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American English, which is ridiculously different than British English. I spent a little over a month in Russia, and I think with my limited Russian I had an easier time understanding Russian than everyone speaking British English (I was one of only two Americans, everyone else spoke foreigner's English, which tends to be heavily British ).

I'm sorry, I'll never do anything at the weekend!

So anyway, English, a little Russian, and I surprised myself occasionally with my Spanish, purely on a listening capacity (no more speaky!).

JVRR wrote:American English, which is ridiculously different than British English. I spent a little over a month in Russia, and I think with my limited Russian I had an easier time understanding Russian than everyone speaking British English (I was one of only two Americans, everyone else spoke foreigner's English, which tends to be heavily British ).

I'm sorry, I'll never do anything at the weekend!

So anyway, English, a little Russian, and I surprised myself occasionally with my Spanish, purely on a listening capacity (no more speaky!).

Yeah, British English is definitely different than North American!

In our travels we've learned that foreigners who meet English speaking people cannot easily understand a Brit's English vs. North American English. I've had to "translate" British into North American a few times...

But, as I've said before, it all "swings in roundabouts"!

(How's that one for ya?)

Orkian, nanu nanu

Martin

X

badinfluence63 wrote:私は困難なlanquagesが非常に好きである

That's good John. You get my message on posting?

Martin

X

sunshine229 wrote: Yeah, British English is definitely different than North American!

In our travels we've learned that foreigners who meet English speaking people cannot easily understand a Brit's English vs. North American English. I've had to "translate" British into North American a few times...

But, as I've said before, it all "swings in roundabouts"!

(How's that one for ya?)

No idea what that one means . It was real funny getting my first in-depth introduction to British English (not counting 20 hours in London) while training to be an English teacher, getting trained in a Cambridge program by a native Brit and native Rus (as with all foreigners some sort of amalgamation of mostly British with a little American lol).

The two that stick with me the most are "at the weekend," and in London the use of "schemes," in America you would never use "schemes" with a positive connotation!

Definately have a lot of strange "Queens English" here in the UK. I find (from a Canadian perspective) that we Canadians seem to use a combination of American and British English with Canadian mixed in. Some words here in the UK are pronounced like American's do others like Canadians do and others are just strangely pronounced. Like: Bottle, is said in the UK: BoTT-el rather than: Bodtle

I used the term "You snooze you lose" on Friday with a group of UK'ers and they never heard that before... haha.

For language you like most? I like the sound of harder languages like Russian and German, they sound like you are making a point when you talk.

Language you like least? Chinese and Japanese asian type. So complex and it sounds like a run-on sentance and they are just angry/shouting at each other.


Mike

sunshine229 wrote: But, as I've said before, it all "swings in roundabouts"!

(How's that one for ya?)

Blimey, that's a bit puzzling, Sunshine. I think what you have actually heard Brits saying is: "its all swings and roundabouts." (Kinda makes your point, doesn't it?)

Yep, British English is different from North American English.

But hey, we all spell it equally badly! We have something in common after all.

Forget the queen's English, hev yee tried te get yer heed roond Geordie or Brummie or Scouse yet? Try this for Geordie:

http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sound ... and/byker/

or this for Dorset:

http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sound ... portesham/

hmm, kinda strange reading all these postings... because my first thought is non-verbal, non-written language...

I find the subtleties (and not so subtle things) with the actions and gestures of body language, are definitely the most interesting language of all... they often betray or emphasize peoples "other half". I often see a balanced personality, or imbalances in various things; controlled actions, true intentions, etc.. and these sometimes subconcious actions require a different way of communicating in return. There are all sorts of neat clues to the depth and personality of people, and unfortunately this communication is missing from forums.

It's like adding a music soundtrack to a movie...