Already revived by Beatles: "She loves you, yare, yare, yare"

Ængelfolc: "a 'school' (of Fish) is from Low Germanic schōle"; we can also say "a shoal of fish" in English, meaning a large number.
Also I forgot to mention in Am English 't' is often pronounced as 'd' so that 'water' sounds like 'warder'.

Ængelfolc: Ich bin fast der selben Meinung; ich hasste auch das damalige Klassensystem und verlasster England als junger Mann, und bin kaum zurueck. Ich haette nach Osteuropa uebersiedeln sollen, aber damals kam das nicht in Frage.
Beim Auslandsgeschaeft ist es doch klug, vernuenftig und beruflich, das fremde Kultursystem in Betracht zu ziehen. Seien Sie flexibeler!! m f Gr

Ængelfolc: "Did you do your homework already?" not wrong, just American; Brits use 'Have you done' with "already", "just" "yet" and "ever"; unless of course they've succumbed to the American influence.

Ængelfolc: "Ich habe tatsaechlich mich gerade gefragt, ob Sie schon darueber Bescheid tatsaechlich wissen, dass Sie wohl zur Zeit in der Lage seien, das englische Hoeflichkeitssystem tatsaechlich zu akzeptieren, oder?

AnWulf:' "Did you read this book?" "Have you read this book?" ... I can't really say there is a difference in meaning '. So much depends on the context and situation. One must choose the example carefully to explain. Perhaps "Did she come?" and 'Has she come?" are easier, the second question really asks whether she is still here. A good rule of thumb is if there is a specific time mentioned or implied then do not use the perfect tense. This works nearly all the time. Also In Brit-speak one must use the perfect tense with "just", "already" "yet" "ever" ; so to the Brits "Did you do your homework already?" sounds wrong, (or Am).
Brits also use "I've got" for "I have" (possession); I think that Am uses "i've gotten" instead of "I've become" ; but maybe it depends on where you are from in the states,
i would not profess to understand Americans......... ;=)))

"But we are letting British English wither." Which begs the question what exactly is "British English"? The regional and dialect variations are I think fading due to the media, TV in particular and of course American influence in movies and some technical areas such as accounting where all the terminology has become americanized. However some brit english is both ephemeral and weird, if lovable eg "titfer"; "have a butcher's"

"Stick with MAIL." Aussies do.

Ængelfolc: "Do you mean that it is trickier to learn American English or British English?"
No big difference; just in Brit English one must use present perfect where appropriate (I've lost it) where Am English is not so picky/fussy. Confusing, eh?
"only a rudimentary knowledge of grammar..." However the nuances of the English verb are not that simple. "I've been ironing" -> Ich war gerade beim Buegeln - well that's slightly weird German! I often wish we just had simple present and past in English!
AnWulf: in the North of England one can still hear "thou" inside the family usually pronounced "Tha" eg: "'azthaput'baikint'ginnel?" -> Have you put the bicycle in the sideway/passage? (aztha=Hast thou). There is a film "The Full Monty" with this dialect.

AnWulf: There are(or were) indeed extensive differences between Brit/Am word usage. Some are minor: on/at the weekend; in (the) hospital; I've got/gotten; accommodation(s); can't/cahn't. The most widespread one is the American willingness to use past simple instead of present perfect: Am: Did you do you homework yet? Brit: Have you done your homework yet? Am: I lost my wallet. Brit: I've lost my wallet. (ie It is still lost) This makes it really tricky for non-native speakers to learn the grammar. (and tricky tor the teacher too!)