1.2 Current status of English as the multinational
Modern British language , first, heterogeneous, and secondly, far from the classic English that existed three centuries ago . Inside the British variant are three types of language : English conservative (conservative - the language of the royal family and parliament ) adopted the standard (received pronunciation, RP - language media , it is also called BBC English) and advanced English (advanced - the language of the youth) . The latter type - the most mobile , that he actively incorporates elements of other languages and cultures. Advanced English is most susceptible to the general tendency to simplify the language. Changes occur primarily in the lexicon , one of the most mobile parts of the language : there are new phenomena that should be called , and the old acquire new titles. New vocabulary comes to British youth language and other variants of English , particularly American .
Language educated population of London and south-east England, eventually acquired the status of a national standard (RP). Its foundation is the " proper English " ( Arakin , 2001:133 ) - the language best private schools (Eton, Winchester, Harrow, Rugby) and universities (Oxford, Cambridge). This is the classic, literary English , which is the base of any course in English language schools for foreigners.
Canadian , Australian and New Zealand versions of English , is probably closest to the classic British . Due to geographic isolation , these countries have not experienced the strong influence of other languages and cultures. In the formation of American English took part in almost all the inhabitants of Europe , while Australia, New Zealand , Canada, South Africa, inhabited mainly British. That's where the English and kept more or less classical guise. The differences are mainly in phonetics again - in particular , in the melody . It is more even , "neutral" pronunciation , replacing "difficult" sounds easier , for example, in the words of interdental that, think ordinary. Irish, moreover, do not save the sounds between the consonants , add neutral : for example , film sounds like " filem " . "Irish English more music , melodic - that comes from the Celtic , for typical Australian slower rhythm and intonation scale flat " ( Kretinina , 2003:24 ) .
But America has created almost a new language : changes affected not only phonetics and vocabulary , but also the most stable part of the language - grammar. It is therefore quite natural that debates are mainly around two versions of English - British and American .
Unlike the British version of American English is more flexible , open to change and easy to understand. In particular , so he got more popular in the world. It is the language of the new generation without a certain nationality and place of residence, brought up on popular culture . English language of today's youth are more or less shared by a common culture, rock music , dense communication and the ideals and idols , which, since Elvis Presley, still a common spiritual food.
Chapter II. Basic options of English