Wong wrote:
It is, but at certain levels of strata within the society. There's no absolute here. Some people prefer one over the other. In Asia, preference is related to business, which is tied to education. That is, it's a matter of who you deem as the best language educator and who you deem you can make more money from once you're educated.
Wong wrote:
However, the college teachers suggest that British accent is more acceptable in the world, especially in the world outside US. Is it true?
Well, history is the answer there: the British have set up store in a few more countries than the Americans have, so I guess one could assume or suggest BE is more acceptable outside the US because the Brits have had a few more years 'educating the natives' than have the Yanks. However that may be, that was the past and this is the present. We are now living in the age of Media (tell your college teachers), and the US, I believe, leads the international market. Who needs English classes when a video will do? Tell your college teachers.
Wong wrote:
Your question borders on the absurd. Money's money. If you want someone's business you find a way to communicate irrespective of accent. As a corporate trainer, I have had opportunity to sit in on many sales meetings via phone conferences, and let me tell you, no one person can be said to speak BE or AE. Chinese-English, Japanese-English, Tiawanese-English, and so on, are the norm. No one sales person focuses on accent; they focus on the business at hand. I believe it's called professionalism.
Wong wrote:
Oh I'm Canadian, eh?
I am a student in China. Because of the Hollywood movies, American songs and much more frequent contact with US than that of UK, American accent seems more popular.
It is, but at certain levels of strata within the society. There's no absolute here. Some people prefer one over the other. In Asia, preference is related to business, which is tied to education. That is, it's a matter of who you deem as the best language educator and who you deem you can make more money from once you're educated.
Wong wrote:
However, the college teachers suggest that British accent is more acceptable in the world, especially in the world outside US. Is it true?
Well, history is the answer there: the British have set up store in a few more countries than the Americans have, so I guess one could assume or suggest BE is more acceptable outside the US because the Brits have had a few more years 'educating the natives' than have the Yanks. However that may be, that was the past and this is the present. We are now living in the age of Media (tell your college teachers), and the US, I believe, leads the international market. Who needs English classes when a video will do? Tell your college teachers.
Wong wrote:
I want to know how would UKers react to American accent speaking callers and vice versa. Do Americans like British accent on the phone when it is a sales call, for example?
Your question borders on the absurd. Money's money. If you want someone's business you find a way to communicate irrespective of accent. As a corporate trainer, I have had opportunity to sit in on many sales meetings via phone conferences, and let me tell you, no one person can be said to speak BE or AE. Chinese-English, Japanese-English, Tiawanese-English, and so on, are the norm. No one sales person focuses on accent; they focus on the business at hand. I believe it's called professionalism.
Wong wrote:
I want opinions from only native English speakers, mainly UK and US citizens. Please state your nationality and your feelings about the accents.
Oh I'm Canadian, eh?