Is American English dialect of British English?

1 2
   Share on Facebook  
nona the brit  #328806  Tue, 13 Feb 07 06:16 PM

This is a bit of a myth.

There was never a single British accent for American to be 'nearer' to. The short a sound still features in a lot of English accents. Less than 5% of British people speak RP. 

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004
England
Veteran Member (11,450)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
The name says it all.
Marius Hancu  #328824  Tue, 13 Feb 07 07:07 PM
 Nona The Brit wrote:

Less than 5% of British people speak RP. 

Stephen Fry, for one ("Jeeves").
  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006
Montreal, Canada
Veteran Member (11,673)
Proficient Speaker
CalifJim  #328837  Tue, 13 Feb 07 07:40 PM
Shouldn't [an] apostrophe be used here ... American English's dialects ...

No.  99% of the time, the apostrophe is used on word or set of words that refers to a person or persons.  American English is not a person, of course!

CJ

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member (17,751)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Anonymous  #447868  Thu, 29 Nov 07 03:47 PM

An apostrophe would be used if the author wants to indicate that the dialects are the American [or British] English's possessions.   However, the author may be using American/British English as adjectives.

In your sentence "This kind of sentences always bother me but..." is incorrect because kind is the subject (not sentences); consequently, the verb should correspondingly be bothers

  
1 2
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions & Terms of Service