In my opinion most Americans can speak another language.
Most of them have very passable English.
Because American and English are similar Languages, but different. I do laugh when I hear an American asked what languages they speak and they reply 'Only English'.
Hey Man! How ya doin?
Trunk, Gas, Stick Shift, Fender.
Elephant, Cooking, Moving bits of wood and Guitar come to most English minda, but no in that other language American they all relate to a car or should it be auto?
Just having fun but we could have a little poll.
Are English and American the same language or have they become different languages? _________________ Englishman living and working in Ukraine for English Russian Language TV spent 8 years living in Post Elizabeth, South Africa and loved it!
English and American are different dialects of the same language.
More precisely, two groups of dialects because each language consists of dozens of variants.
Interesting conversation with fellow language workers here in Ukraine. Three from the United States and one from Canada.
With the exception of one of the Americans we all agree that English and American have become two different languages.
We agree the automobile is a perfect example of these similar but different languages,
Car, Auto.
Bumper, Fender. Most people in the UK believe a Fender is a guitar.
Petrol, Gas. In the UK and Ukraine we cook on gas.
Gear Stick, Stick Shift.
Wind Screen, Wind Shield.
Estate Car, Station Wagon. From the UK something to do with a train perhaps!
The list goes on. When a language becomes so divided that many of the words are as stange as Chinese to the originators of the language then they must be considered two different languages.
However we did all agree that one of our Ukrainian friends was wrong when he asked.
All languages have some slang, but what do you get when a whole language is 'Slang'? American _________________ Englishman living and working in Ukraine for English Russian Language TV spent 8 years living in Post Elizabeth, South Africa and loved it!
Interesting conversation with fellow language workers here in Ukraine. Three from the United States and one from Canada.
With the exception of one of the Americans we all agree that English and American have become two different languages.
We agree the automobile is a perfect example of these similar but different languages,
Car, Auto.
Bumper, Fender. Most people in the UK believe a Fender is a guitar.
Petrol, Gas. In the UK and Ukraine we cook on gas.
Gear Stick, Stick Shift.
Wind Screen, Wind Shield.
Estate Car, Station Wagon. From the UK something to do with a train perhaps!
The list goes on. When a language becomes so divided that many of the words are as stange as Chinese to the originators of the language then they must be considered two different languages.
However we did all agree that one of our Ukrainian friends was wrong when he asked.
All languages have some slang, but what do you get when a whole language is 'Slang'? American
Then of course there are also other versions of English, eg South African, New Zealand, Australian... And while I can't speak for other countries, SA English even has different variations.
_________________ Toe ek jonk was, het ek al die antwoorde geken. Nou verstaan ek nie eens die vrae nie.
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