California English

California English is a dialect of the English language, which is spoken in the U.S. state of California. As the most populous U.S. state, California is home to a large number of different population groups, which is not without impact on the regional development of English. As with any language that is spoken in several different countries, not all the properties of English by every speaker be followed in a particular country. Nevertheless, there are a number of linguistic features, which can be referred to as original Californian.

History

In the area that is now known as California, was English for the first time on a large scale during the Gold Rush ( 1848 - 1850) spoken: At that time flocked many immigrants from the eastern parts of the U.S. and English-speaking immigrants from Europe into country. Until the First World War, the different dialects and accents of immigrants reflected in California still strong their countries of origin. After the First World War, there was a strong immigration of farmers from the Midwest of the United States. This was due to the difficult economic conditions for hundreds of thousands of smaller farms in the 20s and 30s as well as recurring droughts in the states of the Midwest.

Phonology

As with most other subspecies of American English, the California English has a rhotische debate what it clearly from other forms of English, eg the UK, the Australian and New Zealand English is different. The following diagram shows the relative position of stressed monophthongs in California English is:

Vocabulary

Many words have been taken over from Spanish. This is especially evident in place names and other geographical names, but also in many foods and recipes. At this tendency of the California English reflected on the one hand, the Spanish or Mexican history of the country before 1848 resist, and the fact that 36 % of the population identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino.

Valspeak

A typical, originally regionally restricted sociolect California is the so-called Valspeak, which is mainly in the San Fernando Valley, but more generally spoken in the more landward areas of Greater Los Angeles. Valspeak was nationally known in the 90s through a number of films such as Clueless and Wayne 's World. Special features of this Valspeak vocabulary belongs eg of the full meaning far beyond use of certain words.

"like"

• Use: particle
• Example 1: "She was like, 'Oh my god, you have to see this, ' but I was like, ' Shut up You're kidding! ' "
• Example 2: "Her new hat is like a greeny - brown color. "

" Why?"

• Use: emphasis, without its own significance
• Example: " Oh Why did came out of nowhere! "

" As if! "

• Use: Stressed negation
• Example: " You expect me to wear did As if! "

Other widespread sociolects the California surfer slang include English, Spanglish and Chicano English.