Watch your typo's!

[H]

What I object to is being forced to use it myself.

Forced? You just won't be understood -- what's the big difference?

[Hagar]

Forced? You just won't be understood -- what's the big difference?

I have trouble making myself understood now but I'm a stubborn old git & don't give in easily.

PS. I'm forced to use the US version of English in order to use my computer.

[H]

PS. I'm forced to use the US version of English in order to use my computer.

No you're not -- it just won't do what you want it to.
If it's really such a big deal, have someone write up the format for Traditional English (or, as you'd name it) and have it added to the list of languages.

[Hagar]

No you're not -- it just won't do what you want it to.
If it's really such a big deal, have someone write up the format for Traditional English (or, as you'd name it) and have it added to the list of languages.

It's possible to change certain options in Windows now but that is not what I meant. To work in the language I'm familiar with would involve different versions of every single program & utility I & many others use for many simple everyday tasks. This would result in confusing things even more & make it even more difficult to explain how to do these things as it would involve me learning how to do it both ways. For various reasons American was chosen as the common international language for computers & we're stuck with it. This will be just another very important factor in the traditional form of English that I know & love eventually dying out completely.

PS. If I find this extremely frustrating & annoying imagine what it's like for someone like Theis with English as their second language.

[H]

For various reasons American was chosen as the common international language for computers & we're stuck with it.

This was your fault -- you should have made Gates' parents move and keep their son in Britain before he ever even had a microsoft crew.

PS. If I find this extremely frustrating & annoying imagine what it's like for some with English as their second language.

Actually, it may be more difficult for you first line diehards. They're in the learning mode to begin with, often because they want to -- you've got to relearn even though you rarely want to.

[Hagar]

Actually, it may be more difficult for you first line diehards. They're in the learning mode to begin with, often because they want to -- you've got to relearn even though you rarely want to.

Ah but this would depend on the version of English they were taught & use themselves. Theis has stated here that he was taught & uses traditional English himself & me as an example for improving his English. In this case he will have the same difficulties when remembering a simple word like colour is spelled color on the computer, even when using a basic tool like a graphics editor. If you name animated parts incorrectly in a 3D modelling application like Gmax they simply won't work. Just two examples of the frustration this can cause.

PS. I imagine that all Ozzy's students use traditional English spelling & grammar although the students at another school in Hungary might use the American versions. This would all depend on what the teachers themselves were taught.

[H]

Ah but this would depend on the version of English they were taught & use themselves. Theis has stated here that he was taught & uses traditional English himself & me as an example for improving his English. In this case he will have the same difficulties when remembering a simple word like colour is spelled color on the computer, even when using a basic tool like a graphics editor. If you name animated parts incorrectly in a 3D modelling application like Gmax they simply won't work. Just two examples of the frustration this can cause.

Maybe that has less effect on me since I was making my own languages and codes before/entering my teens (the USAF was originally going to transfer me to cryptography). Lately, hex-editing relates similarly. Secondly, I've known so many who couldn't spell diddlysquat any differently than dippsydoodle (your style English or mine) that reading is frequently a course in translation. You should see (or, maybe, not ) what I have to check on our meal slips. "Serf n Terf" for Surf and Turf; are we butchering off the peasants?

[Hagar]

Maybe that has less effect on me since I was making my own languages and codes before/entering my teens (the USAF was originally going to transfer me to cryptography). Lately, hex-editing relates similarly. Secondly, I've known so many who couldn't spell diddlysquat any differently than dippsydoodle (your style English or mine) that reading is frequently a course in translation.

I'm so used to it that it comes naturally. I can separate 'computer English' from the English I would normally use without even thinking about it. My point is that there must be many people who can't do this. Many can't spell either form of the words correctly to start with so end up thinking 'computer speak' is the correct way of doing it. It's quite possible that at least some of these people don't even realise that there are two different versions of the same basic language that can often be very different. Hence my comment that traditional English will eventually die out altogether to be replaced by the 'bastardised' American version. I come across many examples of this every day & American is replacing British English in this country at a frightening rate. This is inevitable & computers are only one of the reasons for it.

Vive la Difference...........!

[bbstackerf]

Is it really any wonder that the American form of English should change so much so fast? I mean c'mon haven't you seen where people are asked simple questions like What state is Washington located in(not in a state) or who is the vice president? We're falling so far behind in education. In an era where kids no longer fail grades but are promoted because 'it would make them feel bad about themselves' or children of immigrants who can't speak english in the first place have to be taught in their own language it would follow that somethings going to happen as far as how it's communicated among the populace. This permissive attitude we have in acommodating everyone is ridiculous. The free movement of people, commerce, and ideas across borders has it's repurcussions.


I kind of came into this without reading all that was said before so I hope I'm on the right page.

Anyway, in the end it is just a natural course of events that a language - like it or not - will evolve.

Have a happy good day! (one of my Mexican drivers says this to me all the time.)

