Do english speaking americans think they speak English or american?

Question

and do you think that american is a valid seperate language to English?

Guess they speak Portugese in Brazil and Portugal but they are slightly different languages, same as Austria and Germany.

Answer 1

English

Answer 2

English- it IS English- just a different dialect. Not unlike the differences in language usage found throughout the United States itself. Example- some say couch- some sofa- some divan. Maybe the differences between American English and English English are more pronounced, but I still think it is within that same realm.

Answer 3

Good question. I've noticed on some software installations now that you're asked if you want to install American English or International English. International? It's English English!! Never mind though.

There is a famous quote along the lines of "2 nations separated by a common language" (England/America).

If you believe the media, it looks like Spanish could outstrip English as the common language of the USA at some point.

Answer 4

Most language experts today say that there are several "Englishes" across the world. Not simply British and American, but also several in the Caribbean, and in the ex-colonies in Africa, and in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and India. all carry elements which an American or a Briton would recognise, but grammar and usage are so different in some of those areas that you can indeed think about separate languages.

Even within Britain there are some dialects which are almost mutually incomprehensible unless the speakers make quite an effort to "standardise" their ways of speech.

Answer 5

Some people will say "American", some people will say "English".
American English dialects are the same language as British English dialects.
By definition, people who speak two dialects of a language can understand each other. Americans and Brits can certainly understand each other (in general), so they're speaking the same language, but different dialects.

Answer 6

I don't think it's a separate language, Though if you ask near any redneck they'll say they speak "American." Though I do think there are an array of dialects in the English language. If you go to the Jersey/Philly, they speak differently than people where I live, and we speak different from Southerners. And most eveyone in the US speaks differently than people in the UK. Then there's the topic of vocabulary, which is a whole other story...

In a summary, I for one speak English.

Answer 7

Americans speak English with an American accent just like Britians speak English with a British accent.

Answer 8

We Americans speak American English, not the queen's English. I am married to an Aussie and we spell and pronounce many things differently, but it is still English.

Answer 9

I'd say they still speak English but it's an Americanised version with some of their own words and sayings. I quite like the fact that spoken English has developed and evolved to suit other countries. I wouldn't like us to all be exactly the same that would be weird. (I'm English by the way)

Answer 10

some do but i dont think its right. that is like saying the language of mexico is mexican. that just sounds stupid because they speak spanish, even if it might be a little different than the spanish spoken in Spain. However, bottom line-aside from some colloquial stuff, americans and brits can communicate perfectly speaking their own languages, so just call them both English