LL-L "English 2001.10.15 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 15.OCT.2001 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachian, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic, Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: Ian James Parsley <parsleyij at yahoo.com>
Subject: "English" LOWLANDS-L, 14.OCT.2001 (03) [E]

Randy,

I don't profess to be an absolute expert on the subject, but the
influence of native Americans and French-Canadians on the differences
between American and British English would actually be minimal.

It is absolutely essential for any linguist to grasp that language
change is constant and inevitable - something most lay people do not
comprehend. Such change is inevitable no matter where the language is
spoken.

What I am saying essentially is that the English of England has changed
just as much as the English of North America in the past few centuries.
The idea that American English somehow diverges from a 'pure form' is
inaccurate. (I'm not suggesting that's what you thought, just that this
needs to be pointed out to people new to the subject)

American English like any 'colonial' form is a mixture of the various
dialects of English that came to form it. 'Standard English' did not
arrive in America, but rather a whole variety of dialects. This does
explain to some extent why the variety of North American dialects is not
as great as in the British Isles.

I'm sure other native influences do play a part in North American
dialects, but there are much greater and more fundamental points to
grapple with first.

Hope that helps, Ian.

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From: W. Jaap Engelsman <engelsma at euronet.nl>
Subject: "English" LOWLANDS-L, 14.OCT.2001 (03) [E]

Dear Lowlanders,

Randy Elzinga wrote:

 >I have often wondered about the differences between the English spoken in
 >North America, and the English Spoken in England, and today, someone with
 >whom I live asked the same question.

In addition to Sandy's answer to this I would like to point out that this
issue -- and many related ones -- is admirably discussed in Tom McArthur's
"Oxford Companion to the English Language" (1992). There is a five-page
article specifically on "American English and British English", which I
cannot begin to summarize here. To give an idea of the scope of the work
(1184 very full pages): at the end of this article the reader is referred
to the articles American English; British English; Date; English; Standard;
Variety; and the letter entries E, L. O, R, Z !

Jaap Engelsman

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