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DIFERENCIAS DEL INGLÉS ENTRE PAÍSES

por | Jul 27, 2018

Lengua inglesa.., sí, ¿pero cuál? Con la llegada de la globalización el inglés ha conquistado el estatus de lengua internacional, desplazando en su expansión a otras lenguas. Este mismo fenómeno, sin embargo, está poniendo en cuestión el obsoleto concepto por el cual el resto de lenguas anglófonas deban seguir supeditándose a una élite que dicte el estándar lingüístico deseable. La realidad es que, en el mundo de hoy, existen tantos ingleses como países en los que se usa el idioma.
 

Por procedencia, la lengua británica viene considerada la versión más «auténtica» de este idioma, aunque, gracias a la enorme repercusión de Hollywood, se ha de admitir que el inglés americano es, sin duda, el de mayor influencia entre los hablantes no nativos. Sin embargo, si sometiésemos al inglés británico a un sencillo examen, descubriríamos escollos ontológicos evidentes. Porque, ¿qué se entiende exactamente por inglés británico?, ¿el que se habla principalmente en Inglaterra, la nación más poblada del Reino Unido?, ¿ tal vez el salpicado de inglés escocés?, ¿o el inglés hablado en Gales o Irlanda del Norte?
 

En este punto, cuidado, porque la obsesión por especificar conduce al reductio ad absurdum, y buscando profundizar a través de los distintos estratos geográficos y sociopolíticos del inglés británico, ahondaremos hasta remontarnos a un pueblito o aldea, sí, pero sin dar con la definición definitiva de “inglés”. Siempre es mejor aceptar que existen variedades de inglés, y que, como tales, han de ser respetadas por sus muchas cualidades e idiosincrasias.
 

Nada ejemplifica mejor las diferencias lingüísticas del inglés que su vocabulario. Los británicos y los estadounidenses pueden compartir ostensiblemente un idioma, pero existen muchas variaciones de léxico. Algunos ejemplos son: pavement (UK), sidewalk (US); petrol (UK), gas (US); lift (UK), elevator (US); aubergine (UK), eggplant (US); autumn (UK), fall (US); full stop (UK), period (US); crisps (UK), chips (US); etc.
 

También hay variaciones en la ortografía británica y estadounidense, que obedecen, en gran parte, a la intervención de un hombre llamado Noah Webster: sí, el del famoso Webster’s Dictionary of English. Webster era un lexicógrafo nacido en Connecticut que creía que la ortografía del inglés podía llegar a ser en ocasiones innecesariamente complicada, por lo que decidió simplificar muchas palabras en beneficio estadounidense. El cambio más conocido, probablemente, fue el que efectuó en la ortografía de las palabras que terminan ‘-our’ en inglés británico, p.e. ‘colour’, ‘humour’, ‘rumour’. Webster eliminó la ‘u’, por considerarla superflua, regalándole al mundo ‘color’, ‘humor’ y ‘rumor’ (grafía que se usa en los Estados Unidos hasta nuestros días). El inglés canadiense y australiano, a menudo, siguen el ejemplo británico, resistiéndose a dejar de lado su sentido de pertenencia poscolonial: de hecho, ambos retienen el ‘u’ en las palabras acabadas en ‘-cour’.
 

Cuando se trata de los nombres de los ríos, el inglés británico coloca la palabra ‘river’ antes del nombre (por ejemplo, ‘the river Thames’), mientras que el inglés americano la ubica después (por ejemplo, ‘the Hudson river’). Al formar sustantivos compuestos usando un verbo y un sustantivo, el inglés británico favorece el gerundio (por ejemplo, skipping rope, filing cabinet) mientras que el inglés americano opta por el infinitivo verbal a secas (por ejemplo, jump rope, file cabinet).
 

