Presented by
Riaz Hussain and Sajid us salam
THE DIFFERENCES IN AMERICAN ENGLISH AND BRITISH ENGLISH
Overview Varieties of English What do we mean by American English and British English? Importance of knowing these differences Historical background Grammatical differences Differences of vocabulary Differences of spelling Differences of pronunciation Recap Listen to an audio clip on these differences Questions
Importance of knowing the differences
The two varieties of English most widely found in print and taught around the world are British and American - it is therefore important for teachers to be aware of the major differences between the two. And while lexical differences are the easiest ones to notice, a knowledge of grammatical and phonological differences can be useful not only for teachers to be aware of, but also to be able to deal with should they come up in class.
Lack of awareness can lead to embarrassment and confusion.
Historical Background
The English colonists who brought English language to America in the 17th century,came from different areas of Britain and from different social classes.
Differences between American English and British English are mainly due to the novel conditions, new environment and new experiences the colonists confronted
Later on, the new political and administrative system also required the invention of new words.
Historical Background
Over the past 400 years, the form of the language used in the Americas – especially in the United States – and that used in the United Kingdom and the British Islands have diverged in many ways, leading to the dialects now commonly referred to as American English and British English.
Formalizing the differences
One particular contribution towards formalizing these differences came from Noah Webster , who wrote the first American dictionary (published 1828) with the intention of showing that people in the United States spoke a different dialect from Britain.
'England and America are two countries divided by the same language‘
G.B.Shaw
"We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course,
the language."
Oscar Wilde
Henry Sweet predicted in 1877 that within a century, American English, Australian English and British English would be mutually unintelligible.
It may be the case that increased worldwide communication through radio, television, the Internet, and
globalization has reduced the tendency to regional variation.
What do we mean by American English and British English?
American English
American English (AmE) is the form of English used in the United State. It includes
all English dialects used within the United States of America
Regional dialects in the United States typically reflect the elements of the language of the main immigrant groups in any particular region of the country, especially in terms of pronunciation and vernacular vocabulary. Scholars have mapped at least four major regional variations of spoken American English: Northern (really north-eastern), Southern, Midland, and Western.
British English
British English also has a reasonable degree of uniformity in its formal written form. The spoken forms though vary considerably, reflecting a long history of dialect development amid isolated populations. Dialects and accents vary not only between the countries in the United Kingdom, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but also within these individual countries.
There are also differences in the English spoken by different socio-economic groups
Areas of Differences
Differences between the two include pronunciation, grammar vocabulary spelling punctuation idiomsformatting of dates and numbers
Grammatical Differences
In British English and American English
Simple past tense for present perfect
Speakers of American English generally use the present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) far less than speakers of British English. In spoken American English it is very common to use the simple past tense as an alternative in situations where the present perfect would usually have been used in British English.
TENSESBRITISH ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH
I have lost my keys. Can you help me look for it?(incorrect in BrE)
I lost my keys. Can you help me look for it?(accepted in AmE)
Have you finished your work? Did you finish your work?
I‘ve already seen that film. I already saw that film.
I‘ve just had lunch. I just had lunch.
Some more examples
BRITISH ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH
Jenny feels ill. She's eaten too much.
Jenny feels ill. She ate too much.
I can't find my keys. Have you seen them anywhere?
I can't find my keys. Did you see them anywhere?
A: Is Samantha here? B: No, she's just left.
A: Is Samantha here? B: No, she just left.
Some more examplesA: Can I borrow your book? B: No, I haven't read it yet
A: Can I borrow your book? B: No, I didn't read it yet.
A: Are they going to the show tonight? B: No. They've already seen it.
A: Are they going to the show tonight? B: No. They already saw it.
The verb “get”AMERICAN ENGLISH BRITISH ENGLISH
He has gotten much better at playing tennis
He has got much better at playing tennis.
Have you got/ do you have
In AmE ‘have’ and forms with do/does/did are the usual way to show possession, etc,in positive statements,negatives and questions. Have got is not used in questions but is used in positive statements,especially to emphasise that somebody has one thing rather than the other. “Does your brother have brown hair”?. “No, he has got blond hair.”
“Have you got” is the usual verb in BrE to show possession,etc, in positve statements in the present tense, in negative statements and in the questions.
have you got/ do you have
They have got a wonderful house. (BrE)
They have a wonderful house.(AmE)
Have you got a meeting today? Do you have a meeting today?
