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Differences between: AMERICAN ENGLISH & BRITISH ENGLISH
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Changes There are quite a few noticeable differences between the British English dialect and the dialect of American English. These are the ones we will cover: Spelling Pronunciation Vocabulary
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Spelling AMERICAN – “-or” BRITISH – “-our” Color Colour Honor Honour
Favorite favourite AMERICAN – “-ze” BRITISH – “-se” Analyze Analyse Criticize Criticise Memorize Memorise AMERICAN – “-ll” BRITISH – “-l” Enrollment Enrolment Fulfill Fulfil Skillful skilful
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Spelling, continued AMERICAN – “-er” BRITISH – “-re” Center Centre
Meter Metre Theater theatre AMERICAN – “-og” BRITISH – “-ogue” Analog Analogue Catalog Catalogue Dialog Dialogue AMERICAN – “-ck” or “-k” BRITISH – “-que” Bank Banque Check Cheque
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Spelling, continued AMERICAN – “-e” BRITISH – “-ae” or “-oe”
Encyclopedia Encyclopaedia Maneuver Manoeuvre Medieval Mediaeval AMERICAN – “-dg” “-g” “-gu” BRITISH – “-dge” “-ge” “-gue” Aging Ageing Argument Arguement Judgment Judgement AMERICAN – “-ense” BRITISH – “-ence” License Licence Defense Defence
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Spelling, continued Other word-specific differences -- AMERICAN
BRITISH Jewelry Jewellery Draft Draught Pajamas Pyjamas Plow Plough Program Programme Tire Tyre
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Spelling {last one!} Base words that end in L normally double the L in
British English when a suffix is added. BASE WORD AMERICAN BRITISH Counsel Counseling Counselling Equal Equaled Equalled Model Modeling Modelling Quarrel Quarreling Quarrelling Signal Signaled Signalled Travel Traveling Travelling The letter can double in American as well – but ONLY IF the stress is on the second syllable of the base word. BASE WORD AMERICAN BRITISH Excel Excelling Propel Propelling
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Pronunciation The way words are pronounced in America differs quite substantially from the Commonwealth. This goes to accents, of course, which differ vastly even WITHIN America AND within individual Commonwealth countries. However, there are some common elements that definitely distinguish Americans from Commonwealthers.
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Pronunciation, continued
The Rounded A People in the Commonwealth pronounce many of their A in a rounded way. That is, their mouths have a rounded shape. American's pronounce some A this way, such as "park" and "car", but most a's have a flatter sound, like the a in "hat". Example: the "a" in the word "ask" is pronounced like the a in "hat" in America but in the Commonwealth the "a" in "ask" is pronounced more like the "a" in "car" or "park".
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Pronunciation, continued
T's versus D's Commonwealthers pronounce their t sounds with precision. Americans tend to either drop their t completely, or replace them with a d. Here are some examples: Mountain/Moun'in Daughter/Dawder, Letter/ledder Norton/Nor'in
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Pronunciation, continued
The “ing” form American do not pronounce the "g" in many words ending "ing". Examples"Running/Runnin’ Walking/Walkin’ Riding/Ridin’ Driving/ Drivin’
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Pronunciation: Emphasis
Where the emphasis in words is placed varies between Americans and Commonwealthers as well. Americans tend to place the emphasis in most words on the first syllable. In the Commonwealth, more often it is on the second syllable. This can make the word sound VERY differently. USA: CON-troversy/ Br. Con-TROV-ersy USA: A-dddress/ Br.A-DDRESS USA: IS-sue/Br. Is-SUE
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Pronunciation: Stress
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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Vocabulary American & British English sometimes have different words for the same things -- AMERICAN BRITISH Apartment Flat Argument Row Carriage/coach Pram Bathroom Loo Can Tin Cookie Biscuit Diaper Nappy Elevator Lift Eraser Rubber Flashlight Torch Fries Chips Gas Petrol Guy Bloke/chap
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More Vocabulary AMERICAN BRITISH Highway Motorway Hood {of a car}
Bonnet Jelly Jam Kerosene Paraffin Lawyer Solicitor Line Queue Mail Post Napkin Serviette Nothing Nought Period Full stop Potato chips crisps AMERICAN BRITISH Truck Lorry Trunk Boot Vacation Holiday Windshield Windscreen License Plate Number Plate Pacifier Dummy Parking lot Car park Pharmacist Chemist Sidewalk Pavement Soccer Football Trash can Bin
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More Vocabulary American and British English speakers often use the same words but intend very different meaning with them: WORD AMERICAN BRITISH Biscuit Dinner roll Cookie Brew Beer Tea Bureau Chest of drawers Writing table/desk Casket Coffin Jewelry Box First Floor Ground Floor “Second” Floor To hire To employ To rent {for more examples!}
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Sources Intemann, Dr. F. “Teaching English Grammar and Lexis.”
Jones, Susan. “List of American vs. British Spelling.” Wallechinsky, David & Irving Wallace. “Trivia on History of Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary Part 1.” Wikipedia. “British English.” Wikipedia. “American and British English Differences.”
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