Re: "Nu-CU-lar Man"

[John Hughes <john@pureneasy.fsnet.co.uk>]

Scott, re

> >> Wonder if he has checked with his "Real-IT-tor" lately?
> > 
> >  I don't know about Brits but I'd say 80%+ of Americans mispronounce 
> >  that one anyway.

We actually say "Estate Agent", the word realtor is not used in the UK
as far as I'm aware except perhaps by Americans who live here. 

> > Language is fluid 

Fully agree with you here. If you find time please read Bill Bryson's
book "Mother Tongue" which is quite an amusing and intelligent book on
the subject.

> > & many imposed "rules" are only attempts to make the masses speak in 
> > manner conforming to something called "Standard English," which in 
> > reality does not exist.

I'm afraid it does, in its pure form. English is such a difficult
language - but one capable of great beauty - that it needs grammatical
rules to maintain itself. 

No one in the UK is forced to speak "standard English" anymore; in fact,
grammatically correct English is more and more difficult to find being
spoken, as what is known here as "Estuary English", which is a peculiar
combination of the London and Essex county accent, combined with glottal
stop failures, slang and abbreviations endemic in Australian soap operas
is more and more the accent and language commonly used.

> > The "learned" English have long complained about the "crudeness" of
> > American English.  

Quite right. When you bastardise a beautiful language the way you do -
and just one such bastard use is the utter misuse of the word impact -
you should expect such complaints!

> > And while they complain, more "Americanisms" are adopted by the
> > British every year.  It's been going on since colonial times.

Ummm, have a look at Mother Tongue to see just how much of "English
English" you have retained and adopted....... sauce for the goose....

> > Many Brits refuse to admit it but the truth is that American English 
> > is the dominant language & has been for some time.  

Unfortunately, I'd agree with you in terms of management psychobabble
and general pyschobabble, but really, when you invented Valley English
did you really make a significant contribution to the language?

> > Perhaps you could say we Americans have created a language 
> > "din-asty."

Well it's certainly a din, no disagreement there!!

Cheers,

John