Why do more and more young Irish and British people want to sound American?

Question

By this I mean the over use of the word "like" (e.g I like sat down on like a chair). Or the emphasis on the word so (I was SOOOO humiliated) Also they way they end some sentances, this uprising at the end of a sentance. It is called AQI or nowadays it's called H.R.T (high rise terminal). They sound must dumb as they speak and I am at the point I have to stop listening or walk away.

Now I have absoulutely nothing against Americans or young people ( I am still fairly young myself). I suppose I have another question, which is ,how should I deal with it, this foreign invasion to communication?

Thank you and please excuse my terrible spelling !!!!

Answer 1

Wow! you're not getting much support are you?!! I for one completely agree with you. I hate it with a vengeance! Another trend which I've noticed is for American spelling conventions to creep into formal English, so you get the BBC talking about the mid-east or writing the date 3/1! Language does evolve but the point is it's ENGLISH and NOT repeat NOT American! I think that's the crux, other people bastardising your language when THEY should be learning to speak like indigenous English speakers, NOT English speakers taking on a stupid, affected, false foreign accent to try and look 'cool'

p.s.

the lady above me has a good point. perhaps if parents spoke to their children and interacted with them more often, instead of leaving them in front of the television, children would pick up their parent's accent and not the (surrogate parent) television's accent!!

Answer 2

The word 'like' was originally used as a functional filler word that buys a speaker time when they cannot think of the words necessary to express their thoughts. Over time it began to carry a sterotype or an association of being dumb or ditzy. 'soooooo' is an evolutionary characteristic to emphasize the degree of something most likely for the same reason (lack of more precise language). Although, you may not like it or even be able to stand it, languages change. My only advice is to accept it and walk away if you have to. Many times, as a young person learns more and grows up, they will abandon these ways of speaking. Hang in there, and try not to be judgemental or let the way they speak affect your impression of them or the way you treat them.

Answer 3

I do think it comes a lot from television and pop culture. Shows like Friends in it's heyday made it cool to talk like that. You knew which people were watching that if you used the catchphrases from the show. Of course, they are played endlessly in reruns, so those who weren't there at the time are still learning it!

We do get an awful lot of American TV over here, so it's bound to rub off if you spend enough time in front of the box!

Answer 4

I think it's just teenager behaviour. Perhaps watching a lot of American television and movies.

You must understand that langauge is an ever-changing living thing. The fact that we don't sound like old English was perhaps because those "annoying teens" back in 1700 kept talking non-sense.

I'm sure the good part will stick and live on. The terrible part will die out.

Answer 5

I don't like the spread of AQI, I thought it came mostly from Australians though. I also find the use of 'way' grates me as well. As in "This is way better".

Languages are constantly changing and in my better moments I smile at the thought of some ancestor of ours saying the same about constructs such as don't, can't, or albeit. then I think that one day the young 'uns that are annoying you and me will in their turn be annoyed by some new turn in the language and I immediately cheer up.

ps recommended read "The adventure of English" by Melvyn Bragg, just shows how much it can change and yet stay the same.

Answer 6

AQI - do you know what the A stands for in that? It's not American.

If it's any consolation, many Americans are starting to say bloody, dodgy and a few affected ones even say cheers.

At any rate, closed languages reflect closed minds, and open languages reflect creative, open minds and societies. The openness of English to change has been the hallmark of its success. Why are you so cranky?

Answer 7

i think it may have something to do with the huge amount of American television which is shown here in the UK - from friends, to the O.C. Kids are bound to pick up the accent from television. America is just glamorised and i can understand children wanting to aspire to that, i mean lets face it British television doesn't portray Britain as anything other than drab - i love England, born and bred in Manchester, but we could come up with some better television!

Answer 8

In all honesty, i'm English and what individuals seem to think of is that all of us are posh and function this royal accessory, drink tea, consume crumpets, and its fairly in comparison to that, it is probably 7% of the inhabitants, the rest is such various diverse accents and methods of announcing issues, we are in simple terms widespread for a manner the Queen talks that's extremely unhappy fairly, hear to a liverpool accessory and notice in case you are able to understand a observe it is being mentioned haha, in my oppinion the yankee accessory is fairly cool, the canadian accessory fairly annoys me, so nasal

Answer 9

They've been watching to many TV programs and movies, and are copying the language because they would rather follow the sheep and be like everyone else than be individuals.

Answer 10

Well, young people usually have the head full of smoke. They think that this or that is fantastic, but it is usually rubbish. They don't realize it until they are 40 y/o, or sometimes never