<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">=========================================================================</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">L O W L A N D S - L - 28 March 2008 - Volume 03</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Please set the encoding mode to Unicode (UTF-8).</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">If viewing this in a web browser, please click on</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">the html toggle at the bottom of the archived page.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">=========================================================================</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"><a href="mailto:heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk">heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk</a></span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk">heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk</a>></span></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (05) [E]<br></span><p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
From Heather Rendall <a href="mailto:heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk" target="_blank">heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk</a></p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Reinhard/Ron wrote:<br> I have been "armed" with the challenge "Would you say 'I have went'?" </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Can we be entirely sure that this doesn't represent a really really old version of the verb "to wend" from which the past tense 'went' was purloined and used instead of 'gang' as in go gang gone </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">I wend I went I have went my way home ??????????? </p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">... used mostly of cows and drunks admittedly</p>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Just a thought!</p>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Heather<br><br>----------<br><br>From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"><a href="mailto:KarlRein@aol.com">KarlRein@aol.com</a></span></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (05) [E]</span>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font color="#000000" size="3">
<div>This doesn't sound peculiar to me at all. Though since the present
perfect is not used that much, I would have suggested illustrating the point
using "He had went..." instead.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I should add that in this part of the world where I have lived for decades
(Houston area), it is quite common to also hear "I had ran", "he hasn't drank
that much" and the like, by otherwise fairly well educated middle-class people,
replacing past participles with past tense forms of old irregular verbs.
I first attributed this to avoidance of "drunk", since it is a social no-no
as an adjective, but then I realized that does not explain "ran" for "run" which
has no pejorative undertones. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Karl Reinhardt</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>In a message dated 3/27/2008 7:52:34 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
<a href="mailto:lowlands.list@GMAIL.COM" target="_blank">lowlands.list@GMAIL.COM</a> writes:</div>
<blockquote style="padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><font style="background-color: transparent;" color="#000000" size="2">
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">> I have already heard 'I have went'
</span><br></div><br>Wow! Really? So far I have
only come across constructions like "I should/would have went" in American
English, and that seems to be on the increase. I have been "armed" with the
challenge "Would you say 'I have
went'?"</font></blockquote></div></font></p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">----------</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(121, 6, 25);">orville crane</span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:manbythewater@hotmail.com">manbythewater@hotmail.com</a>></span><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"></span></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (05) [E]<br><br></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Hey Ron,</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> Yes, I have heard it said by people in my county, 'I
have went' and also 'the boat has sank'. This really grates on the
ears, as I learned correct English and attempt to speak correctly. I
make a mental note, but generally do not let the incorrect usage
interfere with the speaker's meaning.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Language is a lot like making music. Through practice of the
instrument, you eventually play in tune. The Suzuki method of learning
to play an instrument helps the students to</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
hear when they play out of tune and motivates them to play in tune.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
I guess that the same people that would also use the form that you mentioned.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
I am searching Yahoo for the New Scientist article. It should be interesting!</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Heel bedankt!</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Tom</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
man by die water</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">----------</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(91, 16, 148);">Paul Finlow-Bates</span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:wolf_thunder51@yahoo.co.uk">wolf_thunder51@yahoo.co.uk</a>></span><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"></span></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (05) [E]</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><br>
</span><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>Subject: Language varieties<br><br>Hi, Tom!<br>
<br></font> <div style="margin-left: 40px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">> I have already heard 'I have went' </span><br></div> <div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<div class="Ih2E3d"><br>Wow!
