Do You Speak American?

by Robert MacNeil and William Cran

Book Review and Lecture

by Angela Reed

About Me:
American!
(ya think?)

Married 10/4/03 Christian Teacher Student

Graduate school

What does it mean to speak American?

At a news conference in London a few years ago, Prince Charles commented on American English, which, he said, tends to invent all sorts of new nouns and verbs and makes words that shouldnt be. He went on: We must act now, to ensure that English-and that to my way of thinking means English English--maintains its position as the world language.
Linguists would challenge Prince Charles on two grounds:

Problems with Charles Reasoning

First: words that shouldnt be
This concept is alien to the freedom inherent in English. Some people may not like some words, but no one has the authority to forbid their use. We do make verbs out of nouns: prioritize (ugly), go commando (TV), to be 401kd (news), to guilt someone (psychology) But the British do this too! It is simply in the nature of English speakers to be creative with the language
Estimated one fifth of all English verbs began as nouns

Problems with Charles Reasoning

Second: English English as the world language
American, not British, English is the engine driving the language globally (3)
Spoken by 4 times as many people as British English Reflects Americas superpower status (love it or hate it) in virtually every field: literature, fine arts, popular culture, movies, music, television, science, medicine, space exploration, technology, industrial efficiency and productivity, the power of Wall Street, and American military and political might (4).

As a result, says the Oxford Guide to World English, American English has a global role at the beginning of the 21st century comparable to that of British English at the start of the 20th--but on a scale larger than any previous languagein recorded history (MacArthur, Oxford Guide, p.165).

A Sign of British Surrender?

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) now has to maintain a New York office to keep its databases and publications current with American usage!

American Language Reflects American Society

1. Revolutionary
History - Colonies broke away from Britain Present day - rapid acceptance of new lifestyles, manners, morals, and (albeit with some backsliding) leadership in recent decades in promoting equality for women and blacks; environmental protection; health, fitness, and dieting; and the reduction of smoking.

American Language Reflects American Society

2.

Democratic (ruled by the people)

Bill of Rights includes freedom of speech No Royalty, hierarchy, or caste systems
Informal culture
Clothing, eating, and personal relations You guys has become a generic form of address: it is gender-, age-, and class-neutral

Capitalist economy promotes

The American Dream, which, in turn, fuels Competition
keeping up with the Joneses Even in language, having the verbal edge

Our language is constantly changing

Metaphor: river America unceasingly reinvents itself, and it must create language to express that reinvention (1)
in our social behaviors, science and technology, in religion, politics, the arts, etc.

Key word: innovative

Speaking American: An Example

Hear the one about the fashionista and his arm candy who live in parallel universes, prefer chat rooms and IMing to snailmail, suffer sticker shock at the cost of HumVees and like chick lit or airport novels?

What?!?
Newer Americanisms Mostly pop culture expressions Some may quickly disappear from use
Like fashion, certain new words become trendy for a short while then vanish from the language

Some never enter mainstream use

But wait! Bill Wharton doesnt speak like that!

Cajun Chicano Spanglish Surfer Dude Valley Girl Redneck Urban Black Ethnic dialects Regional dialects Literary English Broadcast English KJV English Faux-British English

Two Questions:
What IS American English today, when Americans may speak any of these dialects? Is there a better, or best American English?
To the Americans: Do you consider the American you speak superior or inferior to the speech of other Americans from other regions, social classes, or ethnic groups?

Split Infinitive
We ran to eagerly see the futbol game.

Want to Learn More?

The language debate Dialects
Southern, Hispanic, and Black influences State peculiarities (Texas, California)

Can computers speak American?

the future of American English

For further information:

MacNeil, Robert and William Cran. Do You Speak American? New York: Doubleday, 2005.