La jerga es el campo minado más grande para un hablante no nativo. La jerga puede diferir mucho de un país anglófono a otro, aunque a menudo habrá algunas expresiones compartidas. Por ejemplo, los australianos llaman ‘sickie’ (tomarse un día libre de trabajo) cuando se sienten enfermos; la misma palabra se usa en el Reino Unido. Sin embargo, si un australiano habla de un ‘gurgler’, o dice ‘hooroo!’, o se queja sobre el número de ‘reffos’ en las calles, un británico, canadiense o estadounidense responderá con incomprensión (‘gurgler’ significa drenaje, ‘hooroo’ significa adiós o nos vemos, y ‘reffo’ significa refugiado). En Gran Bretaña, hablamos de ‘chuffed’ (estar contento); un australiano o neozelandés podía entender esta palabra, pero es muy probable que un estadounidense o canadiense no lo haga (a menos que haya pasado un tiempo significativo en el Reino Unido).
 

De hecho, siempre es mucho más probable que los hablantes de inglés británico, australiano, canadiense y neozelandés comprendan la lengua vernácula estadounidense por influencia de los films (o ‘movies’, en inglés americano) de Hollywood, que al contrario. Los británicos, los australianos y los neozelandeses son más propensos a usar expresiones estadounidenses en sus relaciones comerciales cotidianas.
 

Por ejemplo, la expresión neoyorkina ‘can I get’ es cada vez más popular, más que la de ‘can I have’; p.ej.: ‘Can I get a cup of coffee?’ Esto podría provocar confusión en los hablantes de inglés de más edad, no tan aficionados al inglés americano como sus compatriotas más jóvenes, muchos de los cuales han sido criados a base de comedias americanas tipo «Friends» o «Seinfeld». A la pregunta, ‘Can I get some paper?’ una persona inglesa mayor podría responder «Sí, sírvase usted mismo», pensando que la otra persona está pidiendo permiso para coger papel, cuando el significado pretendido sería: ‘Can you give me some more paper?’ (¿Me puede dar papel?).
 

Algunas expresiones simplemente no tienen paralelismo de un país a otro. Por ejemplo, la expresión británica ‘taking the mickey’ refleja la tendencia británica e irlandesa de tomar el pelo o burlarse de los amigos. Aunque este rasgo también es evidente en los EE. UU., el hecho de que no haya una frase equivalente (aparte de algo más impreciso como ‘yanking my chain’) destaca las diferencias en su carácter nacional. Los británicos e irlandeses son aficionados a participar en bromas un tanto agresivas; los estadounidenses siempre reaccionarán con perplejidad ante lo que consideran una actitud algo belicosa entre amigos.
 

Respecto al tema gramatical, una peculiaridad particularmente irritante para los hablantes no nativos —y, de hecho, para los hablantes nativos de inglés de otras regiones o países diferentes— es el rasgo que se evidencia en el sur de los Estados Unidos (como en el de Alabama), donde los hablantes emplean dos formas verbales donde normalmente se usaría una. Por ejemplo, alguien podría decir «Might should we have invited Jim?» o «I was afraid you might couldn’t find it», en lugar de «Should we have invited Jim?» and «I was afraid you might not find it» («¿Deberíamos haber invitado a Jim?» y «Temía que no pudieras encontrarlo»). Esta particularidad lingüística no ocurre en inglés británico, canadiense o australiano, ni en otros dialectos de inglés americano.
 

En términos de pronunciación, los hablantes de inglés canadiense y estadounidense remarcan la letra «r» en palabras como «father», mientras que los hablantes de inglés y australiano no lo hacen. Sin embargo, las diferencias en la pronunciación ocurren de una ciudad a otra.

Tal es la diversidad del habla inglesa.
 

J. Crowley
Traducción: C. Fernández

Mamen
Últimas entradas de Mamen (ver todo)

Difference in English between different countries

por | Jul 27, 2018

Is there such a thing today as ‘the English language’? With the arrival of globalisation – and the British Empire rendered a mere historical footnote – the notion that there exists one pure, superior strain of English, a standard to which all other forms must adhere and aspire to, seems quaintly antiquated. In today´s world, the truth is that there are as many Englishes as there are countries in which the language is used.
 

