NZ vs US vs British English: -ize, -ise

[ralf-nz]

I always found that Americans speak English with a German accent. Probably because most of them were/are Germans.

Just my experience:
A slight majority rightly attributed me having a German accent; followed by "something" Germanic. Occasionaly Dutch, seldom South African or even Irish.
Isn't that a nice melange? However, never US-American.

[JandM]

German Americans made up 17.1% of the U.S. population ...as counted in the 2000 U.S. Census.

Although this statistic shows German Americans to be the largest grouping in the population at that point, that certainly doesn't make them 'most' Americans - 82.9 % aren't of German origin. And anyway, nobody necessarily speaks the same way as their forebears. Even though my parents were both British, coming from different regions, my accent isn't the same as either of theirs.

[ralf-nz]

Even though my parents were both British, coming from different regions, my accent isn't the same as either of theirs.

This of course leads to the question if there is one BE as such?!

And also it might be questioned if there is one AE?!

[JandM]

Of course the answer is no, in either case! That may be one reason why minnysian's comment is striking people as surprising. Then again, to tie us in further knots, there is the question of whether the German accent referred to is that of a German who learnt British English or American English.

[ralf-nz]

Of course the answer is no, in either case! That may be one reason why minnysian's comment is striking people as surprising. Then again, to tie us in further knots, there is the question of whether the German accent referred to is that of a German who learnt British English or American English.

Indeed!! No!!

The English taught in Germany is - supposedly - BE.

[JandM]

As you say, supposedly - but I once sat in on an English lesson in a German school, in which the (German) English teacher spoke with an American accent (one of them!), although the spelling was British English.

[ralf-nz]

Of course the answer is no, in either case! That may be one reason why minnysian's comment is striking people as surprising. Then again, to tie us in further knots, there is the question of whether the German accent referred to is that of a German who learnt British English or American English.

Indeed!!

No!

Generally the English taught in German schools is supposedly BE.

[minnysian]

Although this statistic shows German Americans to be the largest grouping in the population at that point, that certainly doesn't make them 'most' Americans - 82.9 % aren't of German origin. And anyway, nobody necessarily speaks the same way as their forebears. Even though my parents were both British, coming from different regions, my accent isn't the same as either of theirs.

It's just my opinion, you don't have to agree with me. I do find that Americans speak like Germans. Their intonation sounds 100% German to me.

[JandM]

Sure - to your ear, things may be different from to mine, given our different past experience. You'll have seen how much you surprised people, though.

[Duncan74]

Do they? How come I have never heard of this? Why don't they ever have German accents in films?

Well Arnie had an Austrian accent.
Apart from that, I'm struggling with the idea of some of the great lines in US movies being said with a German Accent.

"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life."

"You just put your lips together, and blow"

"ET Phone Home".