Question for the non-native English speakers

[Lina]

Do you view the worldwide spread of English as yet another annoying example of the U.S. exporting its culture (even though we obviously aren't the only country that speaks English)?

Or do you view it more objectively -- as in, one global language will be necessary as our borders are brought down by technology and business? And English was chosen simply because U.S. businesses dominate the global market?

Does it make you angry to have to learn English? Or is it so commonplace that it's not even questioned anymore?

 

[Juggie]

hell, i was born and raised in the usa and i still have troulbe speaking english

 

[Wolff]

No way. Americans don't even have a fucken language.


What the difference between yougurt and America?
The yougurt would develop a "culture" in 300 years.

 

[Klaha]

I am interested in this too...

 

[Obyeybyeogone]

I've found most Americans speak English worse than most of the people on this board who speak it as a secondary language, sad.

 

[Belial]

American's don't speak English. We speak American!

 

[Lina]

Originally posted by Wolff
What the difference between yougurt and America?
The yougurt would develop a "culture" in 300 years.

I hate it when people say America has no culture. We definitely have a culture -- in fact, I happen to hate it, as does most of the world. It's a culture of ideas and attitudes as opposed to old buildings, but it's still a culture.

 

[Juggie]

Originally posted by Belial
American's don't speak English. We speak American!

yea no shit, we could give a fuck less about how someone else thinks of our language

 

[E V I L]

Originally posted by Oyo
I've found most Americans speak English worse than most of the people on this board who speak it as a secondary language, sad.

...and, evidently, some Americans on this board won't mind furnishing proof for this.

I hope this doesn't become an anti-American thread though.

 

[TheMindzI]

I kinda agree with Wolff
Anyway I don't think it's got something to do with the USA.. it's just a quite easy-to-learn-and-use language and that's why it was chosen as an "international" language.. or maybe I'm too naive and everything in this fuckin world has got something to do with the USA

 

[Obyeybyeogone]

Evil, i'm not sure what you're trying to say. What I meant was, not really the Americans on this board, but Americans in general, some don't even know when you're supposed to use "were", example "We was going to the store."

 

[Juggie]

Originally posted by Oyo
Evil, i'm not sure what you're trying to say. What I meant was, not really the Americans on this board, but Americans in general, some don't even know when you're supposed to use "were", example "We was going to the store."

are you talking about ebonics? (black people slang yo)

 

[E V I L]

Originally posted by Oyo
Evil, i'm not sure what you're trying to say. What I meant was, not really the Americans on this board, but Americans in general, some don't even know when you're supposed to use "were", example "We was going to the store."

Oyo, these things I know. But I'm not talking about the state of things in America, I'm talking about certain posters in this very thread who don't seem to mind becoming good examples of the sort of ignorance you refer to. wink wink

 

[Obyeybyeogone]

I've heard non-ebonics speakers say it, I think the whole language is degrading (although you could call it "American", and say it's just changing differently than it is in England) I don't know, I just think people should bother to speak correctly.

 

[Juggie]

Originally posted by E V I L


Oyo, these things I know. But I'm not talking about the state of things in America, I'm talking about certain posters in this very thread who don't seem to mind becoming good examples of the sort of ignorance you refer to. wink wink

ig·no·rance (gnr-ns) n.
The condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed.

I see nothing about peoples typing ability..

 

[E V I L]

Originally posted by Juggie


ig·no·rance (gnr-ns) n.
The condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed.

I see nothing about peoples typing ability..

We're talking about language and its use. I'm not sure how relevant your post is.

 

[Mr. Black]

Originally posted by Juggie


yea no shit, we could give a fuck less about how someone else thinks of our language

Clearly.

 

[Wolff]

Originally posted by Lina
I hate it when people say America has no culture. We definitely have a culture -- in fact, I happen to hate it, as does most of the world. It's a culture of ideas and attitudes as opposed to old buildings, but it's still a culture.

Loosely defined yeah US has a culture (but then again if you define culture as a set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and whatever... who doesn't?)

I'm referring to the renaissance-ish definition, i.e. cultivation, and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training. Americans are in dire need of enlightenment. Sure they're the best in the world in making money and accumulating wealth, but they way they (we) live is not very commendable. Too much stress, too much sameness, too much poverty, too much ghetto, too many racial problems, too many nouveau riches, too little basic education, too little basic healthcare, too many uncreative feckers, too much religion, too little soccer, a very retributive justice system, too many people sitting in death row, too much appallingly violent crime... yet too many nice people. Marvelous land, America.

 

[Juggie]

heh, yea i figured you where talking about me

 

[Arch]

I think England has a lot to do with "exporting" English and its cultures.