For starters, of course, we have British English; long considered the most ‘authentic’ version of English, given that the language originated on the British Isles. Then there is American English, arguably the most prevalent influence on non-native speakers due to Hollywood´s vast reach. However, even a cursory examination of British English exposes basic ontological difficulties. What is meant by British English, exactly? The version spoken mainly in England, the United Kingdom´s most populous country? A dash of Scottish English, perhaps? Or the English spoken in Wales, or Northern Ireland?
 

Clearly, an obsession with specificity could lead to reductio ad absurdum, where we find ourselves filing down through various geographical and socio-political strata until we alight on a small village or tiny hamlet before we satisfy our craving for a pure definition of English. Better to accept that varieties of English exist, and should be respected for their qualities and idiosyncracies.
 

Nowhere is this best exemplified than in differences in vocabulary. Britons and Americans may ostensibly share a language but there are many variations in lexis. Some examples are: pavement (UK), sidewalk (US); petrol (UK), gas (US); lift (UK), elevator (US); aubergine (UK), eggplant (US); autumn (UK), fall (US); full stop (UK), period (US); crisps (UK), chips (US); etc.
 

There are also variations in British and American spelling, which are largely down to the intervention of a man named Noah Webster: he of the now famous Webster’s Dictionary of English. Webster was a Connecticut-born lexicographer who believed that English spelling could be many unneccesarily tricky at times, and so decided to simplify many words for American use. Probably the most well-known change he affected was in the spelling of words that end ‘ -our’ in British English, e.g. ‘colour’, ‘humour’, ‘rumour’. Webster removed the ‘u’, which he deemed superfluous, and gave the world ‘color’, ‘humor’ and ‘rumor’ – spellings which are used in the US to this day. Canadian and Australian English often follow the British example, as though out of some sense of post-colonial affiliation: for example, they both retain the ‘u’ in ‘ -our’ words.
 

When it comes to the names of rivers, British English places the word ‘river’ before the name (e.g. the river Thames’), whereas American English places it after (e.g. the Hudson river). When forming compound nouns using a verb and a noun, British English favours the gerund (e.g. skipping rope, filing cabinet) whilst American English opts for the bare infinitive (e.g. jump rope, file cabinet).
 

Slang is the biggest minefield for a non-native speaker. Slang can differ greatly from one Anglophone country to another, though often there will be some shared expressions. For example, Australians call taking a day off work when one feels ill a ‘sickie’; the same word is used in the UK. However if an Australian talks about a ‘gurgler’, or says ‘hooroo!’, or complains about the number of ‘reffos’ on the streets, a British, Canadian or American person would respond with incomprehension (‘gurgler’ means drain, ‘hooroo’ means goodbye or see you later and ‘reffo’ means refugee). In Britain we talk about being ‘chuffed’, which means feeling pleased about something; an Australian or New Zealander may understand this word, but an American or Canadian (unless they have spent significant time in the UK) most likely will not.
 

In fact it is much more likely that British, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand speakers of English will understand American vernacular due to their aforementioned exposure to Hollywood’s products and the language used in American films (or ‘movies’, to use the American word). Brits, Aussies and Kiwis (New Zealanders) are more likely to use American expressions in their day-to-day business.
 

For example, the New York expression ‘Can I get’ is becoming more popular than ‘Can I have’, e.g. ‘Can I get a cup of coffee?’ This could elicit confusion in older British speakers who are not as au fait with American English as their younger compatriots, many of whom have been raised on a diet of American comedies like ‘Friends’ or ‘Seinfeld’. To the question ‘Can I get some paper?’ an older English person might reply ‘Yes, help yourself’, thinking that the other person is asking permission to obtain some more paper – rather than the intended meaning, which is ‘Can you give me some more paper?’
 

