Nothing about Britain as a nation, or its percieved status, will have the slightest affect on this, because the language preference has nothing to do with the nation itself.
There's no such thing as British English. There's English, and then there's American English, recognisably different mainly for its deliberately, but rather arbitrarily, changed spellings, and a whole range of cultural and geographical variants with less clear dividing lines.
Cambridge is rehauling their exams, as we speak. It needs to appeal and sell better.
The world can, of course, nostalgically recall the good ol' days of the Empire...but whether the socioeconomical progress will reflect and how fast on the popularity of British accents is not certain. I love them but yank talk is too contageous, honestly. There is not much an non-Anglophone can do. UK articulation tires one out.
The fun part is, that there isn't really a UK English in the EU, a close friend is an EU interpretter in Brussels and she's speaking the US version without any reactions of people. The English that is used amongst European non-Anglophones is quite special, not RP, simplified grammar and vocab.
The English in the int. schools here is quite American actually, even many UK kids start speaking it after a while amongst themselves. I guess series and youtoobers help the popularity. While I enjoy teaching and reading Shakespeare...most people probably prefer switching on Netflix. The chance you get to hear a yank accent will be high.
Young people are getting busy studying Chinese, Arabic or Russian. They will probably need it. Those languages are marching towards world relevance and fast. Maybe we need to look at it like this.
Seriously, I don’t know where you get all this from but in modern every day situations such as you would find translating in Brussels working for the EU, it would surprise me if anyone notices if the interpreter was using English or ‘Yank’ English, nor even made a thing about it. Maybe it would have been an issue within Europe 60 years ago.
As for Cambridge ‘overhauling their exams while we speak’ that’s pretty questionable so would be great if you can elaborate. They are constantly tweaking and updating the syllabus and exam format to keep up with the evolution of language. It’s highly unlikely they will make seismic changes which would alter the standardisation in large steps.
If one switches from one English to another, then they also have to talk on the other side of the road.
You said the language of Shakespeare, which marry is not too often heard by mine ears these days outside of the theatre house.
And there are doctours of the science who say that the pronounciatione of Shakespeare was more akin to that heard in the old colonies than the modern babble of Londoun.
They communicate with their teachers and sites that they cooperate with.
You forgot to insert some hamberders.
I would hope they do, and I’d be more surprised if they didn’t communicate with their relevant resources
However that doesn’t demonstrate that they are ‘overhauling the exams as we speak’. Also, specifically in which way?
Did you actually mean ‘overhauling’?
To be honest, I think this has already happened...
I work for a large multinational - with roots in the UK. That said, our business language (at least in Switzerland) is US English, not UK English...
Also - Ace1, its UK English that changed spellings in many cases... -ize was Oxford English
This. It is very frequent in the GE area.
And still is accepted as 'correct' in the UK. The spelling changes to which i was referring were those introduced by Noah Webster back in the 1800s. The didn't all catch on though, even in the US https://mentalfloss.com/article/5372...2%80%99t-catch
Which now means that everyone is allowed to misspell any word.
I've been told many times by English teachers, that the biggest difference in US English is the word 'gotten', which is viewed as old English in the UK.
"correct" depends on whether you was GB English, Oxford English or Cambridge English... They do differ... we don't have our own thoughts clear... at least Oxford English is acceptable, unlike "the other place"
For example, something like globalization (US/Oxf) is globalisation (GB/Camb).
The one that drives me insane is program/programme. I see them as different words. Program is software/application, while programme is a set of activities towards a goal.
M.
British english -doesn't exist -do you mean the old BBC english?
American english -related to medieval english
Orwellian english- as in "my bad"
International english -heard in many a multinational company -mainly based on american spelling these days
Kiwi english - the future - as in "Fush and chups"
Language is one aspect of identity. As such "accent" is probably way more important to most EF members (presumably predominantly native English speakers) than to the learners because it distinguishes Brits from the Irish from Ossies from Americans, etc.
A non-English native who doesn't identify with an English spoken country probably won't care in the least about which particular kind they learn. Assuming they're aware and able to identify them to begin with.
It's like you learning standard German (or French if you're in the Romandie). The accent you learned was probably the least of your concerns.
I think people notice those differences though. Notice them but it sticks to you. Some accents are definitely easier to stick than others. US English with its relaxed articulation was easier to stick than heavy Cockney accent. It took me a while to understand a friend saying "A go a lea fo Maea" being "I got a letter for Markéta".
The official language at the mega company I used to work for in Basel is US English. However most people would speak a form of Denglish or (worse) Frenglish, if they spoke any English at all. Real US English would have been a delight, at least to read.
When I go back to England it seems no-one there can speak proper English either so I'm afraid real English English is already doomed.
EF should add a giggle button, really.
I do wonder how many of you can spot the different Romandie accents- they are all VERY different, but sadly disappearing fast. I so love a good 'Vaudois'.
Many years ago, when I finished university I needed an English certificate. Cambridge exam was flavor agnostic, it was fine whichever English you spoke as long as you spoke consistently. I passed the exam using US English spelling.