From: pel@resntl.bhp.com.au (Paul Osborn)
Subject: Re: English English versus *American* English
Organization: BHP Research - Newcastle Labs
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 06:25:00 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.193534.21246@constellation.ecn.uoknor.edu> mmmirash@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu (Mandar Mukund Mirashi) writes:
>From: mmmirash@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu (Mandar Mukund Mirashi)
>Subject: Re: English English versus *American* English
>Date: 29 Jul 92 19:35:34 GMT

>crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Lauren L. Crawford) writes:



>>Ah, Mandar, Mandar.  How much you have to learn.  You remind me of my
>>recent visit to India, where I was informed that I had to adopt Indian
>>customs if I was to survive with any degree of success.  This meant,
>>as a woman, I had to cover my terribly seductive upper arms, legs (right
>>down to the ankle), and overall shape.  But I _could_, if I so
>>chose, expose my midriff.  Naturally, my first instinct was to balk
>>at such patently _ridiculous_ and, may I say, medieval and arbitrary
>>restrictions.  Doggone it, I _would so_ wear dresses that ended just
>>below the knee and I would do it with verve!  

>>Alas, after tolerating many rude advances and various forms of blatant
>>harassment I succombed and, when in India, did as the Indians did.
>>I also started nodding my head when I meant "no" and shaking my head
>>when I meant "yes."  I learned to do a whole host of things that
>>were, of course, totally ridiculous and incorrect but those sadly
>>ignorant and misinformed Indians hadn't yet been enlightened, and
>>I did want to enjoy my stay.

>>You say that we can't just drop letters and change things around, but
>>the fact is, Mandar, that we _have_ done it, and like it or not, you're
>>here and you get to lump it.  Granted, if you don't you probably won't
>>have to put up with unwanted advances from horny members of the
>>opposite sex (quite the opposite, in fact); you'll just get ulcers.

>     Hey......I DID NOT intend to start an India vs US customs war! That
>has NEVER been my intention. What you relate, is something totally out
>of context. I have no objections to the different mores adopted in
>different countries, nor do I mind adjusting to them. But you seem to
>confuse language with customs. English is a language and there are certain  
>standards to which a language should conform to. As I pointed out, new
>words are constantly being coined and old ones fading out....But only the
>Americans seem to have defaced the existing words. I haven't observed
>contorted spellings in the written English of any other country (although
>now, a lot of countries may have started following the US spellings).
>     If you tell me what is not socially acceptable out here, I will
>willingly avoid it...just as you did it when you were in India. BUT....
>this is a different issue. I don't even mind cultivating the American
>accent. In fact I am trying to maintain 2 accents...the Indian one and
>the American one. Perhaps one day I'll be blessed enough to learn the
>standard English accent as spoken in Britain. What I am against is the
>corruption of word spellings! That is certainly a most shameful act, IMHO.
As for other countries changing spelling..... I saw a programme (not 
program) on the TV the other night which was set in Vanuatu. Some of the 
people depicted belonged to the "wan smolbag theatre company" and were 
shown leaving the "brodkas has". It's not only the Americans that change the 
spelling of the language "blong yumi" !
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         Paul R OSBORN, Research Scientist, Sensing Technology     /\/\
                BHP Research - Newcastle Laboratories, Australia  / / /\
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