What is perfect English?

Answer 1

There is no such thing as perfect English. English is a rich and wonderful language composed of continually changing contributions. If one tries to define 'perfect' English it makes English speakers look as silly as those countries which deliberately try to restrain changes to their language and even create large and cumbrous administrative academic bodies in order to endeavour to govern the way their fellow citizens speak. (I'm not naming countries here). It never works because the language of the people is the language of the people. Dictionaries and grammatical guides are compiled by academics studying the language of the person out there in the street, not by people at desks contemplating what might be right or wrong or, in their view, imperfect. Pedants might say, you can't use that word or that phrase, but the truth is we will use any word or phrase we like, and if it becomes popular it'll go into the next edition of a dictionary. It has been said that the English language doesn't merely adopt words from other languages, it drags them into dark alleys and mugs them into submission. There is some truth in this. Consult a dictionary with etymology. I especially suggest you look up the word 'nice', because this is educational. Also simply browse and regard the etymology of many words, coming from practically all parts of the world, to form the English language. The British Empire imported and exported many things, but one of its main imports was words. There is also no such thing as a 'proper' English accent, because - despite last century's example given by the BBC - the British are intensely regional and accents vary from region to region. Only a bigot would attempt to suggest one accent is 'better' than another.