English as an International Language
1) History
Invaders influence on the creation of language Celts ( BC) – North and West Romans (from 43 AD) – names (Man)-chester, (Lan)-caster, (Lei)- cester (castra = camp) Anglo-Saxons (from 410 AD) – Angle-land => England; (Birming)- ham, (Brigh)-ton Vikings (from 800 AD) – North-East Normans (1066) (Battle of Hastings)
Creation of the English Language mostly mixture of Anglo-Saxon language (Germanic) and French Anglo-Saxons – farmers; French – nobility => today: French origin: more formal words; Anglo-Saxon origin: more “common” words
Anglo-Saxon Influence: child motherly brotherhood understand graveyard cow sheep pig French Influence: infant maternal fraternity comprehend cemetery beef (boeuf) mutton (mouton) pork (porc)
English today main language in 30 countries about 375 million people – 1st language over 70 other countries – official language 2nd language for 350 million people 1/2 Europeans can have a proper conversation a billion people - learning
Importance of English top language of travel and tourism internet – 80% of the world‘s website language of science, air communication business…
some interesting facts Oxford English Dictionary – entries an educated English speaker uses about the longest word: pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolc anoconiosis the most frequent letter: e the most frequent sound: “schwa sound” / ɘ /
Varieties of English Standard English – the type of English suitable for broadcasting by the BBC RP – Received Pronunciation – a social accent, not a regional one (traditionally: educated, southern, white male English) used by the BBC when it began broadcasting -> BBC English (Queen‘s English) now: correct grammar & vocabulary, any accent
Some Regional Dialects Cockney: London working class Scots: South Scotland - wants to be recognized as a separate language (you can find more here: misunderstandings: S/N E: Aye /ai/ C:Eh? /ai/
a Scottish joke :
Dinna tak a draught oot the riffle, laddie; tis Don‘t take a drink out of the stream, friend, it‘s poorly wi the dregs o ma kye. dirty with the faeces of my cattle.
American English British Grammar: Have you ever been to the USA? Have you got a flat? Spelling: theatre kilometre colour American Did you ever go to Europe? Do you have an apartment? theater kilometer color Ghoti (tough women‘s action) (G.B. Shaw)
American | British (car) hood | bonnet (car) trunk | boot (electrical) ground | earth gas | petrol eraser | rubber rubber | condom (#) pound | hash (£) sterling | pound (dollar) bill | (pound) note (restaurant) check | bill (potato) chips | crisps French fries | chips fanny | bum pussy | fanny bum | scrounger (somrák) cigarette | fag fag | poof (gay) subway | underground, tube, metro American | British pedestrian tunnel | subway sidewalk | pavement pavement | road surface elevator | lift pants | trousers pissed | pissed off, angry drunk | pissed solicitor | door to door salesman lawyer | solicitor attorney | barrister (obhájce, právní zástupce lower and higher courts) realtor | estate agent suspenders | braces garter belt | suspenders ( podvazkový pás) diaper | nappy (plenka)
Some possible misunderstandings : Example of an embarrassed Brit in the US Sitting at the bar, pencil in hand, struggling with the New York Times crossword, the Brit yells "Hi there, anyone got a rubber they can lend me?", and wonders why he is getting many odd looks. Example of an embarrassed American in the UK An American girl was at a party in London, but was suffering from some discomfort in the tight pair of jeans she was wearing, said "Geez, I got this terrible itch in my fanny." and wondered why the conversations all around her had stopped. G. B. Shaw: “Two countries divided by a common language”