Standard American English By Ryan Ward

Standard American English “What counts as Standard English will depend on both the locality and the particular varieties that Standard English is being contrasted with. A form that is considered standard in one region may be nonstandard in another.” The American Heritage Dictionary If there is ambiguity of the definition of Standard American English, how are we supposed to teach it?

Have you ever noticed accents from different regions of the United States? To people native to Boston, the way they talk sounds normal and outsiders speak “funny.” Georgians may have a “southern drawl” but to them, northerners rush while speaking. How welcoming!

Accent Reduction Have you ever watched a news anchor from a different region and wondered how they lost their accent? How do British and Australian actors “lose their accent”?

Accent Reduction Continued There are classes on “accent reduction” actors take. Although there isn’t a region in the U.S. that speaks without an accent, idealized dialect is something that can be taught.

ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE What is our official language? Do you speak the Queen’s English? The U.S. does not have an official language. As the country grows in diversity there probably will not be an official language adopted. Unlike other countries, the U.S. doesn’t have a “national language.” In a lot of countries, the English that is spoken has an American accent as opposed to a British accent.