Re: Foreigner(s)

"HVS" <usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> skrev i meddelelsen
news:Xns9BB7E045966B7whhvans@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 19 Feb 2009, Skitt wrote

Arne H. Wilstrup wrote, in small part:

It puzzles me, however, how on Earth the musical "My Fair Lady"
can have a song saying "On The Street where you Live" as a
correct standard English has: In the Street where you live"
even if the Americans don't seem to care.

There is no single version of "correct standard English".

I have seen this explained to you before in AUE, in a number of
threads.

Yet here, once again, you are implying that there is some
authoritative "correct standard English" which can ajudicate between
"on" and "in" the street.

You're either not paying attention, or you're trolling.

I participate in many threads and groups, and it is impossible to
remember all the answers I get, especially when I just want an answer to
a specific question which is of current need at the time.

And about the 'in' and 'on' there has not to my recollection been
anybody who has answered this yet.

I don't know why you seem to be so vexed about my questions? nor do I
know why you are so hostile to what I refer to.

Standard English is, however, historically a variety of English "based
on the dialect of English that developed after the Norman Conquest which
resulted in the permanent removal of the Court from Winchester to
London. The dialect became the one preferred by the educated, and it was
developed an promoted as a model, or norm, for wider and wider segments
of society." (Ronald Wardhaugh, An introduction to Sociolinguistics 5.
ed. p.35).

"Standardization refers to the process in which a languages has been
codified in some way. That process usually involves the development of
such things as grammars, spelling books, and dictionaries, and possibly
a literature... Standardization also requires that a measure of
agreement be achieved about what is in the language and what is not."
(ibid. p.34)

"... many Americans seem particulary reluctant to equate language to
ethnicity in their own case: although they regard English as the
'natural' language of Americans, they do not consider American to be an
ethnic label. The results may be the same; only the reasons differ"
(ibid. p.27)

"Standard English is that variety of English which is usually used in
print, and which is normally taught in schools and to non-native
speakers learning the language. It is also the variety which is normally
spoken by educated people and used in news broadcasts and other similar
situations. The difference between standard and nonstandard, it should
be noted, has nothing in principle to do with differences between formal
and colloquial language, or with concepts such as 'bad language'.
Standard English has colloquial as well as formal variants, and Standard
English speakers swear as much as others" (Trudgill, 1995 pp-5-6)

In this respect I consider that different dictionaries e.g. Advanced
Learner's Dictionary has the "authority" to tell whether an expression
is SE or not. As a non-native speaker of BrE I'll have to stick to the
notions quoted above.

I would not start a "war" on this notion you have expressed in this
thread about me. My postings which recently show my good intentions and
which you have obviously not read, leaves apparantly the expression to
you that I am a troll. I don't know why you think that, but I suggest
that you re-read my latest postings in this thread and decide for
yourself whether I am what you think I am, and then decide whether you
will continue reading my postings or just plonk me.

If the mere thought that I being a 'troll' just because I ask this group
about some peculiarities in the English language which I am not certain
of, I hope that I prove you wrong with this posting.

That's all for now.


.

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