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DISCUSSIONS

A.  Definitions

British English (BrE/BE) is the form of English used in the United Kingdom. It includes all English dialects used within the United Kingdom.

American English (AmE/AE) is the form of English used in the United States. It includes all English dialects used within the United States.

B. The Differences Between British And American English

1. Spelling Differents

In general, where there are differences between British English (BE) and American English (AE) spelling, it can be said that American English has the more economical and phonetic spelling. Unnecessary letters are left out and words are spelled how they sound. An obvious example is the omission in AE of the letter u in words such as color, neighbor, honor etc. with their BE colour,neighbour,honour. Compare also the AE words traveling, jewelry and program with their BE counterparts travelling, jewellery and programme. However, this rule does not always apply. For example, you would expect skilful to be the AE spelling and skillful the BE spelling, but unfortunately you would be wrong.

       

       2. Pronunciation Differents

There are of course great regional differences in pronunciation within both countries, but the following is a list of words which are pronounced differently by most Americans and most British. The difference lies either in using different vowel sounds or by stressing the word in a different place.

Americans and Britons agree in most cases on where a word in stressed. For example, everyone says pencil and relax, cinema and consider, but the following words from the table are stressed differently in the two dialects:

·         ballet - BE   :   ballet - AE

·         address - BE   :   address * - AE

·         garage - BE   :   garage - AE

·         advertisement - BE   :   advertisement – AE

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The differences in pronunciation of the other words lie in the vowel sounds, not in differently-stressed syllables. They are therefore more difficult to illustrate in writing without recourse to phonetic script, which few people know. Their proununciations are illustrated therefore by reference to common words with the same sound

·         vase:   vars as in cars (BE)   :   vace as in face (AE)

·         route:   root as in shoot (BE)   :   rout * as in shout (AE)

·         buoy:   boy as in toy (BE)   :   booey as in the French name Louis (AE)

·         ate:   et as in let (BE)   :   ate as in late (AE)

·         tomato:   tomarto (BE)  :   tomayto * (AE)

·         leisure as in pleasure (BE)   :   leesure (lee as in she) (AE)

*  Some Americans pronounce these words as Britons do.

3. Vocabulary Differents

As a percentage of the total English vocabulary the number of words which are used only in one or the other country is very small, but the problem for learners of English is that these words are among the most common in the language. There are many words that are used almost exclusively by Americans which are understood by most Britons, and vice versa. But there are others which can cause difficulty. For example, most Britons know that Americans call biscuits cookies and flats apartments, but not so many know what an alumnus or a fender is. Similarly, Americans know that what they call their yard is called a garden in Britain and that trucks are lorries, but common British English words like plimsolls or oflicence may mean nothing to them.

Here are another example of American English to British English :

·         closet – cupboard

·          vacation – holiday

·         fall - autumn

·         movie - film

·         drapes - curtains

·         elevator - lift

·         hood - bonnet

·         mailman – postman

·         check - bill

·         line - queue

·         candy - sweets

·         gas - petrol

·         trailer - caravan

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4. Grammar Differents

British English and American English grammar are mostly in agreement; there are however some interesting variations. For example there are differences in certain verb forms. In AE the past tense of fit is fit; in BE it is fitted. Americans say I've gotten to know her well; Britons I've got to know her well. In BE the present perfect tense is used for situations in which AE would typically use the past simple. For example using the words just or already, Britons would be more likely to say: I've just seen him or I've already done it whereas in AE it would be common to hear I just saw him or I already did it.

As another example, Americans are much more likely to be technically correct in the agreement of collective noun and verb form than Britons.

·         AE - Do you have any siblings?
BE - Have you got any brothers or sisters?

·         AE - It is important that she be told. *
BE - It is important that she is told.

·         AE - The jury has not yet reached its decsion.
BE - The jury have not yet reached their decision.

·         AE - Go get your book.
BE - Go and fetch your book.

·         AE - He dove into the water.
BE - He dived into the water.

·         AE - You must come visit me real soon.
BE - You must come and visit me really soon.

* AE is much more likely to use a subjunctive form than BE.

5. Usage differents

There are countless other small and interesting differences between AE and BE, which come under the heading of usage. Take the useful expression used in AE through, meaning up to and including. E.g., The exhibition is showing March through June. The equivalent expression in BE is from March to June, but this is ambiguous. Does the exhibition close at the end of May or the end of June? To avoid any misunderstanding, it is necessary to say something like The exhibition is showing from March to the end of June.

As another example: for Americans the number billion has 9 zeros (a thousand million); for most Britons it has 12 zeros (a million million). Zero itself is a much more common word in AE than in BE, where nought is more widespread. Americans are likely to say the number 453 as four hundred fifty three, whereas in Britain it would almost always be said four hundred and fifty three.

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This was a trick question because in fact all of the sentences are more likely to be said or written by an American than a Briton! Here they are again with their English equivalents:

• AE - I'll try and visit you on the weekend.
  BE - I'll try to visit you at the weekend.
• AE - Please write me when you arrive.
  BE - Please write to me when you arrive.
• AE - Call me as soon as you get there.
  BE - Ring me (phone me) as soon as you get there.
• AE - Most everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
  BE - Almost everyone has a telephone and a fridge these days.
• AE - If you make a mistake, you'll just have to do it over.
  BE - If you make a mistake, you'll just have to do it again.
• AE - He was born 3/27/1981.
  BE - He was born on 27/3/1981.
• AE - The soccer team won two to nothing (2-0).
  BE - The soccer team won two-nil (2-0).
• AE - She arrived at twenty of two.
  BE - She arrived at twenty to two.
• AE - The secretary said, "Mr. Clinton will see you soon."
  BE - The secretary said: "Mr Clinton will see you soon."

The difference in the last two sentences is in the punctuation.

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