5 ms·

In fact, I find it strange when Germans, for example, have a 'perfect British accent'. Even I would say it's perfect. Problem is, no one speaks like that... exc

In fact, I find it strange when Germans, for example, have a 'perfect British accent'. Even I would say it's perfect. Problem is, no one speaks like that... except the Germans. It also goes with grammatical accuracy as well. If any German, or Nordic etc, says "With whom were you speaking" it marks them as a foreigner instantly.

bafe 3y ago
There's something slightly irritating about German or Dutch people trying very hard to have that perfect British accent. I can't really tell why, but it always seems affected and pretentious. I much prefer the "wooden" (Holzern in German) accent of the Swiss
- ehnto 3y ago
  Your opinion is common in language learning it seems, as most people praise a perfect accent but some get very offended by it. I couldn't tell you why, maybe it's a feeling of lack of authenticity? I find it impressive when someone has acquired a good accent personally since it's quite difficult to do.
  - tarkin2 3y ago
    I'm impressed but it's weird to compliment a non Brit on their perfect British accent when they don't sound like you, a British person...
  - bafe 3y ago
    It sounds too studied, almost a mockery of real native speakers, there's always too much of perfection in the way these learners speak that makes it sound uncanny
    - ehnto 3y ago
      Interesting, yeah I can see that. A lot of modern language learning tries to get you to sound natural, but the question becomes, natural where? You start to delve into dialects, when I meet people who learned English naturally from TV and media, they often have a weird blend of dialects that constantly switches, it's kinda fun actually. One minute they have American inflections, next they're Australian etc. When learning Japanese I was encouraged to pick a person with a dialect I prefer and listen to them a lot, as I'll likely pick up their accent and mannerisms.
lynguist 3y ago
It’s not grammatical accuracy on their part, it’s the opposite, it’s a calque, a word by word translation from their native tongue. If it was actually perfect grammatical accuracy on their part they’d be saying “Who were you talking to” or “Who were you speaking to”. Correct is what the people say, not the opinion of literal singular English language teachers.
- ninkendo 3y ago
  > If it was actually perfect grammatical accuracy on their part they’d be saying “Who were you talking to” or “Who were you speaking to”. There is a sizable contingent of English speakers out there that continue to insist that it’s incorrect to end a sentence in a preposition. (I am not part of this group and it is fortunately shrinking over time.)
  - skykooler 3y ago
    Hence Churchill's response to said contingent that "This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put."
  - rahimnathwani 3y ago
    There's an old joke: Texan: Where are you from? Harvard Student: I'm from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions. Texan: OK. Where are you from, jackass?
  - cabalamat 3y ago
    > There is a sizable contingent of English speakers out there that continue to insist that it’s incorrect to end a sentence in a preposition That is the sort of nonsense up with which one should not put.
- SamFold 3y ago
  “With whom were you speaking” IS grammatically correct though. “Whom” is the object of the preposition “with”.
  - 3y ago

bafe 3y ago

There's something slightly irritating about German or Dutch people trying very hard to have that perfect British accent. I can't really tell why, but it always seems affected and pretentious. I much prefer the "wooden" (Holzern in German) accent of the Swiss

ehnto 3y ago
Your opinion is common in language learning it seems, as most people praise a perfect accent but some get very offended by it. I couldn't tell you why, maybe it's a feeling of lack of authenticity? I find it impressive when someone has acquired a good accent personally since it's quite difficult to do.
- tarkin2 3y ago
  I'm impressed but it's weird to compliment a non Brit on their perfect British accent when they don't sound like you, a British person...
- bafe 3y ago
  It sounds too studied, almost a mockery of real native speakers, there's always too much of perfection in the way these learners speak that makes it sound uncanny
  - ehnto 3y ago
    Interesting, yeah I can see that. A lot of modern language learning tries to get you to sound natural, but the question becomes, natural where? You start to delve into dialects, when I meet people who learned English naturally from TV and media, they often have a weird blend of dialects that constantly switches, it's kinda fun actually. One minute they have American inflections, next they're Australian etc. When learning Japanese I was encouraged to pick a person with a dialect I prefer and listen to them a lot, as I'll likely pick up their accent and mannerisms.

lynguist 3y ago

It’s not grammatical accuracy on their part, it’s the opposite, it’s a calque, a word by word translation from their native tongue. If it was actually perfect grammatical accuracy on their part they’d be saying “Who were you talking to” or “Who were you speaking to”. Correct is what the people say, not the opinion of literal singular English language teachers.

ninkendo 3y ago
> If it was actually perfect grammatical accuracy on their part they’d be saying “Who were you talking to” or “Who were you speaking to”. There is a sizable contingent of English speakers out there that continue to insist that it’s incorrect to end a sentence in a preposition. (I am not part of this group and it is fortunately shrinking over time.)
- skykooler 3y ago
  Hence Churchill's response to said contingent that "This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put."
- rahimnathwani 3y ago
  There's an old joke: Texan: Where are you from? Harvard Student: I'm from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions. Texan: OK. Where are you from, jackass?
- cabalamat 3y ago
  > There is a sizable contingent of English speakers out there that continue to insist that it’s incorrect to end a sentence in a preposition That is the sort of nonsense up with which one should not put.
SamFold 3y ago
“With whom were you speaking” IS grammatically correct though. “Whom” is the object of the preposition “with”.
- 3y ago