Some expressions simply do not transfer from one country to another. For example the British expression ‘taking the mickey’ reflects the British and Irish tendency to make fun of one’s friends. Whilst this trait is evident in the US too, the fact that there is no equivalent phrase (apart from something more vague, like ‘yanking my chain’) highlights a difference in national character. Brits and Irishmen show their affection by engaging in banter: lightly aggressive badinage. Americans are sometimes confused by what appears to be a wantonly bellicose mindset amongst friends.
 

Moving on to grammar, a particularly vexing peculiarity for non-native speakers – and, indeed, native speakers of English from other regions or different countries – is the trait evinced in the southern USA, in states like Alabama, where speakers may deploy two modal verbs where one would normally be used. For example, someone might say «Might should we have invited Jim?» or «I was afraid you might couldn’t find it», instead of «Should we have invited Jim?» and «I was afraid you might not find it». This linguistic quirk does not occur in British, Canadian or Australian English, or in other dialects of American English.
 

In terms of pronunciation, Canadian and American English speakers emphasise the letter ‘r’ in words like ‘father’, whereas British and Australian speakers do not. However differences in pronunciation occur from one town to the next. Such is the diversity of English speech.
 

J. Crowley
Traducción: C. Fernández

Mamen
Últimas entradas de Mamen (ver todo)

Difference in English between different countries

por | Jul 27, 2018

Is there such a thing today as ‘the English language’? With the arrival of globalisation – and the British Empire rendered a mere historical footnote – the notion that there exists one pure, superior strain of English, a standard to which all other forms must adhere and aspire to, seems quaintly antiquated. In today´s world, the truth is that there are as many Englishes as there are countries in which the language is used.
 

For starters, of course, we have British English; long considered the most ‘authentic’ version of English, given that the language originated on the British Isles. Then there is American English, arguably the most prevalent influence on non-native speakers due to Hollywood´s vast reach. However, even a cursory examination of British English exposes basic ontological difficulties. What is meant by British English, exactly? The version spoken mainly in England, the United Kingdom´s most populous country? A dash of Scottish English, perhaps? Or the English spoken in Wales, or Northern Ireland?
 

Clearly, an obsession with specificity could lead to reductio ad absurdum, where we find ourselves filing down through various geographical and socio-political strata until we alight on a small village or tiny hamlet before we satisfy our craving for a pure definition of English. Better to accept that varieties of English exist, and should be respected for their qualities and idiosyncracies.
 

Nowhere is this best exemplified than in differences in vocabulary. Britons and Americans may ostensibly share a language but there are many variations in lexis. Some examples are: pavement (UK), sidewalk (US); petrol (UK), gas (US); lift (UK), elevator (US); aubergine (UK), eggplant (US); autumn (UK), fall (US); full stop (UK), period (US); crisps (UK), chips (US); etc.
 

There are also variations in British and American spelling, which are largely down to the intervention of a man named Noah Webster: he of the now famous Webster’s Dictionary of English. Webster was a Connecticut-born lexicographer who believed that English spelling could be many unneccesarily tricky at times, and so decided to simplify many words for American use. Probably the most well-known change he affected was in the spelling of words that end ‘ -our’ in British English, e.g. ‘colour’, ‘humour’, ‘rumour’. Webster removed the ‘u’, which he deemed superfluous, and gave the world ‘color’, ‘humor’ and ‘rumor’ – spellings which are used in the US to this day. Canadian and Australian English often follow the British example, as though out of some sense of post-colonial affiliation: for example, they both retain the ‘u’ in ‘ -our’ words.
 

When it comes to the names of rivers, British English places the word ‘river’ before the name (e.g. the river Thames’), whereas American English places it after (e.g. the Hudson river). When forming compound nouns using a verb and a noun, British English favours the gerund (e.g. skipping rope, filing cabinet) whilst American English opts for the bare infinitive (e.g. jump rope, file cabinet).
 

