’ve always taught my students as well.

I teach in South Korea now which is saturated with American English. I have no problem teaching it but it is difficult to get around the pronunciation differences. The two biggest for me (a British Southerner) are ‘can’t’ and ‘dance’. I end up with some very strange looks when I try and get the students to repeat after me. It can certainly be frustrating at times!

]]> By: Stutz http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-92960 Stutz Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:56:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-92960 Regarding the order of dates, Americans wouldn't write "25th January 2009", either. It would be January 25, 2009. Our dates are consistent with how we speak and write them. That's why the month comes first. The reason we don't speak them that way is because "25th January" is nonsensical unless you mean "THE 25th OF January". When we say dates, we literally do say "January twenty-five (or twenty-fifth), two-thousand nine". Regarding the order of dates, Americans wouldn’t write “25th January 2009″, either. It would be January 25, 2009. Our dates are consistent with how we speak and write them. That’s why the month comes first. The reason we don’t speak them that way is because “25th January” is nonsensical unless you mean “THE 25th OF January”. When we say dates, we literally do say “January twenty-five (or twenty-fifth), two-thousand nine”.

]]> By: Stutz http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-92961 Stutz Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:56:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-92961 Regarding the order of dates, Americans wouldn't write "25th January 2009", either. It would be January 25, 2009. Our dates are consistent with how we speak and write them. That's why the month comes first. The reason we don't speak them that way is because "25th January" is nonsensical unless you mean "THE 25th OF January". When we say dates, we literally do say "January twenty-five (or twenty-fifth), two-thousand nine". Regarding the order of dates, Americans wouldn’t write “25th January 2009″, either. It would be January 25, 2009. Our dates are consistent with how we speak and write them. That’s why the month comes first. The reason we don’t speak them that way is because “25th January” is nonsensical unless you mean “THE 25th OF January”. When we say dates, we literally do say “January twenty-five (or twenty-fifth), two-thousand nine”.

]]> By: Stutz http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-92956 Stutz Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:51:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-92956 I think Ellen confused everyone by spelling shorty phonetically, as "shawty", which is how it's pronounced in rap songs. The word is shorty, though. I think Ellen confused everyone by spelling shorty phonetically, as “shawty”, which is how it’s pronounced in rap songs. The word is shorty, though.

]]> By: Stutz http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-92957 Stutz Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:51:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-92957 I think Ellen confused everyone by spelling shorty phonetically, as "shawty", which is how it's pronounced in rap songs. The word is shorty, though. I think Ellen confused everyone by spelling shorty phonetically, as “shawty”, which is how it’s pronounced in rap songs. The word is shorty, though.

]]> By: Emily http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-38376 Emily Thu, 20 May 2010 00:19:10 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-38376 Hi, I'm from Canada, and we speak very similarly to Americans but spell words like the British do (e.g. colour, neighbour, centre). However, I have British parents, so my speech is a very random assortment of American/Canadian and British. 1. Verbs: I use the regular way. 2. "Realize," not "realise". 3. I would say "I've already eaten." 4. I don't use "shall" or "shan't" but I use "ought to" sometimes. 5. I do dates the American way. 6. I use some North American and some British vocabulary: for example, I say "duvet" but I also say "elevator". I watched an interesting TV clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYmrg3owTRE Hugh Laurie is on Ellen, and they're quizzing each other on American and British slang. I thought I would do better on the American one, but turns out I didn't know any. On the other hand, I knew all the British ones. Another thing is pronunciation. I have a Canadian accent but pronounce certain words, like tomato or yogurt, the British way. Because I am so mixed-up linguistically and because I come from two backgrounds (Canada and Britain), I am always interested in reading these articles about British vs. American English. This one was no exception! Thanks for writing it. :) Hi,
I’m from Canada, and we speak very similarly to Americans but spell words like the British do (e.g. colour, neighbour, centre). However, I have British parents, so my speech is a very random assortment of American/Canadian and British.

1. Verbs: I use the regular way.
2. “Realize,” not “realise”.
3. I would say “I’ve already eaten.”
4. I don’t use “shall” or “shan’t” but I use “ought to” sometimes.
5. I do dates the American way.
6. I use some North American and some British vocabulary: for example, I say “duvet” but I also say “elevator”.

I watched an interesting TV clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYmrg3owTRE
Hugh Laurie is on Ellen, and they’re quizzing each other on American and British slang. I thought I would do better on the American one, but turns out I didn’t know any. On the other hand, I knew all the British ones.

Another thing is pronunciation. I have a Canadian accent but pronounce certain words, like tomato or yogurt, the British way.

Because I am so mixed-up linguistically and because I come from two backgrounds (Canada and Britain), I am always interested in reading these articles about British vs. American English. This one was no exception! Thanks for writing it. :)

]]> By: Lexy http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-36413 Lexy Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:52:49 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-36413 Yeah, Americans rarely ever give time like "twenty to seven." When I visited England, I was constantly frustrated in trying to understand the time! People were always saying things like, "twenty past" or "twelve of". Generally, Americans will say the time in a straightforward manner: "two fifteen, noon, one thirty." Yeah, Americans rarely ever give time like “twenty to seven.” When I visited England, I was constantly frustrated in trying to understand the time! People were always saying things like, “twenty past” or “twelve of”. Generally, Americans will say the time in a straightforward manner: “two fifteen, noon, one thirty.”

]]> By: Alouise http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-36412 Alouise Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:34:50 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-36412 I'm from Canada and we spell a lot of words the British way, like colour or cheque and it always bugs me when spell check marks the words down as incorrect. I didn't realize (or realise) that dates were different too. I've been told that English is one of the hardest languages to learn, and with the article it's easy to see why. One time at work someone asked my coworker for the time and she said twenty to seven. Then the person asked what time it was in American...which prompted some strange looks from my coworker. Anyways would most Americans just say 6:40? And which method do the British prefer? I’m from Canada and we spell a lot of words the British way, like colour or cheque and it always bugs me when spell check marks the words down as incorrect. I didn’t realize (or realise) that dates were different too. I’ve been told that English is one of the hardest languages to learn, and with the article it’s easy to see why.

One time at work someone asked my coworker for the time and she said twenty to seven. Then the person asked what time it was in American…which prompted some strange looks from my coworker. Anyways would most Americans just say 6:40? And which method do the British prefer?

]]> By: Mauro Paim http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-english-how-to-teach-english-you-dont-speak/#comment-36443 Mauro Paim Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:15:54 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1164#comment-36443 Academics aside, I loved the article. Yes, I acknowledge that there is a monumental difference between the Englishes and I think it is wonderful, by the way. Yes, we should let our students know that those differences are significant in many ways. It is the diversity in the world that makes our lives worth living. Now, I wax philosophical... Academics aside, I loved the article. Yes, I acknowledge that there is a monumental difference between the Englishes and I think it is wonderful, by the way. Yes, we should let our students know that those differences are significant in many ways. It is the diversity in the world that makes our lives worth living. Now, I wax philosophical…

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