Why is it that very few Americans seem to speak proper English ?

Question

Are they dumb??????

Answer 1

The more they subject themselves to pop culture, the dumber they get. Pop culture today promotes everything that is negative. It is geared to the lowest common denominator.

Turn off your TV. Turn off your FM radio. Read a book. Use your brain; try to learn something.

Answer 2

There is no such thing as "proper English" or "standard English". Who decided what was proper? Who set the standard? Why are some varieties considered "better" than others? 'Coz they ain't.

Languages constantly change and evolve. That's simply the way they are. If you were to study linguistics, this is one of the basic points you would first learn.

There is "formal English" or "academic English" and that's what we learn in school. Plenty of Americans learn it. Some don't. Some don't care to. Some will never need it.

You use different ways of speaking and writing in different contexts. Successful students learn to use different varieties of English in different contexts.

The reason so many people agonize over the skills of others is because some people mistakenly think all rules apply all the time. They don't.

When you get over your cultural bias, you'll figure out that no one's English is "better" than anyone else's. Some people can manipulate the language better than others, is all.

Study language. It makes you smarter.

Answer 3

"Proper English" is defined by the community that speaks it, not arrogant British twits like you seem to be. The vast majority of Americans speak quite proper American English based on their region of the country. Why can't you Brits speak proper American English? After all, there are more American English speakers than there are British English speakers. Majority rules. Why can't the Queen speak proper English?

Answer 4

That depends on how you define "proper" English. Take a linguistics course and you will see that language is constantly changing. There are some things considered proper in formal language that are rarely used in casual conversation, and in fact would sound awkward in a casual situation. People generally don't speak to their friends as if they are composing a formal essay; this isn't "dumb," its just informal language.

Answer 5

Oh you apparently know most of the 300 million American and got to the conclusion that we don't speak proper English. That's some research you've done there!
I would also like to see what is it that you recognize as proper English, because if proper English is what I've heard when I was in London, oh dear we are in trouble.

Answer 6

Because 'Proper English' is not a 'static-construct' otherwise we'd all still be speaking/spelling in the same manner that Chaucer did.

In any case, English people speak "English", Americans speak "American", English is a 'root-language' which itself is 'rooted-in' many other languages.

Persons who are from Mexico do not speak the same dialect/s as persons from Spain, Mexicans speak "Mexican", it's a matter of Pride/Identity. IMO

Answer 7

A lack of proper correction; internet speak. I try to have good grammar on both the internet, and real life.

Answer 8

I believe americans in general are becoming lazier. Education is being dumbed down. Standards are not being enforced and we are willing to accept less.

Answer 9

Because majority of them are immigrants, they have their own languages too!So, what appears imprpper to YOU is not to most of THEM!

Answer 10

Too many lazy people, and the common practice of typing "internet shorthand" doesn't help, either.