English or America?

Question

I decided to pop over to the learn English part to have a look to see how English is taught to none English speakers.

My question is huge! Do you teach English or America? Colour (spelt correctly) or Color (which is wrong!) and do you teach the differences?

I'm interested because if you say America I no longer like this site

Thank-yous'

"to none English speakers" -- what does that mean? - pesta, Jul 18, 2011

to non-English speakers - pesta - ian-hill, Jul 18, 2011

oh... is that accepted British usage? First I've heard that. - pesta, Jul 18, 2011

Be happy - swampy, Jul 18, 2011

"America" isn't a language... neither is "American". - Azabache, Jul 18, 2011

English has all but disappeared in America - 005faa61, Jul 18, 2011

I disagree. Ours is just different. If a Spaniard said, "Spanish has all but disappeared in South and Central America", you'd disagree with that, wouldn't you? - Azabache, Jul 18, 2011

Go easy english is english, it has its variations by nation, as does spanish - pacofinkler, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 1

So, what's wrong with "American" anyway?

Language is always changing. British English is not what it was when America was founded 236 years ago.

I respect your preference, but please state it as a preference, and not a matter of "Right" or "Wrong". "Color" is not "wrong".

You might even say that ...

"Colour" is spelt correctly, and

"Color" is spelled correctly.

Mate you have just hit the tops in my estimation , thank you . - ray76, Jul 18, 2011

That was my attempt at humour. My bad. Just out of curiosity, are you a Brit? - 0095bb09, Jul 18, 2011

Humour is spelt wrong...should be spelled humor! jeje... back at ya! :) - cristalino, Jul 18, 2011

I'm sorry I didn't detect the humor - I should have known it with "Thank-yous'" - This topic can get sensitive to some people - pesta, Jul 18, 2011

My favorite corruption of the English language by the British is the way the Brits pluralize football sides, as in: Man U ARE playing Barcelona in a fortnight... As always, God save the Queen! - Jeremias, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 2

Colour is French, Color is English. Ditto theatre vs. theater, etc. We can't help it if you still spell things the way your Norman conquerors did.

lol, genial - 00494d19, Jul 18, 2011

jejejeje - Yeser007, Jul 18, 2011

lol no of course not! 'colour' is not French at all. 'Couleur' is French. - bookbear, Jul 18, 2011

Sorry colour is British English , color is American English. - MaryMcc, Jul 18, 2011

It's a joke, guys. But the extra U is from the French. Like getting the ER backwards. :-) - KevinB, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 3

I'm interested because if you say America I no longer like this site

Oh boy, now that will be such a great loss....I am heartbroken

I'm joking. Its my very British sense of Humour (or Humor if you're US of A. (That's also a joke btw.)) I would never leave. :) - 0095bb09, Jul 18, 2011

Jajajajajaja me encanta tu sarcasmo Heidi! :) - fjfuentesh, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 4

My question is huge! Do you teach English or America? Colour (spelt correctly) or Color (which is wrong!) and do you teach the differences?

Well, hey, I agree with this!!

How dare you spell everything so badly, eh?

colour is colour, advise is adivise (verb) and practise is practise (verb) .

I get constantly corrected on this and I am really annoyed.

Good point. A non-native English speaker should be permitted to use any dialect. I assume a similar allowance applies to my non-native Spanish - jeje :) - pesta, Jul 18, 2011

jejeje l agree with Pesta! - 00b6f46c, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 5

Then get a book!

Answer 6

I don't think that the American English is wrong!!

It's just the differences between two places, this doesn't only applies to English, but to many other languages as well where there are differences between the same one language spoken in two different places!!

Favorite or favourite both are well understood in any simple conversation.

p.s: l'm learning English and l haven't really faced any problem because of this issue, as there are many rules you can follow to understand the differences.

Answer 7

It would appear that I caused a little bit of an uproar. When I said "Color" is wrong. It was a joke.

I'm from England and its my humour and it doesn't seem to work every well on this site.

With the oppugn (and failed jokes) aside. What dialect does this site use predominantly?

Also, can we all be friends again?

I thought this was joking when I first read it. Unfotunately, while one can learn to type in Spanish or English and comunicte, it's often hard to make sure Sarcastic is understood by all. - tc84, Jul 18, 2011

never mind! - fjfuentesh, Jul 18, 2011

English humour :). - ianta, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 8

Well Ginger, quite frankly, your question is bogus and biased. What you're saying reminds me of the ignorants here that ask, "Do you speak Mexican?" I laugh and say no, I speak Spanish.

You're asking if English is taught or America... last time I checked, America is a country not a language. Second, everyone here is always griping and telling others to "speak English it's America!"

Now, just as in Spanish, there are regional dialects/ speakings, which I think is what you are severely failing at communicating. Your question should be, do we teach English from the US, UK, or elsewhere?

Hopefully this has enlightened you.

It has enlightened me and I'm sorry for my wording. Its my humour you see, it doesn't seem to work on this site. :) - 0095bb09, Jul 18, 2011

Not without some disclaimer first... dealing with a very eclectic bunch here, mate... :) - cristalino, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 9

Like Spanish English has variations. The major ones are between British English and American English.

If my children wrote color, neighbor, aluminum or pants, I would correct them because they are British and we spell those words colour, neighbour, aluminium and trousers, pants are what you wear underneath.

I have many American friends online and I expect them to use American spellings, they are correct in the right context.

I did tell my partner off when he told me he needed to buy gas the other day though, cars use petrol, gas is what we cook with

(My spell check was going mad when I wrote that as it is set to British English)

Oh and that reminds me, we pay bills with a cheque, but we check the bill first

Answer 10

This question is kind of similar to
Does this website teach Mexican Spanish or Spain Spanish?

English is English, even though spelling can vary between some words depending where you are.

The English here is English (I'm assuming it has American spelling because Paralee is from USA) so learn just plain English. Once you become more advanced, then you can pick up on regional differences

And probably most of the English speakers on here are American too, or so it seems to me. - MaryMcc, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 11

So Ginger, I'm guessing that by now you've learned a very valuable lesson and it really doesn't matter what language you got it from does it?

Answer 12

My favorite corruption of the English language by the British is the way they pluralize football sides, as in:

Manchester are playing Arsenal this afternoon...

This is a fairly recent phenomenon, quaint as it sounds.

As always, God save the Queen!

J

Answer 13

I hope you are not implying that they speak the same in Glasgow, Liverpool, and London. . .

Nope. They're different dialects, yet they are all understandable as english once you get used to them. :) - canadiangirl16, Jul 18, 2011

Answer 14

ColOr!

Answer 15

"Color" isn't wrong, it's how we spell it. To us, "colour" would be incorrect. So would "shoppe", "programme", and "flavour".

And "America" isn't a language. "America" is the term commonly used to refer to the United States. And we don't speak "American" either; we speak American English. It's still English, just not British English.