Slang is the biggest minefield for a non-native speaker. Slang can differ greatly from one Anglophone country to another, though often there will be some shared expressions. For example, Australians call taking a day off work when one feels ill a ‘sickie’; the same word is used in the UK. However if an Australian talks about a ‘gurgler’, or says ‘hooroo!’, or complains about the number of ‘reffos’ on the streets, a British, Canadian or American person would respond with incomprehension (‘gurgler’ means drain, ‘hooroo’ means goodbye or see you later and ‘reffo’ means refugee). In Britain we talk about being ‘chuffed’, which means feeling pleased about something; an Australian or New Zealander may understand this word, but an American or Canadian (unless they have spent significant time in the UK) most likely will not.
 

In fact it is much more likely that British, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand speakers of English will understand American vernacular due to their aforementioned exposure to Hollywood’s products and the language used in American films (or ‘movies’, to use the American word). Brits, Aussies and Kiwis (New Zealanders) are more likely to use American expressions in their day-to-day business.
 

For example, the New York expression ‘Can I get’ is becoming more popular than ‘Can I have’, e.g. ‘Can I get a cup of coffee?’ This could elicit confusion in older British speakers who are not as au fait with American English as their younger compatriots, many of whom have been raised on a diet of American comedies like ‘Friends’ or ‘Seinfeld’. To the question ‘Can I get some paper?’ an older English person might reply ‘Yes, help yourself’, thinking that the other person is asking permission to obtain some more paper – rather than the intended meaning, which is ‘Can you give me some more paper?’
 

Some expressions simply do not transfer from one country to another. For example the British expression ‘taking the mickey’ reflects the British and Irish tendency to make fun of one’s friends. Whilst this trait is evident in the US too, the fact that there is no equivalent phrase (apart from something more vague, like ‘yanking my chain’) highlights a difference in national character. Brits and Irishmen show their affection by engaging in banter: lightly aggressive badinage. Americans are sometimes confused by what appears to be a wantonly bellicose mindset amongst friends.
 

Moving on to grammar, a particularly vexing peculiarity for non-native speakers – and, indeed, native speakers of English from other regions or different countries – is the trait evinced in the southern USA, in states like Alabama, where speakers may deploy two modal verbs where one would normally be used. For example, someone might say «Might should we have invited Jim?» or «I was afraid you might couldn’t find it», instead of «Should we have invited Jim?» and «I was afraid you might not find it». This linguistic quirk does not occur in British, Canadian or Australian English, or in other dialects of American English.
 

In terms of pronunciation, Canadian and American English speakers emphasise the letter ‘r’ in words like ‘father’, whereas British and Australian speakers do not. However differences in pronunciation occur from one town to the next. Such is the diversity of English speech.
 

J. Crowley

Mamen
Últimas entradas de Mamen (ver todo)

Difference in English between different countries

por | Jul 27, 2018

Is there such a thing today as ‘the English language’? With the arrival of globalisation – and the British Empire rendered a mere historical footnote – the notion that there exists one pure, superior strain of English, a standard to which all other forms must adhere and aspire to, seems quaintly antiquated. In today´s world, the truth is that there are as many Englishes as there are countries in which the language is used.
 

For starters, of course, we have British English; long considered the most ‘authentic’ version of English, given that the language originated on the British Isles. Then there is American English, arguably the most prevalent influence on non-native speakers due to Hollywood´s vast reach. However, even a cursory examination of British English exposes basic ontological difficulties. What is meant by British English, exactly? The version spoken mainly in England, the United Kingdom´s most populous country? A dash of Scottish English, perhaps? Or the English spoken in Wales, or Northern Ireland?
 

Clearly, an obsession with specificity could lead to reductio ad absurdum, where we find ourselves filing down through various geographical and socio-political strata until we alight on a small village or tiny hamlet before we satisfy our craving for a pure definition of English. Better to accept that varieties of English exist, and should be respected for their qualities and idiosyncracies.
 

Nowhere is this best exemplified than in differences in vocabulary. Britons and Americans may ostensibly share a language but there are many variations in lexis. Some examples are: pavement (UK), sidewalk (US); petrol (UK), gas (US); lift (UK), elevator (US); aubergine (UK), eggplant (US); autumn (UK), fall (US); full stop (UK), period (US); crisps (UK), chips (US); etc.
 

