"Otto von Bismarck astutely (although apocryphally) pointed out that ‘The most significant event of the 20th century will be the fact that the North Americans speak English.’"
Many if not most of my own astute observations also suffer from being apocryphal.
As soon as I saw the reference to the anthropologist in Appalachia in the early twentieth century, I knew it must be Kephart. Our Southern Highlanders is a great book.
"The Irish and Australians are not seen as ‘outlandish’, although that view is influenced not just by a common language but by the huge numbers of people with relatives in both countries."
Some years ago I was chatting to an Irish colleague, and remarked, "We don't really think of the Irish as foreigners." A week or two later I told him, "We don't really think of the Northern Irish as British." Self-evidently, the two statements were mutually contradictory. And yet, I still think they were both accurate.
Though not quite the same thing, living in Leicester I come into contact with many Indians and I subconsciously divide them into two groups: those who speak like me and those who don't. I barely distinguish the former from native Brits, whereas I feel more distant and less warmly towards the latter. One Indian gentleman I was talking to in the local park used the word 'dubious' and I immediately took a liking to him!
OK but I've been asked more than once why I say "aluminum". That's easy to answer. Vase, route, herb, and Moscow I don't know about and half the time don't even know how I'm supposed to pronounce.
"Otto von Bismarck astutely (although apocryphally) pointed out that ‘The most significant event of the 20th century will be the fact that the North Americans speak English.’"
Many if not most of my own astute observations also suffer from being apocryphal.
the one famous quote not attributed to Churchill at least...
As soon as I saw the reference to the anthropologist in Appalachia in the early twentieth century, I knew it must be Kephart. Our Southern Highlanders is a great book.
"The Irish and Australians are not seen as ‘outlandish’, although that view is influenced not just by a common language but by the huge numbers of people with relatives in both countries."
Some years ago I was chatting to an Irish colleague, and remarked, "We don't really think of the Irish as foreigners." A week or two later I told him, "We don't really think of the Northern Irish as British." Self-evidently, the two statements were mutually contradictory. And yet, I still think they were both accurate.
America will also likely come to see more foreign to the British as it's increasingly influenced by Latin America.
Though not quite the same thing, living in Leicester I come into contact with many Indians and I subconsciously divide them into two groups: those who speak like me and those who don't. I barely distinguish the former from native Brits, whereas I feel more distant and less warmly towards the latter. One Indian gentleman I was talking to in the local park used the word 'dubious' and I immediately took a liking to him!
'Well, he said they would all speak English – he didn’t say that they would speak it properly.'
It would help if Americans could pronounce simple words like maths, Moscow, herbs, vase, route, lieutenant, Nietzsche and aluminium.
People in Glasgow and Edinburgh understand this sentiment...
We pronounce it aluminum because we spell it aluminum.
That was part of my joke about simple words. It's not meant to be 'serious'.
OK but I've been asked more than once why I say "aluminum". That's easy to answer. Vase, route, herb, and Moscow I don't know about and half the time don't even know how I'm supposed to pronounce.
The only one in the list I disagree with is 'lieutenant'. When reading the word I simply can't make myself say the British version.