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Q: Does the man on the street favour American or British English?
What is more accepted: American English or British English? I am talking about the man in the street, in Beijing.
British is stronger is text book format. For listening, the man on the street stands a better chance understanding American (Then again the man on the street stands a good chance of not understanding either).
DaBen:
It means the text books you used growing up were based in British English.
It will depend on a few factors, mainly if the "man on the street" learned English from an American or a Bristish. The closer to Hong Kong you are, the closer to British English you will be.
But in general, American Englsih is easier to understand to a Chinese than British English. Less formal, less harsh to pronounce, and more "chic" to them, particulary "youth".
Most of the textbooks favour British English, as do the dictionaries, etc.
Chinese are aware there's a difference, and often imagine the difference to be gigantic. Generally business types will decide they want to learn American English because it is more informal (which they tend to think will make them more friends) and because, where I am anyway, most of the exporters do lots of business with America, but their European business goes through Italy or Spain.
In one school I was working at, the parents arranged huge mutiny against the British teachers (it was three Brits and one Canadian there) and the Chinese teachers had to come up with a presentation with ppts pointing out that the difference wasn't as big as they imagined.
That being said, I've met exactly one Chinese person who could quickly and immediately tell the difference.
kchur:
Once a colleague gave me a book and asked me if it was in British or American English, and she was absolutely shocked and amazed that I had to read a couple paragraphs before I could tell her. They seem to imagine that it's the same difference between Mandarin and Cantonese or something.
British spelling is more common but most of the people I know couldn't understand a British accent to save their life.
It would be American English since they are use to watching more American films and listening to more american music....I bet this sort of question doesn't pertain to Canadian English or Australian English huh..if they even exist...
The "man on the street" wouldn't know the difference...interestingly, the same applies to a lot of foreigners in China whose first language is not English.
PS: Americans don't speak English, they speak American 
