issue.978oct.31,2012.pptVIP

Useful phrases Find out more about the differences between British English and American English. Find out more examples of British expressions borrowed into American English. * * * * * Issue.978 Oct. 31, 2012 Britishism added to US melting pot Website to shed light Britishism added to US melting Pot Group Discussion General Questions Detailed Study The English language The English language has developed into its present form due to the contributions of several of other languages. Old English originated from old German. In fact, the English language is a member of the Indo-European language family. When the two tribes Angles and Saxons crossed the English channel and settled in the British Isles in the 5th century, their language came into contact with the native Celtic language which was much influenced by Latin under the Roman Empire. Background Information Learning a language A misconception claims that the speakers of a language speak exactly the same variety and have no problem of understanding each other. Language learners should be aware that language is not a fixed unchanging thing, Therefore, learning a language is , in fact, a life-long task. Detailed Study Go over the passage in 5 minutes and find out the answers to the following questions. Instruction Why has the British vernacular gradually invaded American culture? 2.What is the big factor of this phenomenon? The popularity of British culture in the US is likely to be a big factor, with TV dramas and movies such as Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and Harry Potter. There’s been a large cultural shift that’s brought the US and UK closer together, and many Americans share a certain fascination for everything British. General Questions 3.Can you give us an example of British expressions used in America? 4.What has contributed to exposing US citizens to British celebrities and entertainment? The term ginger, which is used to describe someone with red hair, wasn’t common in the US un