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From: pardoej@lonnds.ml.com (Julian Pardoe LADS LDN X1428)
Subject: Re: Single European Language
Message-ID: <DAFC5t.KoL@tigadmin.ml.com>
Sender: usenet@tigadmin.ml.com (News Account)
Reply-To: pardoej@lonnds.ml.com
Organization: Merrill Lynch Europe
References: <donhDA80EI.9Hw@netcom.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 14:27:29 GMT
Lines: 36

In article <donhDA80EI.9Hw@netcom.com>, donh@netcom.com (Don HARLOW) writes:
>mparis@raven.cybercom.com (Michael Paris) skribis en lastatempa afisxo <3rnk6c$4i@crow.cybercom.com>:
>
>>I think that Bostonian English and London English were much closer 200 or more 
>>years ago and up and until the advent of T.V.  I think english accents 
>>included are coming togeather due to overwhelming influense of the various 
>>media(ium) and for the most part T.V.  Sure there will be regional words ie 
>>trunk or bonnet but they will disappear.  Many children on both sides of the 
>>Atlantic see some of the same children shows as well as adults watching thier 
>>shows.  
>
>You may be right on the recent effect of TV, but it's a one-way street, 
>not a two-way one. As I had occasion to point out to a Spanish friends 
>from soc.culture.esperanto (in response to a comment of his about the 
>similarity of the various sub-brands of Spanish in the world), those 
>British television programs which are shown on American TV appear _only_ 
>on public television -- which is watched by only a very small minority of 
>Americans. This includes a number of British comedies, "Masterpiece 
>Theatre", and a number of specials. When network executives see a British 
>program(me) they like, they don't go out and license it to be shown on 
>NBC, ABC or CBS -- they "borrow" the idea and arrange for an all-American 
>version to be made. Rarely does the audience even know that the idea came 
>originally from Britain.
>
>(One current exception -- for some reason, a British show called 
>"Absolutely Fabulous" is now appearing on the Comedy Channel, for those 
>who have very large numbers of cable channels available. It seems to be 
>quite popular with some teenage girls in the United States.)

...and even Abs Fab is going to be remade in an American version.  Only
they're going to have to tone down the references to smoking, drinking
drugs and sex.  Poor Patsy: without Bolly-and-Stollies and cocaine
what's the poor darling going to do!!

-- jP --

