Englishpod101 improvments

[josiah]

I was just listening to an audio podcast from englishpod101, and it struck me how American it was!! I mean I know that its meant to be American, buuuuut.... as an Australian, it seems unfair!! English isn't just American its a world language!!!
I think we need some English (British) speakers and Australian speakers on the show too!! I think too because a lot of Japanese learn American English and then they come here to Australia and then struggle a bit more because the English is different in Australia than in America.

Ps I know it's still early days, so keep up the good work!!

[Harv]

I think sometimes it's just best to stick with what Japanese people are most likely to hear. Also there are dozens of accents and dialects in Britain as well as within the English language world as a whole so getting equal coverage for each would be quite hard, although a few lessons with guest speakers from different areas would be good.

[josiah]

I think sometimes it's just best to stick with what Japanese people are most likely to hear

That is of course assuming that they go to the US

[jemstone]

my vote was for "yes it's important" but i'd like to add a disclaimer. =)

i think there should be a substantial amount of plain english before going into any form of dialects like american english or australian english or british english. i'm afraid this statement might turn into a flame so let me explain a little bit more.

when i say "plain english", i don't mean "american english" even though englishpod101.com are speaking american english. what i'm saying is the most important things about learning english needs to be established first, like verbs and grammar and sentence structure, you know, the basics, the foundation.

i think only when the foundation is strong, they can move easily into the different types of english.

[maxiewawa]

I say "yes it's important!" I'm from Australia, what else would I say?

I think that Australian/British/American English speakers are a little self-centred* sometimes; how about Indian English, New Zealand English, Carribean English, Canadian English, Singaporean English, South African English?

*self-centered

[josiah]

Eh? Indian English, Singaporean English?? I don't know much about the later, but I doubt anyone would really want to learn Indian English It's almost like saying "would you like to learn Japanese english?"

[markystar]

non-american forms of english will be covered, it's just a matter of time.

oh, the next season of Nihongo Dojo will feature an australian co-host with naomi-san. and naomi herself has some pretty serious australian vowels going on, so i reckon the aussies out there will feel right at home.

by the way, i used reckon deliberately here as a goodwill gesture.
(americans don't use that word anymore, lol. but it's a great word.)

[Harv]

I think sometimes it's just best to stick with what Japanese people are most likely to hear

That is of course assuming that they go to the US

True but they're more likely to hear american english in movies, tv shows and music, and I'm not sure of the numbers but I would assume americans make up the majority of english speaking tourists and permanent residents.

[watermen]

I think Epod101 can do what Spod101 is doing. Introduce regional series of English.

Someone here talked about plain English, I know what you mean. For a person to learn a language, it is better for that person to just learn one version in the beginning. That version will be the plain English in my opinion. As for Epod101, standard American English will be the plain English. Having too many different version of English will get the users confused. This is what is happening to me now in Spod101, I liked the idea of Regional Series, yet I am getting confused now, I have not mastered Spanish yet, having different ways of saying the same thing can really get me confused. Therefore, I would recommend just sticking to one version.

Why American English? I think American English is way more prolific in daily life over says British or Australian English. Well, we can't expect the world to adopt the Australian standard where there are only 20+ millions speakers as compare to more than 300 millions speakers, right?

As for British English, I think it is important to learn from a cultural standpoint, as this is where English originally came from. However, learning any version of it will make you able to communicate with each other. I believe most people in Japan are exposed to American English over any other version of it. Somebody from Japan may one to clarify this?

[Ulver_684]

Mina-san!

I agree with everybody, even a true English man like Belton-san with his Oscar Wilde quote are correct too.

"If one could only teach the English how to talk, and the Irish how to listen, society here would be quite civilised."
-Oscar Wilde

[JonB]

Not American!

My non English native speaking friends at work here get group English lessons and when they were showing me their books they have a book/list with English idioms to use - I did not even understand half of them! They were so shocked! It was either American or so old fashioned I could not explain them. I think they must be old fashioned in American as well as I don't recall hearing any of my American colleagues using them either!!!

Also a Japanese friend whilst studying at Berlitz her American, sorry English, teacher said to her one day "you must have a British friend" obviously she was confusing him with the idioms she picked up from me!

[maxiewawa]

I think sometimes it's just best to stick with what Japanese people are most likely to hear

That is of course assuming that they go to the US

True but they're more likely to hear american english in movies, tv shows and music, and I'm not sure of the numbers but I would assume americans make up the majority of english speaking tourists and permanent residents.

Why would you assume that?

[josiah]

I was talking to a Korean friend, and during the conversation I mentioned Englishpod101. He then looked at the website, intending to listen to some english to study... And he was disapointed that it was mostly Japanese... He thought it shouldn't be called Englishpod if it's for Japanese people...
Will there be a English podcasting service for those that are not japanese learning English?
Second query, is it just me or is there a lot of japanese in the podcast?

[watermen]

I was talking to a Korean friend, and during the conversation I mentioned Englishpod101. He then looked at the website, intending to listen to some english to study... And he was disapointed that it was mostly Japanese... He thought it shouldn't be called Englishpod if it's for Japanese people...
Will there be a English podcasting service for those that are not japanese learning English?
Second query, is it just me or is there a lot of japanese in the podcast?

Ha...applying the theory of relativity.

Why should Japanesepod101 be called Japanesepod101 if it is not for non-English people studying Japanese. Since majority of people don't speak English anyway, I guess Indian, Chinese, German, French etc...will be very dissapointed too, because it is only for English speakers. I guess the French will be very dissapointed because Jpod101 is not in French?

I think KoreanClass101 can set up a Korean version of Epod101? Later on, Spod101 can set up a Spanish version of Epod101 too. That will be fun to see.

[Javizy]

I think whatever dialect they learn and wherever they plan on going, if a Japanese person can speak flawless English, dialect issues will become fairly moot. Obviously differences in grammar and spelling patterns deserve special attention, but to achieve native level speaking proficiency, you're ultimately going to have to spend some time there. Even the term 'British English' covers five countries, and the accents and language usage from all the regions in between annoy all the people from all the other places, so you can't really win. I'm sure the crew has some ideas to give people a fighting chance though.

The guy who started this thread should just tell his girlfriend to watch Home and Away or something