Has "would of" become acceptable now?

[aliceBB]

My latest bugbear is "noo" instead of "new". Discuss.

 

It's American English pronunication, as opposed to British English.

 

There are a number of reasons why some people might choose to use it :

 

(i) it is easier to pronounce 'noo' than 'new' (it requires fewer maxillo-facial muscle movements). Ditto 'toona' (tuna). But you don't hear 'moosic', interestingly.

(ii) they are influenced by American films/TV, which are very popular in the UK. It seems Americans love our 'British' accent (not that there is only one!) and we love their vocabulary and to a lesser extent, their pronunciation. Well, some of us - mainly younger people. It's perceived as culturally desirable/cool/upbeat.

 

Why do you dislike it so much?

[WiseOwl182]

It's American English pronunication, as opposed to British English.

 

There are a number of reasons why some people might choose to use it :

 

(i) it is easier to pronounce 'noo' than 'new' (it requires fewer maxillo-facial muscle movements). Ditto 'toona' (tuna). But you don't hear 'moosic', interestingly.

(ii) they are influenced by American films/TV, which are very popular in the UK. It seems Americans love our 'British' accent (not that there is only one!) and we love their vocabulary and to a lesser extent, their pronunciation. Well, some of us - mainly younger people. It's perceived as culturally desirable/cool/upbeat.

 

Why do you dislike it so much?

 

 

Partly because it just sounds wrong, and partly because I dislike the pretentions of people shallow enough to adapt the way they speak just to try to feel belonging and acceptance.

[aliceBB]

Partly because it just sounds wrong

You mean it doesn't sound like the way you say it?

 

and partly because I dislike the pretentions of people shallow enough to adapt the way they speak just to try to feel belonging and acceptance.

With the greatest respect, that's nonsense. Everyone 'adapts the way they speak' all the time, to 'feel belonging and acceptance'. We go to great lengths to try to make other people like and respect us and to do what we want them to do, and much of the time we do it with language. Think about how you vary the way you speak when talking to your work colleagues, your children, your mates, your grandparents, customers/clients. Think about the way you use (or don't use) slang/swearing, regional dialect words or a regional accent in certain contexts. (I refuse to believe that you always speak in standard English, using Received Pronunication, regardless of context!)

 

It's called 'accommodation', by the way

 

It's ironic -hypocritical, even! - that you are so quick to condemn the way some people speak on the grounds that they are just trying to 'fit in' socially - yet in the same breath you are trying to tell us that we should all adopt your way of speaking... which is, in the end, just another variation of English which you have ended up using because it makes you feel that you 'belong' (in your social class, your employment, family, etc).

Edited November 16, 2015 by aliceBB

[cassity]

Why, thank you, cassity. I don't claim to be wise about everything, by any means, but I do know about the following things:

 

I didn't claim it either..I meant female, not wise. I must brush up on my grammar/punctuation

 

Between you and roots, and as a reader of the thread, I thought personally you had both raised the subject matter up a notch..it was getting rather interesting, but then as you suggested, in popped a bit of sanctimonious waffle.

[lottiecass]

I didn't claim it either..I meant female, not wise. I must brush up on my grammar/punctuation

 

Between you and roots, and as a reader of the thread, I thought personally you had both raised the subject matter up a notch..it was getting rather interesting, but then as you suggested, in popped a bit of sanctimonious waffle.

 

The spelling and grammar police on here are very strict.I do think that the older posters are better at both though.

[cassity]

The spelling and grammar police on here are very strict.I do think that the older posters are better at both though.

 

 

Some of the spelling and grammar is pretty atrocious though. I find it's the older generation that are lacking. Text speak I tend not to include as regards the younger generation, as it's intentional.

 

Punctuation rather than grammar/spelling is my tipping point, although I tend not to get involved in correcting...

 

...cos I always get beat to it.

[Detetcive]

Using "while" for "until" is incorrect English, regional variation or not. Of course language evolves over time but I can't see it catching on, because if nothing else, it can be confusing,....

 

It is perfectly acceptable and indeed is defined in some dictionaries as meaning "until".

 

It has already caught on and is widely used across northern England.

[WiseOwl182]

It is perfectly acceptable and indeed is defined in some dictionaries as meaning "until".

 

It has already caught on and is widely used across northern England.

 

I'm well aware that it's widely and wrongly used. Source for the dictionary claim?

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2015 at 08:59 ----------

 

You mean it doesn't sound like the way you say it?

 

With the greatest respect, that's nonsense. Everyone 'adapts the way they speak' all the time, to 'feel belonging and acceptance'. We go to great lengths to try to make other people like and respect us and to do what we want them to do, and much of the time we do it with language. Think about how you vary the way you speak when talking to your work colleagues, your children, your mates, your grandparents, customers/clients. Think about the way you use (or don't use) slang/swearing, regional dialect words or a regional accent in certain contexts. (I refuse to believe that you always speak in standard English, using Received Pronunication, regardless of context!)

 

It's called 'accommodation', by the way

 

It's ironic -hypocritical, even! - that you are so quick to condemn the way some people speak on the grounds that they are just trying to 'fit in' socially - yet in the same breath you are trying to tell us that we should all adopt your way of speaking... which is, in the end, just another variation of English which you have ended up using because it makes you feel that you 'belong' (in your social class, your employment, family, etc).

 

 

Please drop the condescending tone.

 

There's a big difference between speaking the way you do because of how and where you were brought up, and sycophantic tendencies to short term fashionable pronunciation.

[aliceBB]

I'm well aware that it's widely and wrongly used.

Wrong according to whom?

 

Please drop the condescending tone.

I'm not the one declaring pompously that other people's use of language is 'wrong', with no regard to context.

 

There's a big difference between speaking the way you do because of how and where you were brought up, and sycophantic tendencies to short term fashionable pronunciation

To some extent, but it is only a difference in degree, rather than in kind. What we choose to say, and how we choose to say it, is always connected closely with cultural influences on us, whether we are conscious of it or not.

 

Drop the intellectual snobbery! There are fashions in language as there are in clothes. Do you think people are always wrong to wear fashionable clothes rather than a suit and tie?

[WiseOwl182]

Wrong according to whom?

 

The English dictionary.

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2015 at 19:44 ----------

 

I'm not the one declaring pompously that other people's use of language is 'wrong', with no regard to context.

 

I didn't make the rules. Besides, I was only replying with examples in the spirit of the thread, as opposed to a deep and meaningful debate about etymology.

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2015 at 19:48 ----------

 

To some extent, but it is only a difference in degree, rather than in kind. What we choose to say, and how we choose to say it, is always connected closely with cultural influences on us, whether we are conscious of it or not.

 

Drop the intellectual snobbery! There are fashions in language as there are in clothes. Do you think people are always wrong to wear fashionable clothes rather than a suit and tie?

 

Clothes are not an integral part of a person that developed through childhood. A 25 year old who has lived all their life in Sheffield and suddenly decides to emulate American pronunciation will always sound daft to me, but it's clear we're not going to agree so let's just agree to disagree in that.