Cafe Studies

Cafe Chat Discussion

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  Nefertari
  Posted on:
  25th Nov 2010 06:07pm
  
  Last Post 18th Feb 2012
  Replies     15

  Discussion: Australian language?

  My husband was watching an English television program the other day when one of the guests on the show commented on how a lot of other countries take English as their own language whereas only people from England should have English as their main language.
  
  I was quite indignant at this at first but then I thought ...hey, she's right... we should have our own language! In my opinion our language though based on English should be called Australian.
  
  What do others think?
  
  

  Reply
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  Ziah
  Posted on:
  27th Nov 2010 11:56am

  Ziah says: Technically it is already called Australian English, as in the US it is called American English, an din the UK it is called UK English. The differentiation is already there...
  
  

  Reply to Ziah
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  Shay-Dee
  Posted on:
  29th Nov 2010 05:47pm

  Shay-Dee says: Yup, its already referred to as Australian English, you can even select that as an option with some programs. And I am sure there are now Australian English Dictionaries as well as UK and American English ones.
  
  A lot of foreigners prefer to actually speak Australian or UK English as their second language. I have no problem with this at all
  
  

  Reply to Shay-Dee
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  Nan
  Posted on:
  30th Nov 2010 12:20pm

  Nan says: I have found that just by selecting English as your language is not enough. Usually, your spell-check on your computer immediately correct all the words to American spelling. This irritates me no end when I am typing something important as I have to go back and correct into what I consider to be REAL English!
  
  

  Reply to Nan
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  bren
  Posted on:
  18th Dec 2010 01:37pm

  bren says: Wot a load of cobblers!
  
  English is a bastard language at the best, and over the centuries has grown and adopted words from all over the colonies and elsewhere. It is a dynamic and still growing language, and that is what makes it so great. If it was confined to England it would die pretty quick.
  
  
  

  Reply to bren
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  neenie
  Posted on:
  10th Feb 2011 04:14pm

  bren says: Wot a load of cobblers!
  
  English is a bastard language at the best, and over the centuries has grown and adopted words from all over the colonies and elsewhere. It is a dynamic and still...

  neenie says: you are right it is not a pure language. if you watch any english tv shows you will know that most english people cannot even speak itproperly
  
  

  Reply to neenie
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  stretch
  Posted on:
  14th Jan 2011 12:55pm

  stretch says: can not comment only half talk one language and the rest is slang
  english all the way
  
  

  Reply to stretch
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  U
  Posted on:
  8th Feb 2011 04:53pm

  U says: We need to have an universal language. English seems to be it. I think it is great personally as when we travel oversea we can usually be understood.
  
  

  Reply to U
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  Kiwi chick
  Posted on:
  9th Feb 2011 10:43pm

  Kiwi chick says: Most languages probably started from Africa if you believe in the theory supported by DNA, the seven daughters of Eve. UK English has many dialects and the same is true for most countries. For reasons of convenience they have been standardized for education and business purposes. In non-english speaking countries there is often a premium on being able to speak English as it seems to be winning the battle for most used business language.
  
  

  Reply to Kiwi chick
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  sr20desr20de
  Posted on:
  15th Jul 2011 11:42pm

  sr20desr20de says: I think english is english but with differetn accents, also english should be the world language but that would be hard because there are alot of other languages other then english but it would help when travelling.
  
  

  Reply to sr20desr20de
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  mysteron347
  Posted on:
  18th Aug 2011 02:20am

  mysteron347 says: What a load of dingo's kidneys!
  
  Fact is that regional dialects in England can be next to incompehensible in another county. Expressions change region-to-region.
  
  George Bernard Shaw was right in 'Pygmalion' (My Fair Lady) - it is quite possible for the attuned ear to distinguish between people who live even a few streets apart (or at least it was until forty years or so ago - TV and radio have smoothed over many variations.)
  
  So what precisely is this narrow definition of "English?" London English? Yorkshire English? Lancashire? We'd be fighting the wars of the roses over again.
  
  Australian English is a different and as similar as any of these other regional differences. Australians have polony sandwiches and cartons of beer. Yet some inhabitants of the overgrown cow-paddocks East of the line of chaos would insist on 'Fritz' or 'Devon' and 'slabs.' Do we classify each of these odd variants too as 'Australian?'
  
  Then there's expressions and mispronunciations that are peculiar to members of one's family or even one's own household. Do we have to have a special name for each individual variant? If not, then how much difference need there be between "languages" to make the distinction necessary?
  
  Frankly, I reckon the entire idea is cuckoo.
  
  
  

  Reply to mysteron347
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  mermaid
  Posted on:
  18th Aug 2011 12:55pm

  mermaid says: Australia does have its own language just not recognised, its indigenous australians who are willing and very capable of teaching. Many indigenous populations worldwide have their own it happens the english ruled it was not to be taught in their land when in actual fact history states the country was already populated when the english invaded.
  
  

  Reply to mermaid
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  errolsyd
  Posted on:
  8th Oct 2011 09:48pm

  errolsyd says: Yes Nefertari anytime I am asked do I speak another language other than english I reply yes Australian!
  
  

  Reply to errolsyd
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  Neeraj
  Posted on:
  25th Dec 2011 04:23pm

  Neeraj says: Even I think that we should have to use our mother tounge.
  
  

  Reply to Neeraj
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  goanna
  Posted on:
  3rd Jan 2012 11:00pm

  goanna says: Yes I agree we should call it the Australian language and not English. I'm Australian not British therefore my language should not be classed as English. We should have our own identity.
  
  

  Reply to goanna
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  washann
  Posted on:
  18th Feb 2012 12:50am

  washann says: I wholeheartedly agree. We are Australian and speak Australian.
  
  

  Reply to washann

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