I have got no objection.I have no objection.(formal)
We don’t have a television
In British English collective nouns, (i.e. nouns referring to particular groups of people or things), (e.g. staff , government, class, team) can be followed by a singular or plural verb depending on whether the group is thought of as one idea, or as many individuals , e.g.:
My team is winning.The other team are all sitting down.In American English collective nouns are always followed by a singular verb, so an American would usually say:
Which team is losing?whereas in British English both plural and singular forms of the verb are possible, according to whether the emphasis is, respectively, on the body as a whole or on the individual members as in:
Which team is/are losing?
Examples
committee was appointed the committee were unable to agree Compare also the following lines of Elvis Costello's
song "Oliver's Army": Oliver's Army are on their way / Oliver's Army is here to stay. Some of these nouns, for example staff, actually combine with plural verbs most of the time.
In AmE, collective nouns are usually singular in construction: the committee was unable to agree
the team takes their seats
The Differences of Vocabulary
In British English and American English
CLOTHESBRITISH ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH
trousers pants
tie necktie
vest undershirt
waistcoat vest
nightdress nightgown
tracksuit Sweats/sweatsuit/sweatpants
Jumper sweater
Pinafore Jumper(a dress without sleeve worn over a shirt)
Wellies Boot/ galoshes
spectacles glasses
Pants Underwear/underpants/boxers
TRANSPORTATION
BRITISH AMERICAN
indicator blinker
Handbrake Emergency brake
boot trunk
Numberplate License plate
tyre tire
bonnet hood
windscreen windshield
lorries trucks
Tram( an elctric vehicle) Trolley( an electric vehicle)
accelerator Gas pedal
TRANSPORTATION
BRITISH AMERICAN
lorries trucks
coach Bus
Overtake/pull out pass
Underground subway
motorway Freeway / Highway
Wing mirror Side mirror
Gear stick Gear shift
flyover overpass
Cycle path Bicycle route
BUILDINGS
BRITISH AMERICAN
Tv aerial Tv antena
flat apartment
Block of flats Apartment buildings
pavement Sidewalk
fence Picket fence
Dustbin/ bin Garbage can/ wastebasket
elevator Lift
tap Faucet
pram Baby carriage
cooker stove
MISCELLANEOUS
BRITISH
Laundry basket
row
tin
mince
biscuit
rubber
torch
chips
handbag
AMERICAN
hamper
argument
can
Chopped beef
cookie
eraser
flashlight
fries
purse
MISCELLANEOUS
BRITISH
University
Public school
Toilet /lavotary/Gents/ Ladies/ WC/ Loo
coach
Hat stand
Notice board
trolley
cot
AMERICANcollege
Private school
Bathroom /restroom/ Washroom
Bus
Coat stand
Bulletin board
Shopping cart
Crib( a small bed for a child)
MISCELLANEOUS
BRITISH AMERICAN
banknotes bills
solicitor lawyer
Bloke/ chap guy
Mobile phone Cellular phone
post mail
football soccer
maize corn
tortoise turtle
Jam jelly
Queue line
MISCELLANEOUS
BRITISH AMERICAN
cinema Movie theatre/ movies
hoover vacuum
zip zipper
bung stopper
garden yard
Watch strap watchband
letterbox Mail slot
Frying pan skillet
worktop counter
An interview with Dileri Borunda Johnston
Author of "Speak American: A Survival Guide to the Language and Culture of the U-S-A."
Sources Review of Gimson, A. C. (1980). An Introduction to the
Pronunciation of English, 3rd edn., London: Edward Arnold. Review of Kenyon, John Samuel (1950). American
Pronunciation, 10th edn., Ann Arbor: George Wahr. Review of Kenyon, John S.; Thomas A. Knott (1944/1953).
A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster..
Roach, Peter (2004), "British English: Received Pronunciation", Journal of the International Phonetic Association 34 (2): 239-245
Wells, J. C. (2000). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 2nd edn., Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education Limited.
Tottie, Gunnel (2002), an introduction to american English, Blackwell. USA.
Oxford Adanced Learner’s dictionary of current English Edited by Sally Wehmeier, 2001 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English,2000
Internet Links
IPA website.www.voanews.com www.wikipedia.comwww.sciencedirect.comwww.bbc.co.uk
Thank you very much Take care