Teach English in Zhiping XiAng - Chongqing

British v American EnglishTo begin with I must emphasize that Americans do not have an official national language though most Americans mistakenly declare that they speak English and it is the official language of the united states. The American language is to English as Laotian is to thai. Both are quite similar but there are too many differences to call them both English. I would argue that the British speak English and it is their language and part of their national pride to speak and write it with precise clarity. Americans on the other hand are not so proud or precise concerning their language. While the States began with British roots, and in the beginning were speakers of English, the language took on a twist because of the many cultures and languages that have become a part of the nation over the last 200 years or so and while it is true that the American language is similar to English it is no longer valid to call it English. Some differences are quite pronounced because certain words have totally different meanings between the two languages and each language has words foreign to the other. Subtle differences include spelling such as colour (British) and color (American). Other differences are not so obvious until mistakenly used in the wrong place. For instance a British person would not be offended to have someone tell them they look gay (meaning happy) but an American may punch your nose for insulting him, a British person might ask you for a fag (cigarette) but ask an American the same question and they will avoid any contact with you from that point on. The American language also varies quite a bit from one region to the next depending on past educational opportunities of settlers in specific areas, cultural background of the main immigrant group settling the area and adapted words and method of speech consistent throughout the region. I grew up in the Southern States and one of our language deviations was the word ain?t. You will not find this word in the English dictionary but it was officially recognized as a valid word in 1970 and first published in the American dictionary. Essentially ain?t is a Southern States word that means isn?t, won?t, can?t, aren?t and am not. There is actually enough difference between British and American language that I dare say a majority of Americans would need a dictionary to understand an article written in actual English and many have a great deal of trouble understanding a British person when speaking. I believe it is imperative that anyone who wishes to teach English should familiarize themselves with the British English because it is the standard used in most foreign countries where English is not the native language. I have experienced this in my travels and while many people I have met are hesitant at first to speak English they are put at ease when I tell them I speak American and have trouble with English myself. I was taught proper English in High School so I am one of the last generations in America to get a real education and taking a course in English so I can be certified to teach it has helped me greatly. Perhaps someday America will officially adopt English as the national language and it will once again be taught with the preciseness and clarity it deserves.