Good American Speech

[RawonaM]

There is no term "variant" - concerning languages, in this case there should be the term "variety",

Neither "variety" is a term.

[Rezia]

There is no term "variant" - concerning languages, in this case there should be the term "variety",

Neither "variety" is a term.

[Rezia]

You mean that it's not a term "in the terms" of our discussion or it's not a term in general?
If the latter is true why then I have this in the glossary of terms: "variety - a term used to denote any identifiable kind of language" [Sociolinguistics p.126]

[RawonaM]

XVII. Term ·noun A word or expression; specifically, one that has a precisely limited meaning in certain relations and uses, or is peculiar to a science, art, profession, or the like; as, a technical term.

Could you show me how the word variety "has a precisely limited meaning" in sociolinguistics?

[Rezia]

The question is rather reasonable.

[Rezia]

I wonder what it is now. An accent of English or its dialect?

Both, of course. A dialect usually has a peculiar accent. Furthermore, you cannot speak about "THE" American dialect, because in America itself there are lots of dialects (and the same applies to Britain).

Concerning the global character of the English language which has been accepted as a decided thing by now. I've come across quite an interesting suggestion recently. The idea is that soon there'll be a family of English languages:
British English
American English
Nigerian English
Indian English
Singaporean English
etc.

Actually that's not my idea (I'm not that smart and bold when making judgements).
David Cristal wrote that in the preface to his recent book "English as a Global Language".

[RawonaM]

Concerning the global character of the English language which has been accepted as a decided thing by now. I've come across quite an interesting suggestion recently. The idea is that soon there'll be a family of English languages:

If people remembered that there is no linguistic difference between «language» and «dialect», such questions would not be disputed at all (as it, by the way, frequently happens on this forum, which is really irritating).
Call it whatever you want, either group of dialects or group of languages, it's not a matter, no one should care.

[Rezia]

Concerning the global character of the English language which has been accepted as a decided thing by now. I've come across quite an interesting suggestion recently. The idea is that soon there'll be a family of English languages:

If people remembered that there is no linguistic difference between «language» and «dialect», such questions would not be disputed at all (as it, by the way, frequently happens on this forum, which is really irritating).
Call it whatever you want, either group of dialects or group of languages, it's not a matter, no one should care.

This word "group" here is really very important. English being a hyperonym, a family name (I'd say) for it. You see?

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And about pidgins. I happened to find out that the one in Papua New Guinea is so wide-spread that there are translations of the Bible and Shakespeare's works into this pidgin English, there variant is called something like "talk-pisin". I would really like to read such translations. It's very very interesting.
"Two households both alike in dignity,/ In fair Verona..." . What will it be in pidgin, I wonder?

[RawonaM]

And about pidgins. I happened to find out that the one in Papua New Guinea is so wide-spread that there are translations of the Bible and Shakespeare's works into this pidgin English, there variant is called something like "talk-pisin". I would really like to read such translations.  It's very very interesting.

http://lingvoforum.net/viewtopic.php?p=38692#38692

[Rezia]

Oh, thanks a lot.  Sometimes I realize that's it's very useful to read everything on the forum.
So, it's tok-pisin. But no Shakespeare or Bible on the link. Gonna look for some.

[ArtAllm]

Concerning the global character of the English language which has been accepted as a decided thing by now. I've come across quite an interesting suggestion recently. The idea is that soon there'll be a family of English languages:
British English
American English
Nigerian English
Indian English
Singaporean English
etc.

Well, there are some regional peculiarities in different varieties of English, like regional vocabulary and different spelling in AE, but there are no big differences in written English, be it BE, AE or other varieties of English.

In this regard English is like other "Global Languages".

Spanish has also many regional varieties - though they have such an authority in Spain, like "Instituto Servantes".

Even Russian language has many regional varieties. If you read the Russian papers printed in Germany, you will know what I am talking about.

[Rezia]

In this regard English is like other "Global Languages".

What do you mean? What "other"?! There's no other one besides English. Even Spanish though being rather wide-spead and influential in the USA it cannot be a rival to English. What are you talking about?

Even Russian language has many regional varieties. If you read the Russian papers printed in Germany, you will know what I am talking about.

I've never had a chance. Maybe you could procure any extracts?

[ArtAllm]

In this regard English is like other "Global Languages".

What do you mean? What "other"?! There's no other one besides English. Even Spanish though being rather wide-spead and influential in the USA it cannot be a rival to English. What are you talking about?

According to UNO, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are global languages.

[Rezia]

This fact doesnt change the global character of English as it is. It just shows that these other influential states don't want their language to be considered as some kind of the second to English. And it's absolutely correct. But when it comes to real life people (including politians ) use English more often if they have to find some language-mediator ( I'm not sure of the term, though). That's what I've presumed.

[Jumis]

But when it comes to real life people use English more often if they have to find some language-mediator.

Once again, I have just made sure THEY HAVE (being in China). I'll push my son to learn Chinese, though!

BTW, there's a funny thing. My "good American speech" in China (i.e. my own off-camera voice) sounded very close to Nizhegorodish in fact. But in recent times, ones from the United States had flattered on my good command of AE. In China, very likely, I left any attempt to care about as the same did my Chinese interlocutors. In that way, we created some new kind of "English with many non-English sounds, with foreign stress, foreign choice and arrangements of words, and intonation". In Chinese English, they omit any "inconvenient" sound. In two days, I got used to it.

So, I beg your pardon for this post, poor and inadequate.

[Radley]

ones from the United States had flattered on my good command of AE

As soon as you can put a few English words together, they will deliver compliments like 'oh your English is so very good, where'd you learn it?'. It's all bollocks.

[Jumis]

As soon as you can put a few English words together, they will deliver compliments like 'oh your English is so very good, where'd you learn it?'. It's all bollocks.

You're almost right. Nevertheless, I use it in my work every single day. And I'm paid

[Radley]

You don't have to be perfect in your English to be paid for using it, either.

[Jumis]

You don't have to be perfect in your English to be paid for using it, either.

Of course, I don't.

Truth to tell, all of us are not really perfect even in Russian. But anyone, that I know of, can freely either breath or copulate, the same with salary...