Really? So far I have only come across constructions like "I
should/would have went" in American English, and that seems to be on
the increase. I have been "armed" with the challenge "Would you say 'I
have went'?" According to what you say, this has been blown out of the
water then ...<br><br>Regards,<br>Reinhard/Ron<br><br></div>A
fairly common past tense construction among less educated people has
emerged in both Australia and England: "I've bin.." as in "I've bin
goin' t' th' pub" - Standard English "I went to the pub"</div> <div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Paul</div><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">----------</span><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" color="#000000"><font size="3"><br></font></font><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(200, 137, 0);">Mike Morgan</span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:mwmosaka@gmail.com">mwmosaka@gmail.com</a>></span><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"></span></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (05) [E]</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">R. F. Hahn <</span><a style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com">sassisch@yahoo.com</a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">> writes (in response to Tom "man by the water":</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="Ih2E3d">> Wow! Really? So far I have only come across constructions like "I<br>
> should/would have went" in American English, and that seems to be on the<br>
> increase.<br>
<br>
</div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">When I am around folks that "feel" like down home, you might even hear</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
me say (in response, say to the question "have you gone / been to</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Goa?")</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"I might could have went there." (meaning high degree of uncertainty,</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
but reasonable degree of probability)</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
(my English is boringly standard when it comes to pronunciation, but</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
influenced to a noticable extent in grammar and lexicon by the speech</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
of the western (Appalachian foothills) part of Virginia.)</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
MWM || マイク || Мика || माईक || માઈક || ਮਾਈਕ</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
================</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Dr Michael W Morgan</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Managing Director</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Ishara Foundation</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Mumbai (Bombay), India</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
++++++++++++++++</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
माईकल मोर्गन (पी.एच.डी.)</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
मेनेजिंग डॉयरेक्टर</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
ईशारा फॉउंडेशन (मुंबई )</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
++++++++++++++++</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
茂流岸マイク(言語学博士)</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
イシャラ基金の専務理事・事務局長</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
ムンバイ(ボンベイ)、インド</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">----------</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 96);">Sandy Fleming</span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:sandy@scotstext.org">sandy@scotstext.org</a>></span><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"></span></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (05) [E]</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
> From: R. F. Hahn <</span><a style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com">sassisch@yahoo.com</a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
> Subject: Language varieties</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
> Hi, Tom!</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
> > I have already heard 'I have went'</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">This has been rife for many decades in the central dialects of Lowland</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Scots (since at least the 1960's because it's how I've always spoken in</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
casual situations) eg:</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"She's went through tae Glesca for the day." (She's gone over to Glasgow</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
for the day).</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Also some other verbal constructions:</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"I've never haen a dug." (I've never had a dog).</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"If he'd haen mair sense..." (If he'd had more sense...)</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"She should hae taen the siller while she haed the chance."</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"They shouldna hae gotten mairit in the first place."</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"If I'd hae haen three bairns I'd hae haen tae taen the job an aa."</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
(If I had had three children I'd have had to have taken the job</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
likewise. - clumsy in English but not unusual in Central Scots).</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"He didna like the place and he's never went back."</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
In the 1970's (I think) Glasgow comedian Rikki Fulton used this</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
construction on his TV programme in character as the Reverend I. M.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Jolly, in the telling of the parable of the Prodigal Son:</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
"For this is my son, who had went, and gone away, and now he has went</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
and come back again."</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" color="#888888"><br>
Sandy Fleming<br>
<a href="http://scotstext.org/" target="_blank">http://scotstext.org/</a><br><br>----------<br><br></font><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 96);">Sandy Fleming</span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:sandy@scotstext.org">sandy@scotstext.org</a>></span><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"></span></span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (05) [E]</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="Ih2E3d">> From: orville crane <<a href="mailto:manbythewater@hotmail.com">manbythewater@hotmail.com</a>><br>
> Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2008.03.27 (03) [E]<br>
><br>
</div><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="Ih2E3d">> So many world-wide regional variations of the English language! I<br>
> remember reading years ago about an international Scrabble competition<br>
> in Great Britain. Americans had to brush up on another 40,000 words to<br>
> be up to snuff with the English speakers in Great Britain. I realized<br>
> then that if this was accurate, the version of English spoken in Great<br>
> Britain was a richer variety that that spoken in the United States!<br>
<br>
</div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">As an ex-gamer, I'm tempted to flag this as a myth.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
The official dictionary for Scrabble competitions in the UK used to be</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary, which was a particularly idiosyncratic</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
work of lexicography (it defined an "eclair" as something like "long in</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
shape but short in duration", and some entries had to be removed because</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
of their offensive content), and it was randomly interspersed with Scots</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
and English dialect words. The two-letter words (particularly important</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
for Scrabble) included entries for things like "oo" (obscure Scots</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
dialect (ie, mine!) for "we") and "zo" (some sort of yak), which would</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
be understandable in the OED, but this was just a small one-volume</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
dictionary.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
So yes, anyone coming to the UK to play Scrabble would have a lot of new</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
words to learn, most of which the non-Scrabble playing population of</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
Britain would never have heard of.</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="Ih2E3d"><br>
> So many varieties of English; Indian, South African, Australian, New<br>
> Zealand, American, Canadian, European, etc. It seems to me that even<br>
> though 'friend' might be pronounced 'frien' or 'fren', that the word<br>
> would still be spelled as 'friend', even though the 'd' would not be<br>
> pronounced. The efforts to rationalize English orthography haven't<br>
> been really successful. There is no English Academy to standardize the<br>
> spelling of to keep 'foreign' words out of the vernacular.<br>
<br>
</div><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">You'll have noticed that the existence of a French Academy doesn't</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
accomplish these things for the French language either!</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" color="#888888"><br></font>