Do u find being an American is a disadvantage when it comes to trying to talk properly?

All those mediocre, inept TV stars and film stars and inane commercials and catch-phrases must be a pain in the ass for any Americans trying to speak English.

I guess it doesn't matter if u never venture outside of the country, and really why would u need to since u have everything there that u need to sustain your intellectual appetite?

Can anybody confirm my understanding that the average American cannot speak English?

English people have difficulty speaking the queens language. There are different dialects. People call things differently, like a bacon buttie to someone, may be a bacon bap to another

a different twist from another thread...I see you have a problem with Americans, huh?

Rhondab said:

I don't have a problem with Americans. As in everything, there's always a full spectrum.

bkk1981 said:

I'm not clever by any means, but the general level of intelligence of people in England sometimes, frankly, worries me.

And I just wonder if my impression of America is correct.

I certainly don't have much time for some aspects of America culture. We follow u with some things and sometimes I wish we didn't.

Thai TV is completely ridiculous but I find it easier to stomach than all the rubbish on US TV. Even CNN is like a soap opera. Do people interested in current affairs watch CNN or is there something better?

No. If you are taught correctly and have educated parents, then it's easy as pie... for the most part, anyway.

However, if you are American but English is your second language, then it is a different story.

Like you said, there's always a full spectrum, so a lot of people have issues with the language as well. Most people I know speak English just fine. Again, ESL issues can come into play, but I think Americans go through enough schooling and speak it enough that it isn't a huge problem.

(DISCLAIMER: my opinion is largely influenced by the area in which I was raised in and that I live in now.)

Natsume said:

Ok, thank u. That's interesting because I can understand that with enough education Americans would be able to speak English very competently despite all the bad influences around them, but I wonder about japanese or hispanics in America.

It seems like English kids find it difficult to speak English well because slang is everywhere and for some reason a good grasp of written and spoken English isn't as important as it should be. Seems these days that people are putting more emphasis on computing skills and I wonder what kids' handwriting will be like in 20 years!

bkk1981 said:

There's an exception to every rule. It largely depends on the person - my ex boyfriend had perfect diction for simultaneously learning Indonesian, Tamil, French and English as a child and coming to America only a few years ago. His parents do not have a strong command of English. He was just very talented with languages.

Some people can overcome the 'bad influences' around them, others cannot. And still some have parents that know English perfectly well but their kids can't speak it worth shit.

To make a blanket statement, though, I don't think English is a really huge issue unless it is your second language, and it is not the prominent language at home.

If you want to get into the specifics, THEN we can start talking about writing English versus speaking it...

Natsume said:

Yes, I guess in many ways it's not so important how u speak it as how u write it.

I tell u one thing though. I'm learning Thai and that, plus being around Thai people who speak English in their own beautifully idisyncratic way, is slowly eroding my english. The things I find myself saying these days!

What is proper English?
I don't speak it and I'm 100% English.
"Proper English" or WQueens is spoken by about 2% of English people and has even been ditched by the BBC. Pronunciation of the English language has always been diverse, look at Wuthering Heights, or even Shakespeare and you will find examples of a dialect based vocabulary.
American English is a dialect, plain and simple. The dialect of someone from Wisconsin is as important as that from Nottingham, IMO
To base your ideas of a society or culture on a TV show or two is just wrong. To say, or imply, that an American can't speak "properly" is silly.
PS -I went on vacation last month and Americans couldn't understand me. English isn't Hugh Grant, Di or the Queen. Its diverse, very

bkk1981 said:

Ask Cheech Wizard