The English Language In America Pronunciation

Part of the series on American English from 1781 to 1921, Volume VIII includes a guide to the phonetics of American English with the purpose to provide a rational method of examining pronunciation, the most important of the practical aspects of speech. Also included is American English (1921) that reflects the progressive development of the author’s ideas on the subject over a forty-year period. It consists of a critical discussion of works on Americanisms, a list of ‘exotic’ or supposed Americanisms which appear in the primary collections of Americanisms, a list of ‘real’ Americanisms which do not appear in those works, a list of misunderstood Americanisms, and finally a bibliography.

The life of the English language in America has covered three hundred years, and American English--in reflecting new, complicated developments in social and economic conditions during that time--has experienced some of its most interesting changes. Language changes sporadically, and many things that seem new in American speech are actually old expressions in new surroundings. Examples and illustrations are accompanied by sources and dates, and direct quotation of passages as often as possible. The arguments over the moving forces of language change are not addressed--slang and literary usages are both influences. The American dialect is genuine when it is genuinely used--but who shall say which is the quintessentially genuine?

This book lists approximately 17,000 core English words that are listed alphabetically and are divided into three different levels of ESL (English as a Second Language) so that learners can practice pronunciation according to their levels. Level 1 (for elementary & middle school) is written in red, level 2 (for high school) is written in blue, and level 3 (for university and above) is written in black. この本では約17,000の核心英語単語がアルファベット順にリストされており、また、 学習者が自分のレベルに応じて発音を練習できるよう、すべての単語は3つの異なる ESL(第二言語としての英語)レベルに分けられています。レベル 1(小学校&中学校)は赤色、レベル 2(高校)は青色、レベル 3(大学以上)は黒色で書かれています。

The American Language is a multi-volume study of how the English language is spoken in the United States. The book is Menken's research of the differences between English and American language. Mencken wanted to defend "Americanisms" against a steady stream of English critics, who usually isolated Americanisms as borderline "perversions" of the "mother tongue". The book discusses the beginnings of "American" variations from "English", the spread of these variations, American names and slang. According to Mencken, American English was more colorful, vivid, and creative than its British counterpart. The book concludes with the observation in the norms of use of the proper names in America, including surnames, given names, geographical names, Menken's analysis on the American slang, and forecast on the further language development.