Re: The definition of the Standard variation of British English

Arne H. Wilstrup wrote:

In short: the Standard variety of British English must be the English native speakers speak on a dayly basis

I would suggest that it might be more correct to say "write" rather than speak, and that "daily basis" might not be quite right either - more the variety of English used in writing in a semi-formal situation.

in order to letting other
Englismen understand them (free of broad dialects and of local words or local slang which is not very used or known amongst native English speakers of another region) -or am I wrong or imprecise here?
Mark well I am teaching pupils at the age of 13-16 who has had English for 6 years (as a foreign language) and occasionally to some pupils who really native speakers of English (one American and one Irish).

When I have native speakers in my class I always say that it is a gift for the other pupils to learn how to speak English, that a native speaker knows her/his language better than even the teacher, save the grammar, but my job is not to discuss the colloquial English with native speakers, but to teach Danish pupils English. The native speakers can contribute with their language accent, skills of colloquial English, and I must be the guarantee of "proper" English in respect to grammar, vocabulary, punctiuation and spelling.

Would this be an acceptable way of thinking, do you think?

I believe so. When I was teaching French and German, I also had the good fortune to have a number of native speakers in my classes. The first time this happened, I was a bit frightened, but I found them a great asset, not least because it forced me to do a lot more checking than I had previously.



--

Rob Bannister
.

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