President's English

Of all the Scottish words the narrator mentioned, I've only heard "wee!" And about the old saying "Scotland was born fighting," I only get a mental image of Mel Gibson continously engaging battles.

There, now you get me. 

Back to both my previous blogs, there is a strong trend in the relationship between the way people speak and their status. Scots many times attempt to hide their accent to appear more classy. But as classy as any of their accents appear, if there were no subtitles I'd be utterly lost. Other than that, there's not much to say. The last twenty minutes all I've heard is a couple talk about their accent. It's gotten a little monotonous.

Another way language travels is music! I hadn't realized this, but we even have a tendency to quote artists and learn their words. I even find myself imitating Alejandro Sanz's Spanish or forcing myself to sound like Jorge Celedón as he plays vallenato.

Lastly, the data in the video has an issue.  Nowadays, the American population is about 20% white. This means the standard English will never stop changing. If people with all the heritage mentioned in the image speak English, they are prone to personalize it. Prescriptivists shall now face a huge challenge.

Ay aw th' scottish words th' narratur mentioned, i've only heard "wee!" an' abit th' auld sayin' "scotlain was born fightin'," Ah only gie a mental image ay mel gibson continoosly engagin' battles. thaur, noo ye gie me. back tae baith mah previoos blogs, thaur is a strang trend in th' relationship atween th' way fowk spick an' their status. scots mony times attempt tae hide their accent tae appear mair classy. but as classy as onie ay their accents appear, if thaur waur nae subtitles eh'd be utterly tint. other than 'at, there's nae much tae say. th' lest twintie minutes aw i've heard is a coople gab abit their accent. it's gotten a wee monotonoos. another way leid travels is graphite loons! Ah hadnae realized thes, but we e'en hae a tendency tae quote artists an' learn their words. Ah e'en fin' myself imitatin' alejandro sanz's spanish ur forcin' myself tae soond loch jorge celedón as he plays vallenatae. lastly, th' data in th' video has an issue. nowadays, th' american population is abit 20% white. thes means th' standard sassenach will ne'er gonnae-no changin'. if fowk wi' aw th' heritage mentioned in th' image spick sassenach, they ur prain tae personalize it. prescriptivists shaa noo coopon a huge challenge.

MacNeil, Robert, William Cran, and Robert McCrum. "The Guid Scots Tongue." The Story of English. BBC. 1986. Television. Transcript.