British people are hardest to understand?

British people are hardest to understand?
Jan 27, 2008 20:36	#11
JIMMYB Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: Offline	"Despite being brought up in London, I had a problem today understanding the two young staff in a 'pub' (traditional bar) near London. It seems to me that the street language has changed in the 25 years since I lived here. It's not just the accent but the colloquial phrases have changed too. Guess I should stay in China, I understand Chinglish now!" Well, Paul. Perhaps, BBC accent is just like the mandarin in China and English spoken by people in other places are dialects. Everyone can understand mandarin but not all dialects. "Guess I should stay in China, I understand Chinglish now!" Take care, Paul. Maybe, Chinglish will be more popular than English because there are too much people speak and write Chinglish.

Jan 27, 2008 20:36

#11

JIMMYB
Points:
Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
Status: Offline

"Despite being brought up in London, I had a problem today understanding the two young staff in a 'pub' (traditional bar) near London. It seems to me that the street language has changed in the 25 years since I lived here. It's not just the accent but the colloquial phrases have changed too. Guess I should stay in China, I understand Chinglish now!"

Well, Paul. Perhaps, BBC accent is just like the mandarin in China and English spoken by people in other places are dialects. Everyone can understand mandarin but not all dialects.

"Guess I should stay in China, I understand Chinglish now!" Take care, Paul. Maybe, Chinglish will be more popular than English because there are too much people speak and write Chinglish.

Jan 30, 2008 18:36	#12
APAULT Points: Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Status: Offline	The BBC English has become less common and more people speak what used to be considered as working class English. But this has changed too, it has become stronger and there are new colloquialisms. Today I was speaking in a hospital with a nurse from Guangzhou - I understood her easily enough but not everyone else did. So far Chinglish hasn't caught on, but one day, perhaps it will spread.

Jan 30, 2008 19:58

#13

JIMMYB
Points:
Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
Status: Offline

"The BBC English has become less common and more people speak what used to be considered as working class English. But this has changed too, it has become stronger and there are new colloquialisms."

Haven't heard it before, Paul. At present, I still listen to BBC and think it is good and popular. I am out of date.

"So far Chinglish hasn't caught on, but one day, perhaps it will spread."

Yes, Paul. Just like Chinese, more and more people are learning it. BTW, I heard that "Long time no see" was some sort of Chinglish that was introduced to the west in late Qing Dynasty. Is it true?

Feb 3, 2008 08:37

#14

APAULT
Points:
Join Date: Mar 11, 2006
Status: Offline

BBC English used to be a particular style spoken only by well educated people from the south, but not as extreme as that spoken by the Royal family, for example which is very snobbish or 'stuck up'.

Nowadays, the BBC employes readers who have accents from all over the UK but generally they are mild versions ofthe regional accents. Even within Britain, people have diffculty at times understanding strong regional accents including the strong London one.

I normally recommend the BBC but if someone prefers a US style, VOA is also very good.

Feb 3, 2008 20:28

#15

JIMMYB
Points:
Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
Status: Offline

Thanks for your BBC lesson, Paul.

Quote: "I normally recommend the BBC but if someone prefers a US style, VOA is also very good. "

Personally, I prefer BBC to VOA. When I was in the third year of my college, I got up 6:40 am everyday in winter and listened to BBC news. Through hard practice, I could understand the news mostly except those about science and technology because there are many new words. For VOA (normal speed), I could understand what the news talks about but couldn't hear each words clearly. Perhaps, I was influenced deeply by my high school English teacher. He spoke good British English.

Page 2 of 2 < Previous Next > Page:

Post a Reply to: British people are hardest to understand?