Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site fortune.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!fortune!polard From: polard@fortune.UUCP (Henry Polard) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Who speaks the King's English?? Message-ID: <3923@fortune.UUCP> Date: Thu, 2-Aug-84 13:52:21 EDT Article-I.D.: fortune.3923 Posted: Thu Aug 2 13:52:21 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 4-Aug-84 00:07:07 EDT References: <370@iheds.UUCP> Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA Lines: 25American English is not necessarily closer to the King's (or Queen's) English. First, there is no single way of speaking English that is American English - there are several dialects that diverge considerably one from the other. Bostonians might have difficulties understanding any of the Appalachian dialects. This is because the settlers from England came mainly from the classes that did not speak "cultured" English. If I remember correctly, Mencken's The American Language points out that most of the dialects of American English on the eastern seaboard can be traced to coastal of England. The situation is complicated by the fact that the richer American families sent their children to England to be educated. Their speech was looked up to and imitated, and became the prestige dialect in the richer urban centers like Boston and New York. Most of the discussion about English on the net has been speculative (my postings included). Further discussions should be reseached and documented - but I fear I am bordering on heresy. "real" is a four-letter word. -- Henry Polard (You bring the flames; I'll bring the marshmallows.) {ihnp4,cbosgd,amd}!fortune!polard