There are also variations in British and American spelling, which are largely down to the intervention of a man named Noah Webster: he of the now famous Webster’s Dictionary of English. Webster was a Connecticut-born lexicographer who believed that English spelling could be many unneccesarily tricky at times, and so decided to simplify many words for American use. Probably the most well-known change he affected was in the spelling of words that end ‘ -our’ in British English, e.g. ‘colour’, ‘humour’, ‘rumour’. Webster removed the ‘u’, which he deemed superfluous, and gave the world ‘color’, ‘humor’ and ‘rumor’ – spellings which are used in the US to this day. Canadian and Australian English often follow the British example, as though out of some sense of post-colonial affiliation: for example, they both retain the ‘u’ in ‘ -our’ words.
 

When it comes to the names of rivers, British English places the word ‘river’ before the name (e.g. the river Thames’), whereas American English places it after (e.g. the Hudson river). When forming compound nouns using a verb and a noun, British English favours the gerund (e.g. skipping rope, filing cabinet) whilst American English opts for the bare infinitive (e.g. jump rope, file cabinet).
 

Slang is the biggest minefield for a non-native speaker. Slang can differ greatly from one Anglophone country to another, though often there will be some shared expressions. For example, Australians call taking a day off work when one feels ill a ‘sickie’; the same word is used in the UK. However if an Australian talks about a ‘gurgler’, or says ‘hooroo!’, or complains about the number of ‘reffos’ on the streets, a British, Canadian or American person would respond with incomprehension (‘gurgler’ means drain, ‘hooroo’ means goodbye or see you later and ‘reffo’ means refugee). In Britain we talk about being ‘chuffed’, which means feeling pleased about something; an Australian or New Zealander may understand this word, but an American or Canadian (unless they have spent significant time in the UK) most likely will not.
 

In fact it is much more likely that British, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand speakers of English will understand American vernacular due to their aforementioned exposure to Hollywood’s products and the language used in American films (or ‘movies’, to use the American word). Brits, Aussies and Kiwis (New Zealanders) are more likely to use American expressions in their day-to-day business.
 

For example, the New York expression ‘Can I get’ is becoming more popular than ‘Can I have’, e.g. ‘Can I get a cup of coffee?’ This could elicit confusion in older British speakers who are not as au fait with American English as their younger compatriots, many of whom have been raised on a diet of American comedies like ‘Friends’ or ‘Seinfeld’. To the question ‘Can I get some paper?’ an older English person might reply ‘Yes, help yourself’, thinking that the other person is asking permission to obtain some more paper – rather than the intended meaning, which is ‘Can you give me some more paper?’
 

Some expressions simply do not transfer from one country to another. For example the British expression ‘taking the mickey’ reflects the British and Irish tendency to make fun of one’s friends. Whilst this trait is evident in the US too, the fact that there is no equivalent phrase (apart from something more vague, like ‘yanking my chain’) highlights a difference in national character. Brits and Irishmen show their affection by engaging in banter: lightly aggressive badinage. Americans are sometimes confused by what appears to be a wantonly bellicose mindset amongst friends.
 

Moving on to grammar, a particularly vexing peculiarity for non-native speakers – and, indeed, native speakers of English from other regions or different countries – is the trait evinced in the southern USA, in states like Alabama, where speakers may deploy two modal verbs where one would normally be used. For example, someone might say «Might should we have invited Jim?» or «I was afraid you might couldn’t find it», instead of «Should we have invited Jim?» and «I was afraid you might not find it». This linguistic quirk does not occur in British, Canadian or Australian English, or in other dialects of American English.
 

In terms of pronunciation, Canadian and American English speakers emphasise the letter ‘r’ in words like ‘father’, whereas British and Australian speakers do not. However differences in pronunciation occur from one town to the next. Such is the diversity of English speech.
 

J. Crowley

Mamen
Últimas entradas de Mamen (ver todo)

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