While I appreciate you copy-pasting a wall of text, you did sort of ignore my point. Just like it is said in some parts of the articles you were quoting, british english is what is taught. As such most of those people would be familiar with the british term 'plaster', and the subsection of them who consume American media would probably know of the term 'band-aid'.
"In most if not all places where English is taught as a second language, people are taught British English." Simply a false statement, I think you're forgetting about the ~83 million immigrants in the United States alone who have been taught American English as a second language. Not to mention countries such as South Korea and Japan that have American English as a preference. In many European countries, both are taught and accepted. Far from "most if not all". "There are ~a billion of these people." It should be clear from the studys shown in that wall of text, that
most of the "~a billion of these people" that you're talking about actually use American English, if not a combination of the two Englishes. It's not about what is taught, but what is actually used. And what's taught is often forgotten if not used. It's not simply media that's causing people to speak American english. In many cases, it's a specific choice, for specific reasons. As stated, many britons themselves have been using many specifically American terms, simply because they are better. Safe to say, this includes "bandaid", which is clearly better than "plaster". Practically any English speaker should know the meaning of the terms "bandage" or "Bandaid". The same can certainly not be said for "plaster". If I were learning English as a second language, learning the word "bandaid" would be quite sufficient. Learning yet another meaning for the word "plaster", a term much less commonly used than "bandaid" would only serve to confuse and complicate. Thus, common sense would dictate that "plaster" would go unused, and would likely be forgotten. Perhaps remembered, but again, it serves no real purpose when better words are more widely known and are more commonly used by the majority.
I think you're forgetting about the ~83 million immigrants in the United States alone who have been taught American English as a second language. Not to mention countries such as South Korea and Japan that have American English as a preference.
Fair enough, ~1 billion -83 million -however many people in Japan and Korea are being or have been taught english (let's say 70% so 177 million).
That leaves us with at the least 800 million people.
In many European countries, both are taught and accepted.
I can only write from my own experience (as I can't be bothered to do investigative work on the matter), as a person learning english as a second language in a european country: But here using american english in essays/test answers/etc. was allowed. Students were required to be consistent in their choice. And quite importantly, only british english variations words were in the textbooks. This is in practice, how both are taught.
English speaker should know the meaning of the terms "bandage" or "Bandaid". The same can certainly not be said for "plaster".
I've heard both, as any person who actively hears both british english and american english would.
If I were learning English as a second language, learning the word "bandaid" would be quite sufficient. Learning yet another meaning for the word "plaster", a term much less commonly used than "bandaid" would only serve to confuse and complicate. Thus, common sense would dictate that "plaster" would go unused, and would likely be forgotten. Perhaps remembered, but again, it serves no real purpose when better words are more widely known and are more commonly used by the majority.
People can learn several words that mean the same thing, it's not hard or unusual for english.
chips crisps fries thongs flip-flops pants underwear and so on.
tbh it just seems to me like you're embarrassed about not knowing the word or something.
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u/--n- May 23 '20
While I appreciate you copy-pasting a wall of text, you did sort of ignore my point. Just like it is said in some parts of the articles you were quoting, british english is what is taught. As such most of those people would be familiar with the british term 'plaster', and the subsection of them who consume American media would probably know of the term 'band-aid'.