when it comes to the best use of the English language?
Churchill and Russell can be shown among the masters of English.
What's your opinion?
I quite like stephen fry.
Sir Lawrence Olivier ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x26GN6rQbZI
I had an ancestor who served under King Henry V.
David Attenborough is the first for me. I definitely agree on Stephen Fry. Pretty much the BBC English. Concerning American English, George Carlin of course. And that man Hugh Laurie. Wait...what? :p
The second thing is the dissapointment you feel when you actually visit the countries and hear the natives speaking.
The third thing is Brits trying to correct your 'American' accent, while Americans constantly asking why you have a British accent.
The reality is you don't have any of those accents, or any accents and you just go on buthcering the language in every department trying hard to express yourself, esp. when drunk as people often are on vacations.
Neal Stephenson
Lil Nas.
Christopher Hitchens
Good choice Bob. Dawkins had a way with words too, back when he was frequently speaking on stage. Helped me shed the shackles of religion in no small form.
Quote from: Mr.Obvious on November 16, 2020, 07:17:47 PM
Good choice Bob. Dawkins had a way with words too, back when he was frequently speaking on stage. Helped me shed the shackles of religion in no small form.
A biologist is empirical, which is our only access to facts. On the other hand, I don't trust Dr Dolittle ;-)
Quote from: Mr.Obvious on November 16, 2020, 07:17:47 PM
Good choice Bob. Dawkins had a way with words too, back when he was frequently speaking on stage. Helped me shed the shackles of religion in no small form.
Me too, hitchens, dawkins, and stephen frye are (were) great speakers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJMqdTr7IQM
No English equivalent to "fuck off"? I think it's in Shakespeare...
Quote from: Unbeliever on December 01, 2020, 07:05:54 PM
No English equivalent to "fuck off"? I think it's in Shakespeare...
"Fuck off" is shakespearian in nature.
They use the F word a lot in GB, but don't say "bloody" ;-)
Probably just my personal experience but I've never heard profanity in the US as I've heard in Britain. I've overheard some next-level vulgarity sitting in pubs and they still manage to sound more sophisticated than Americans. 😊
Quote from: GSOgymrat on December 01, 2020, 10:59:33 PM
Probably just my personal experience but I've never heard profanity in the US as I've heard in Britain. I've overheard some next-level vulgarity sitting in pubs and they still manage to sound more sophisticated than Americans. 😊
Italians I hear, speak profanity with their arms and hands ;-)
Quote from: GSOgymrat on December 01, 2020, 10:59:33 PM
Probably just my personal experience but I've never heard profanity in the US as I've heard in Britain. I've overheard some next-level vulgarity sitting in pubs and they still manage to sound more sophisticated than Americans. 😊
Here in NJ, we don't use that much profanity; we just tell you things that make you wish you were dead... or never been born.
Profanity is mostly a middle-America and Alaska thing.
Quote from: GSOgymrat on December 01, 2020, 10:59:33 PM
Probably just my personal experience but I've never heard profanity in the US as I've heard in Britain. I've overheard some next-level vulgarity sitting in pubs and they still manage to sound more sophisticated than Americans. 😊
Oh I agree with you. Not the looking more sophisticated part though. It's the old fashioned pub decor; the dark heavy wooden bar, useless brass accesoires around anything suitable, dark atmosphere, everyone sitting on top of each in a small place without complaining gives you that 'exotic' but evolved Victorian impression. The pub thing is Irish in origin as far as I know. ?Not sure. Most Americans I know would die in there without the personal space.
Going back to profanity, yeah that's another language in its own right. LOL
In wild West saloons, I suspect you at least needed enough room to pull your gun out, unless it was already out and hidden under the table pointing at your card game partners ;-)