Trying to associate intelligence or lack thereof with a specific country is bigoted, in my opinion. Intelligence is subjective, anyway.
That being said, the American school system isn't the highest rated in the world. Perhaps there is some statistic involving the American education system and proper use of "I" vs. "me", but I don't think that's a clear indicator of overall intelligence, just a single, grammatical intricacy.
We very rarely hear this silly use of I instead of me in British soaps - except Lucy Pargeter in Emmerdale. Surprising though, coz she plays a low class person yet tries to be proper, or maybe that's the point - she's deliberately trying to be stupid.
I think you may mean, "just a single, grammatical ERROR" rather than intricacy.
Anyhow, if it's helped anyone hear to sound a little more educated then it was worth mentioning.
Dappled above explained that Americans allow their media to portray them as stupid. In the UK the TV station would have dozens of complaints regarding the grammar and it would be in the newspapers as little jibes against the particular programme. Maybe you should all complain more, especially as you know these programmes are going worldwide!? Just a thought.
Write to complain????? I don't think there's any object lodged deep enough up my butt for me to care THAT much?
Also, the television program in question is depicting a person who lives in America. The audience needs to see someone believable and real, so why (if some people in real life make this grammatical error) would they try to show every sitcom character as speaking perfect English? That's not believable. I wouldn't buy it.
Also, basing one's view of an entire culture and nation on a television sitcom is just... mind-boggling. I'm actually in awe that a professedly intelligent person would see this as an accurate representation of even a minority of people living somewhere, let alone the vast majority. I'm not sure how to address that. All I can say is that I would never visit the UK if I believed every Brit to be just like Mr. Bean. He's a buffoon. (Albeit a lovable one!)
Also, it's "here" not "hear", and "it's" is a contraction of "it" and "is", not "it" and "has", as you've used it. I'm not trying to slam you with that, but notice how even intelligent people make errors.
Are you referring to "We very rarely hear ..." then I'm sorry but it is HEAR as we listen with our ears! Also "it's" is a standard contraction of it is but, it's also used when any letter has been left out such as "it has" - It's been nice to chat to you.
So yes PumpKinKate I do notice how even reasonably intelligent people like yourself make mistakes.
The reason I mentioned the Housewives and particularly LuAnn is the fact that she tries to pass for Royalty and she hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell, if she is so totally ignorant of English grammar.
I can't believe that the show's producers are so sycophantic that they won't even tell her that she's portraying herself as an uneducated idiot on national, even international, TV.
We Brits do expect people to use the English language correctly, and our shows will only have incorrect grammar if they are portraying the lower classes or unemployed. It's the American shows that never seem to be correct - and if no-one complains out of the millions of you, then they continue to portray the Americans as idiots.
I don't believe that even the majority of Americans are ignorant of the English language, and there are plenty of Brits who use it carelessly - preferring "me" instead of I, just out of laziness and not trying so hard to sound 'proper'.
Is it just Americans?
← View full post
Trying to associate intelligence or lack thereof with a specific country is bigoted, in my opinion. Intelligence is subjective, anyway.
That being said, the American school system isn't the highest rated in the world. Perhaps there is some statistic involving the American education system and proper use of "I" vs. "me", but I don't think that's a clear indicator of overall intelligence, just a single, grammatical intricacy.
--
Anonymous Post Author
11 years ago
|
pl
Comment Hidden (
show
)
Report
0
0
We very rarely hear this silly use of I instead of me in British soaps - except Lucy Pargeter in Emmerdale. Surprising though, coz she plays a low class person yet tries to be proper, or maybe that's the point - she's deliberately trying to be stupid.
I think you may mean, "just a single, grammatical ERROR" rather than intricacy.
Anyhow, if it's helped anyone hear to sound a little more educated then it was worth mentioning.
Dappled above explained that Americans allow their media to portray them as stupid. In the UK the TV station would have dozens of complaints regarding the grammar and it would be in the newspapers as little jibes against the particular programme. Maybe you should all complain more, especially as you know these programmes are going worldwide!? Just a thought.
--
PumpkinKate
11 years ago
|
pl
Comment Hidden (
show
)
Report
0
0
Write to complain????? I don't think there's any object lodged deep enough up my butt for me to care THAT much?
Also, the television program in question is depicting a person who lives in America. The audience needs to see someone believable and real, so why (if some people in real life make this grammatical error) would they try to show every sitcom character as speaking perfect English? That's not believable. I wouldn't buy it.
Also, basing one's view of an entire culture and nation on a television sitcom is just... mind-boggling. I'm actually in awe that a professedly intelligent person would see this as an accurate representation of even a minority of people living somewhere, let alone the vast majority. I'm not sure how to address that. All I can say is that I would never visit the UK if I believed every Brit to be just like Mr. Bean. He's a buffoon. (Albeit a lovable one!)
Also, it's "here" not "hear", and "it's" is a contraction of "it" and "is", not "it" and "has", as you've used it. I'm not trying to slam you with that, but notice how even intelligent people make errors.
--
Anonymous Post Author
11 years ago
|
pl
Comment Hidden (
show
)
Report
0
0
Are you referring to "We very rarely hear ..." then I'm sorry but it is HEAR as we listen with our ears! Also "it's" is a standard contraction of it is but, it's also used when any letter has been left out such as "it has" - It's been nice to chat to you.
So yes PumpKinKate I do notice how even reasonably intelligent people like yourself make mistakes.
The reason I mentioned the Housewives and particularly LuAnn is the fact that she tries to pass for Royalty and she hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell, if she is so totally ignorant of English grammar.
I can't believe that the show's producers are so sycophantic that they won't even tell her that she's portraying herself as an uneducated idiot on national, even international, TV.
We Brits do expect people to use the English language correctly, and our shows will only have incorrect grammar if they are portraying the lower classes or unemployed. It's the American shows that never seem to be correct - and if no-one complains out of the millions of you, then they continue to portray the Americans as idiots.
I don't believe that even the majority of Americans are ignorant of the English language, and there are plenty of Brits who use it carelessly - preferring "me" instead of I, just out of laziness and not trying so hard to sound 'proper'.
--
PumpkinKate
11 years ago
|
pl
Comment Hidden (
show
)
Report
0
0
"Anyhow, if it's helped anyone hear to sound a little more educated then it was worth mentioning."
^ You wrote this. It is incorrect. Crybaby.
--
Anonymous Post Author
11 years ago
|
pl
Comment Hidden (
show
)
Report
0
0
Typo ;D
Had to work out if that was you or I / ME :D
--
PumpkinKate
11 years ago
|
pl
Comment Hidden (
show
)
Report
0
0
See More Comments =>
Point is we all make mistakes.