American English or British English
Posted 09-24-2014 at 01:24 PM by Zeurich
Quiet few times I have seen people make comments about other one's English. I think we need to be sure about what we are talking. So I was doing my own research with my old studies and I have spoken to a professor about this too. I am preparing this blog with help of his notes too.
Well, England has spoken English for just over a 1000 years, in the form of Old English. America, Canada, Australia and South Africa have only about 200 to 300 year history of English speaking people living there. So, because they have been separately evolving from British English for 200 years, there are quite differences between all the English Speaking Nations of the World. Spelling wise, idiom wise , and grammatical wise.
American English or United States English is the dialect of English language spoken in the United States. It is different in some ways from other variations of English, such as British English. Historically, many types of American English can be found in old local dialects of England.
Many people today know about American English even if they live in a country where another form of English is spoken. This is partly because people hear and read American English via the media, for example CNN television, and the Internet, where the most common form of English is American English.
Because people all over the world use American English as well as other versions of English the English language can add new words. English has been changing for centuries, adding new words to its vocabulary. For example, the English language spoken in India, which has more than one billion people, will add more American English words to go along with its British English base and many other words adopted into English usage in India from any of the 200+ Indian languages.
Sometimes people will learn American English as it is spoken in America. For example, in telephone call centers in India and other places, people often learn American English in order to sound more like their customers who call India from America. These people often continue to use American English in everyday life.
Many word definitions are different in American English. Most changes in a language start with small things. For instance Italian, Spanish, and French all came from Latin.
Spelling in American English
There are many words that sound the same between American English and British English, but are spelled differently. For example:
Words of French origin that end in -re in British English (metre, centre) end in -er in American English. In these cases Canadian usage is to keep the British (and French) spelling.
Some more differences in American English:
*Important this is not personal.*
Well, England has spoken English for just over a 1000 years, in the form of Old English. America, Canada, Australia and South Africa have only about 200 to 300 year history of English speaking people living there. So, because they have been separately evolving from British English for 200 years, there are quite differences between all the English Speaking Nations of the World. Spelling wise, idiom wise , and grammatical wise.
American English or United States English is the dialect of English language spoken in the United States. It is different in some ways from other variations of English, such as British English. Historically, many types of American English can be found in old local dialects of England.
Many people today know about American English even if they live in a country where another form of English is spoken. This is partly because people hear and read American English via the media, for example CNN television, and the Internet, where the most common form of English is American English.
Because people all over the world use American English as well as other versions of English the English language can add new words. English has been changing for centuries, adding new words to its vocabulary. For example, the English language spoken in India, which has more than one billion people, will add more American English words to go along with its British English base and many other words adopted into English usage in India from any of the 200+ Indian languages.
Sometimes people will learn American English as it is spoken in America. For example, in telephone call centers in India and other places, people often learn American English in order to sound more like their customers who call India from America. These people often continue to use American English in everyday life.
Many word definitions are different in American English. Most changes in a language start with small things. For instance Italian, Spanish, and French all came from Latin.
Spelling in American English
There are many words that sound the same between American English and British English, but are spelled differently. For example:
- Words originally from the French that end in "-our"in British English (behaviour, colour, honour, neighbour, etc.) end in "-or" in American English (behavior, color, honor, neighbor).
Words of French origin that end in -re in British English (metre, centre) end in -er in American English. In these cases Canadian usage is to keep the British (and French) spelling.
- Verbs that end in -ise in British English (criticise, realise) end in -ize in American English (criticize, organize, realize). However, the -ize ending is optional in British English, and is shown as an alternative in British dictionaries.
- One of the changes introduced by Noah Webster is the change of the double "l" from words like "travelled" to "traveled".
Some more differences in American English:
- aluminium is spelled "aluminum"
- doughnut is spelled "donut"
- draught is spelled "draft"
- gaol (not common) is spelled "jail"
- plough is spelled "plow"
- aeroplane is called "airplane"
- ladybird is called "ladybug"
- toilet is called "bathroom", "restroom" or "comfort station"
- lorry is called "truck"
- nappies are called "diapers"
- petrol is called "gas" (or "gasoline")
- the boot of a car is called a "trunk"
- a dummy is called a "pacifier"
- trousers are called "pants"
- underground is called "subway"
- football is called "soccer"
- braces are "suspenders" ("suspenders" in British-English refers to items of apparel worn around the lower leg by males to prevent socks/sox from sagging, and around the upper leg by women wearing stockings)
*Important this is not personal.*
Total Comments 4
Comments
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Many interesting differences!Posted 09-27-2014 at 06:31 PM by tisnjh
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Great stuff! I'm going to read more. Looks like you have a fine blog here.
Posted 09-29-2014 at 10:22 AM by John13 
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Although I am an American, I served for three and a half years in the Royal Merchant Navy of the UK so I am aware of the differences in terminology or spelling. I wouldn't go as far as to say American English is a "dialect" of British English because we have no difficulty in understanding one another, even if the accent is different. A dialect of English would be "Pidgin English."
A couple of more to add to your list: Americans use the old archaic English term "Fall" to describe "Autumn." What Americans call an "undershirt" or a "tank top" or even the vulgar term "wife beater" is to Brits a "vest." A "vest" in American English is called a "waistcoat" in the UK.Posted 10-03-2014 at 12:23 AM by Clark Park
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Thank you for all your comments I did not know there was a comment function and I did not even know there was some one reading my blogs either. Thank you for passing by. Have a good week ahead every one!
Posted 10-05-2014 at 12:21 PM by Zeurich
