Quick English lesson

[371]

What's this with the British getting so high and mighty about the english language... it's like they think they INVENTED it or something!!


This is kinda offtopic, but anyone know why most singers have an American-sounding accent when singing, but have a non-American accent when speaking??

[Peer]

What is this american patriotism anyway?
Ever realized that the name Yankees originally comes from the dutch names Jan and Kees?

Quoting Bush (yes the dummy one): What is wrong with those French, they don't even have a word for "entrepreneur"....

[MMe M]

So thanks for the lessons. Perhaps I can help a few out across the pond as well.

Marmite motorway is a little hard to catch on to. A$$-hole works in most languages.

and since we covered the back end, ar$e is just a phonetic tilt to Ass. Say it properly now.

Blimey=God blind me... said in a hurry. Take your time chaps or guys.

Bloody in the states means you need a nurse or at the very least a band-aid. Not a plaster.

A c0ck up in the states means your happy to see me, not making a mistake.

I could do this all day......

Except for the idiocy of the auto clense crap0la on this site. What a joke.

[MMe M]

Originally Posted by Peer

What is this american patriotism anyway?
Ever realized that the name Yankees originally comes from the dutch names Jan and Kees?

Quoting Bush (yes the dummy one): What is wrong with those French, they don't even have a word for "entrepreneur"....

I didnt see a difference between the two. Both were incredibly thick.

[Brinty]

Originally Posted by 371

anyone know why most singers have an American-sounding accent when singing, but have a non-American accent when speaking??

Two reasons . . .

1. If the singer is doing a cover version of a song sung by an American, they've listened to the original version so many times, that they unconsciously 'absorb' the accent along with the words.

2. Some people, regardless of nationality, have difficulty understanding lyrics sung in a dialect or accent different from their own. If non-Americans wish to sell their songs in America, then it is of advantage to them to sing in an accent that will be understood by the majority of prospective buyers.

As an example of this last reason, I once emailed to an American friend a song by an Australian singer. My friend, replied that he couldn't understand it "because of the thick Aussie accent". I had no trouble understanding it - but my wife pointed out that the reason for this was because I was a thick Aussie!

I fixed her