Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:American English

2009-07-02T03:19:17Z

MatthewR:

===Editted Bad Example===
Mardy Bum, in the dialect tha the Arctic Monkeys use, does not refer to a tramp at all, and in fact, the word bum is not used for tramp (I live here, and speak it.) In this case, it is simply a compound-phrase meaning a grumpy or sulky individual (a variation on the phrase uses a less family-friendly word for the posterior to get the same effect, albeit with less affection and more vehemence.) If you want a citation, I can vite you the lyrics of the song [[User:Stargrave|Stargrave]] 12:42, 21 March 2007 (EDT)

It seems to me that this article is in real need of an upgrade. There are no refeences, and while this reads as if it might be correct, it could be personal prejudice.--[[User:AvengingAngel|AvengingAngel]] 14:09, 28 May 2007 (EDT)

== Deletions ==

What is the point of [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=American_English&curid=25163&diff=540980&oldid=540940 these] [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Talk:American_English&diff=540982&oldid=540652 two] removals? [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 20:06, 22 October 2008 (EDT)
:Cause they are about world dialects, not American English. By it's title, this isn't a page on English, but American English. (not that I did the deletions, but I agree with them). Besides, what was deleted was plagiarized, so it's probably good to remove anyhow... unless the writer of this page also wrote the IndoEnglish page that the lines are found from.--[[User:JeanJacques|JeanJacques]] 17:59, 28 October 2008 (EDT)
::If it's plagiarized, that's all I needed. An editor who joins the site to make exactly two edits, both of which involve removeal of text, it seems rather suspicious. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:34, 28 October 2008 (EDT)
:::Frankly, just reading around the "talk" pages, i'm pretty shocked at how common trolls are here. it's not an easy job, being an "sysop", i suspect. I know, i know, don't chit chat. ;-)--[[User:JeanJacques|JeanJacques]] 22:41, 28 October 2008 (EDT)
::::I'm not a sysop, and I could care less if you talk too much :) [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 23:41, 28 October 2008 (EDT)

==Lots of Cut & Paste from English sites==
This article is just chock full of C&P, and most of the C&P are from a site about british English, which is why the last paragraph is there. It really isn't (or shouldn't be) an article about the dialects of English, since the title is specifically American English. IF i worked on it, it would likely need a major overhaul. is that ok?--[[User:JeanJacques|JeanJacques]] 17:57, 28 October 2008 (EDT)

:: I say do it. If it weren't okay, this shouldn't be a user-oriented site. --[[User:Limbo|Limbo]] 20:19, 28 October 2008 (EDT)

==Grammar==
''American English differs in its grammar, phonology and vocabulary'' - I agree with ''phonology and vocabulary'', but I'm not so sure about the grammar. Could anyone offer up any examples? I'm far from an expert; I'm curious about what might be different. --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 19:48, 28 October 2008 (EDT)

:: Things like "I've seen that show" (acceptable in British English) and "I saw that show" (acceptable in American English). The use of verbal modifiers (mobile auxiliaries) is more pronounced in some areas in BE (like the recent past), which does not occur in American English. For all intents and purposes, American English can be considered a "bastardized" form of British English, but it is still valid. Much like Spanish, French, and Italian can all be considered "bastardizations" of Latin. Typically the desire to remove American English from having separate or distinct traits from British English are done out of blind traditionalism or ignorance. --[[User:Limbo|Limbo]] 20:18, 28 October 2008 (EDT)
:::HSmom, "have done" is an interesting verb to watch. In American and British english, we would say "i have done it". necessarily requiring the DO. but in many dialects in england, you can say "I had done" without the DO.
:::Articles are "droped" from British english. or added to amrc. "I am going to hospital". I'm going to THE hospital. ('im brainstorming here.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences -- wow, that's a lot i didn't know. --[[User:JeanJacques|JeanJacques]] 22:46, 28 October 2008 (EDT)

== Deleted anti-British rant ==

''As American society became more productive and efficient than the British, Americans began to emphasize economy in language also...''

I have removed this statement as it sounds like an anti-British rant.

Also, what is so "archaic" about British spellings and usages? If they really were "archaic" is it not right to say then that many American spellings and usages are equally as "archaic" as the British ones? [[User:MatthewR|MatthewR]] 23:16, 1 July 2009 (EDT)

Talk:American English

2009-07-02T03:17:45Z

MatthewR: /* Deleted anti-British rant */ new section

Talk:American English

2009-07-02T03:16:52Z

MatthewR: /* Deleted anti-British rant */ new section

American English

2009-07-02T03:12:19Z

MatthewR: Removed anti-British rant; removed irrelevant information; added relevant examples

'''American English''' is a [[dialect]] of the original language spoken in [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]] which is used in the [[United States]]. American English itself consists of a number of different dialects. Distinctive dialects of American English include those spoken in the South, New England, and New York City, to name only a few. Even these dialects can be broken down further into distinctive dialects, such as the English spoken in Brooklyn, or that spoken in Boston.

==History==
The use of [[English]] in the [[United States]] was inherited as a result of British [[colonialism|colonization]] of the country which at the time was partly a British colony. The first wave of English-speaking settlers arrived in North America in the 17th century. During that time, there were also speakers in North America of [[Dutch]], [[French]], [[German]], [[Spanish]], [[Swedish]], [[Scots]], [[Welsh]], [[Irish]], [[Scottish Gaelic]], [[Finnish]], as well as numerous [[Native American]] languages. To a certain extent, the American dialect spoken commonly throughout the USA comes from the intertwining of many of these languages and dialects.

In many ways, compared to British English, American English differs in its grammar, phonology and vocabulary. Many of these differences were amplified by separate attempts in both Britain and the United States to standardize English usage. For example, Webster's dictionary was influential in firmly establishing many of the American spellings now in use today. President [[Teddy Roosevelt]] endorsed an effort to remove spellings that many Americans perceived to be cumbersome and illogical from the English language as used in America. The [[Chicago Tribune]] also embarked on its own effort to simplify spelling and make it more phonetic.

Today, American English is often regarded as a distorted version of British English by native English speakers living outside North America. In fact, many international organizations, especially academic ones, regard British English exclusively as proper English.

[[Category:English language]]
[[Category:United States]]