Keni

[Hagar]

Is it really any wonder that the American form of English should change so much so fast? I mean c'mon haven't you seen where people are asked simple questions like What state is Washington located in(not in a state) or who is the vice president? We're falling so far behind in education. In an era where kids no longer fail grades but are promoted because 'it would make them feel bad about themselves' or children of immigrants who can't speak english in the first place have to be taught in their own language it would follow that somethings going to happen as far as how it's communicated among the populace. This permissive attitude we have in acommodating everyone is ridiculous. The free movement of people, commerce, and ideas across borders has it's repurcussions.

This is also true in the UK but is not the reason for the differences in grammar & spelling on opposite sides of the Atlantic that I'm talking about. These were the result of a US government official ruling* that affected the spelling of many commonly used words. For example; the letter U in the word colour was dropped as it was thought insignificant & didn't really affect the pronunciation. I'm not sure quite how the grammar changed except that it is often very different. This might have taken longer but is the recognised method & nothing to do with lack of education.

*PS. I forget exactly when this took place but it was the result of a report by an academic.

[Tweek]

For example; the letter U in the word colour was dropped as it was thought insignificant & didn't really affect the pronunciation.

I really do not see the logic behind that. You know how to spell a word, you know it has 'insignificant' letters in it, but there is no need to actually go about changing it. I suppose we shud get rid of all the letters wich are not sounded wen spoken!

[Hagar]

I really do not see the logic behind that. You know how to spell a word, you know it has 'insignificant' letters in it, but there is no need to actually go about changing it. I suppose we shud get rid of all the letters wich are not sounded wen spoken!

It never made much sense to me either but that's how it happened & Webster's version was officially adopted over a period of time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English

Differences in British English and American English

American English has both spelling and grammatical differences from British English (or Commonwealth English), some of which were made as part of an attempt to rationalize the English spelling used by British English at the time. Unlike many 20th century language reforms (for example, Turkey's alphabet shift, Norway's spelling reform) the American spelling changes were not driven by government, but by textbook writers and dictionary makers.

The first American dictionary was written by Noah Webster in 1828. At the time America was a relatively new country and Webster's particular contribution was to show that the region spoke a different dialect from Britain, and so he wrote a dictionary with many spellings differing from the standard. Many of these changes were initiated unilaterally by Webster.

Webster also argued for many "simplifications" to the idiomatic spelling of the period. Somewhat ironically, many, although not all, of his simplifications fell into common usage alongside the original versions, resulting in a situation even more confused than before.

Many words are shortened and differ from other versions of English. Spellings such as center are used instead of centre in other versions of English. Conversely, American English sometimes favors words that are morphologically more complex, whereas British English uses clipped forms, such as AmE transportation and BrE transport or where the British form is a back-formation, such as AmE burglarize and BrE burgle (from burglar).

[Fly2e]

Posted by: bbstackerf Posted on: Today at 3:43pm
Is it really any wonder that the American form of English should change so much so fast? I mean c'mon haven't you seen where people are asked simple questions like What state is Washington located in(not in a state) or who is the vice president? We're falling so far behind in education. In an era where kids no longer fail grades but are promoted because 'it would make them feel bad about themselves' or children of immigrants who can't speak English in the first place have to be taught in their own language it would follow that somethings going to happen as far as how it's communicated among the populace. This permissive attitude we have in accommodating everyone is ridiculous. The free movement of people, commerce, and ideas across borders has it's repercussions.


I kind of came into this without reading all that was said before so I hope I'm on the right page.

Anyway, in the end it is just a natural course of events that a language - like it or not - will evolve.

Have a happy good day!
 

A model member!  ;)
Speaks correctly,
Gets the point across without crossing the line.
Let's us know that he really didn't read the post so don't bash him,
Gives a "summary" about his post,
Then wishes us all a nice day!  :o  ;D


Now that deserves an award!

Happy Holidays bbstackerf  ;D

Dave  8)

[bbstackerf]

Please accept the appropriate from the bottom of my heart:

a. Merry Christmas
b. Happy Chanukah(sp)
c. Happy Kwanza
d. Felize Navidad
e. Bon Noel
f. Bah Humbug!
g. Happy Holidays, old chap!
h. I feel suicidal so don't go there.
i. frohe Weihnachten
j. Buon Natale

To our Nordic brothers I appologize, couldn't find that one, but I'll have an extra helping of the Yule Log cake for you.

May the bird of wisdom and good fortune take two craps upon you Christmas morning. (Ancient Chinese proverb, I think)

Keni

[Hagar]

Please accept the appropriate from the bottom of my heart:

a. Merry Christmas

That one will do me nicely & I'm fed up with all the do-gooders trying to ruin Christmas for everyone. I'm not religious by any stretch of the imagination but like most people I know of all ethnic & religious backgrounds I enjoy Christmas as it used to be, not what these misguided people are trying to make it. I have Jewish & Asian neighbours & we all send each other Christmas cards & celebrate it in much the same way as it's also a national holiday in this country.

PS. Sorry for the rant but this is something I feel very strongly about.

PPS. Merry Christmas everyone.