Tag Archives: English

Why Do Germans Speak American English?

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English is taught everywhere in Germany and is, by far, the most widely-spoken foreign language in the country. Students are taught British English everywhere in Germany. And not just Germany. In Europe, people tend to think of British English as ‘standard English.’ However, most German adults speak American English and use American definitions of words, like ‘quite’. For example, when a German tells a waitress in a restaurant that he wants “a sandwich with chips”, he expects to get a sandwich with potato chips (American English) rather than french fries (British English). Germans use American rather than British definitions of words. Germans don’t call flashlights ‘torches.’ They don’t call elevators ‘lifts.’ Why is that? Since Germans are taught British English in school, why do they speak American English? I don’t know the answer to that, but I suspect it is effect of American popular culture on German children while they are growing up. Germans see far more American movies and TV shows than British movies and TV shows. For example, ‘Die Simpsons’ is the most popular animated TV show in Germany and has been for 20 years. And Donald Duck is as familiar to German children as he is to American children. This is only a guess on my part. The next time you see an English-speaking German government official being interviewed on television, listen to the way he is pronouncing and defining words. It’s invariably American English. If anybody knows why this is, let me know.

Denmark. As I said, this isn’t just in Germany. There are many other European countries where students are also taught British English in school but speak American English. I recently heard a speech by Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen on TV. They teach British English in Danish schools as well, but Rasmussen was clearly speaking American English. He used the word ‘schedule.’ That’s one of the words that Americans and Englishmen pronounce very differently. In England, it’s pronounced ‘SHED-ual’, but Rasmussen said ‘SKED-ual’, the American way. That’s what started me thinking about this. (P.S. – You don’t have to tell me that there are more important things in the world to ponder over than why Germans and Danes say SKED-ual instead of SHED-ual. I know that.)

What U.S. President Did Not Speak English As His First Language?

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Martin Van Buren grew up in a Dutch-speaking home in the town of Kinderhook, New York. He did not learn to speak English until he began going to school at the age of 5. Remember, New York City was originally called New Amsterdam. Van Buren was the first U.S. president born a U.S. citizen. All of his predecessors were born British subjects. When Martin Van Buren ran for president in 1836, his supporters handed out thousands of campaign buttons that said ‘For For OK’, a reference to Van Buren’s nickname ‘Old Kinderhook.’ This popularized the expression ‘OK’ and made it part of the English language. During his presidency, a  number of newspapers noted that when Martin Van Buren became angry or emotional, he spoke English with a Dutch accent. Although Van Buren was a lifelong Democrat, he broke with his party in 1860 and endorsed Abraham Lincoln for president because of his opposition to slavery.