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Revision as of 14:30, 17 July 2004 by Daveb (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Standard English is a general term for a form of written and spoken English that is considered the model for educated people. There are no set rules or vocabulary for "standard English" because, unlike languages such as French, English does not have a governing body (see Académie française) to establish usage. As a result, the concept of "standard English" tends to be fluid.
The issue is particularly complicated because English has become the most widely used language in the world, and therefore it is the language most subject to alteration by non-native speakers.
A rough rule of thumb used in some parts of the world, particularly those that are (or were) members of the Commonwealth of Nations, is to follow pronunciation and usage guides of BBC broadcasting. Some residents oppose what they see as the linguistic mandate of moneyed classes and intentionally use non-standard English as a form of protest. Many areas of the world refer to American English for standard pronunciations.