Comments on: Can You Speak Your Readers’ Language?

By: Aline

Aline — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:58:03 +0000

It’s not only the English that suffers with the whole regional trouble; all colonial languages are like that. I’ve learned that Spanish in Chile, in Argentina, in Mexico and in Spain are really different from each other, and even my own native language, Portuguese, sounds way different in Brazil than it sounds in most other places, like Portugal and Angola. And Latin itself can be considered one of those, as the language which is most similar to Latin isn’t Italian, which is its country of origin, but Romania; and it’s extremely difficult to understand to most other people who speak Latin-derived languages.

So, I guess the problem here doesn’t really have a solution, as most languages change due to different cultures and traditions that this country may develop, compared to the ones where the original language came from.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:13:52 +0000

Actually, I can detect regional accents from England, though I can’t always place them. I do remember hearing a BBC announcer who sounded almost American to me, but I think he was Irish or Scots. We Americans tend to give more respect to anyone with a British accent, but I suppose that’s especially true if they’re using Received Pronunciation.

As far as copywriting, the ideal ad would be written for an audience of one person. But since companies can’t afford to produce several billion ads for every product, they have to target groups rather than individuals. I’m always delighted when companies do that correctly – when it seems that they really understand the small regional or linguistic subgroup they’re writing for. I remember when I was in Luxembourg in 1976, Coca-Cola had billboards in their local dialect, but I couldn’t buy a newspaper published in it.

By: temp-

temp- — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:41:53 +0000

I’m proudly representing spanglish comments!

really guys, i’m so glad i found this site, thanks for helping us to talk/write better.

By: kimberment

kimberment — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:53:59 +0000

Well I’m from New Zealand and I want to say that I more often talk with an American slur, thus sounding more American than British. It’s all that darn American television we’re feed! But I like the sound of Americans talking more than British, because it sounds softer and more rounded and lot as low. But as my sister says it’s hard to take Americans seriously but easier to take Bristish people seriously, as the american accent is to nice and friendly sounding I guess and the british more harsh. Well thats my 2 cents anyway.

By: Alan

Alan — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:59:33 +0000

Perhaps to an outside anything not American-English sounds /British/, but even within England we have a plethora of accents and idioms. Not all of them mutually intelligible, too; I can’t understand Geordies (Northern England), or many of my Scottish relatives.

I suppose by ‘English’, you meant Received Pronunciation, though? (Also the Queen’s English, or BBC English.)