Klarinet Archive - Posting 000321.txt from 2004/03

From: Joe Fasel <jhf@------.gov>
Subj: Re: [kl] English and American
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2004 15:35:35 -0500

Nancy,

There's a subtle distinction here: There's no such language
as "American". The language is English. There are at least
several dialects of English in America and quite a few more
in Britain, and I would claim that typical speakers in Omaha
and London may well have more in common in their language
than, say, a Londoner and someone from rural Northumbria.
For that matter, the ties in language between a New Englander
and an East Anglian or a Virginian and a west-country
Englishman rival their ties with their own countrymen.

I've heard people claim that Québécois or Cajun French "isn't
French", but that's hyperbole: They don't really mean it.
I don't think anyone seriously denies that these are dialects
of a single supranational language, just as all the dialects
on both sides of the pond and in the Commonwealth are all
English. This was all I meant by saying that the phrase
"the American language" is silly.

As a computer scientist, I can attest that the British have
been very active in the field and have contributed their
share of the terminology. "Queue" is the first thing that
comes to mind. I mentioned earlier my bridling at being
coerced to spell "modelling" with one "l". Some folks
at least used to claim that "modelling" was the proper
spelling within the field of computer science. I think
that was because so much of the early literature on
computer modelling was British.

On 2004.03.05 12:11, "Buckman, Nancy" wrote:
> <<<Indeed, it's silly to speak of an "American language".
>
> I don't agree. French Canadians speak a different brand of French as do those of the Creole culture. Computerese is pretty much American. It certain wasn't created by the Brits. It's nice to categorize and label things, just leave room for growth. Diversity is a good thing.
>
> Nancy

Joseph H. Fasel, Ph.D. email: jhf@------.gov
Systems Planning and Analysis phone: +1 505 667 7158
University of California fax: +1 505 667 2960
Los Alamos National Laboratory post: D-2 MS F609; Los Alamos, NM 87545