American English&British English
Quotations from famous authors
""We (the British and Americans) are two countries separated by a common language."
G.B. Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
The Americans are identical to the British in all respects except, of course, language."
Oscar Wilde
Giving English to an American is like giving sex to a child. He knows it's important but he doesn't know what to do with it."
Adam Cooper (19th century)
CURIOSITY
The Englishman commented to the American about the "curious" way in which he pronounced so many words, such as schedule (pronounced shedule). The American thought about it for a few moments, then replied, "Perhaps it's because we went to different shools!"
We find some differences between American and British English.
1) There are some grammatical differences:
a) In American English the past simple is often used to give new information or to announce a recent happening (in this case the present perfect is mainly used:
-I lost my key.Can you help me look for it? (In standar English would be: I´ve lost my key.)
The past simple is used with just,already and yet :
- I´m not hungry.I just had lunch.( In standar English : I´ve just had lunch, It´s used the present perfect)
- Did you do the ironing? I already did it.
-I didn´t do the ironing yet.
b) In American English the forms I have, I don´t have,do you have? are more usual then the forms I´ve got,I haven´t got,have you got?
-Do you have any money?
c) Americans say "on a team" after a superlative instead of " of"
He´s the best player on the team.
d) Americans say " on the weekend " or "on weekends" instead of at the weekend/weekends.
e) Americans use different than not different to
f) Americans say write someone without to:
Don´t forget to write me.
g) Some verbs having double form for the past simple(e.g learned,learnt) are used mainly in the regular form( learned) in American English.
h) The past participle of get is gotten in American English.
Your English has gotten much better since I last saw you.
i)AmE: It looks like it is broken
BrE: It looks as if it is broken / It looks like it is broken
j)AmE: Tuesday through Sunday (to also possible)
BrE: Tuesday to Sunday
2) There are also some spelling differences for example:
traveling, traveled,canceling,color,honor.
Words ending in -or (American) -our (British) color, colour, humor, humour, flavor, flavour etc.
Words ending in -ize (American) -ise (British) recognize, recognise, patronize, patronise etc.
AmE: Program BrE: Programme
3)There are many different accents in both British and American English. Someone from Boston sounds very different from someone from the immigrant Italian community of New York, and they both sound very different from a Texan farmer.
Generally, though, there are differences in vowel sounds, particularly the short vowels. British speakers often don't pronounce the R in words like "car" and "hard" but Americans nearly always do.
AmE: More nasal vowels than in BrE
BrE: The sound “o” is rounded short (dog)
AmE: Pronunciation of the sound made by a+consonant is pronounced /ae/
BrE: The pronunciation is different than in AmE for the sound of the vowel like in home, go, open.
AmE: “r” is pronounced no matter where it is positioned in the word.
BrE: “r” is pronounced only before a vowel sound.
AmE: The “t” and “d” are softer and lighter than in BrE.
BrE: The “u” sound (new, tune) is pronounced like /ju:/
BrE: The suffix –ile is pronounced with /aIl/
AmE: The suffix –ile is pronounced like /l/
AmE: Every syllable is pronounced in long words ending in –ary, -ery or –ory
AmE: The final vowel of a word borrowed to French is most of the time stressed
( here you are some interesting webpages to notice this contrast)
VOCABULARY
Sometimes, a given word may have a different meaning depending on the variety of English that is used.
AmE: Mad is a synonym of crazy
BrE: Mad is a synonym of angry
And often, a different word is used in both Englishes to refer to the same idea.
AmE: Candy
BrE: Sweets
AmE: Diaper
BrE: Nappy
Flat AmE:Apartment
Lift AmE:Escalator
Pop AmE:Soda
Jumper AmE:Sweater
Car parkAmE:Parking lot
Bonnet AmE:Hood
Boot AmE:Trunk
Pavement AmE:Sidewalk
Waistcoat AmE:Vest
Clothes peg AmE:Clothes pin
Vest: n undershirt. The item of clothing worn under your shirt. What Americans call a “vest,” Brits call a “waistcoat.”
CROSSWORDS PUZZLES
http://iteslj.org/cw/1/ck-brit1.html
Food and Cooking Terminology: British to American
http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US1/REF/foodx.html
English Usage in the UK and USA
http://www.krysstal.com/ukandusa.html
Selected Vocabulary Differences
Between British and American English
http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US1/REF/usgbdiff.html
AMERICAN-ENGLISH/ENGLISH-AMERICAN TRANSLATION GUIDE
http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/~aaron/amlish.html
Comparing American English and British English
http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OTHERREFERENCE/GRAMMARANDPUNCTUATION/AmerEngBritEng.html
English (British) - American Dictionary
http://www.bg-map.com/us-uk.html
CARTOONS
Vet - In England, vets look after the health of our animals and pets. They are rarely seen loitering on street corners, begging for work or money. The first American who tolda British he was a vet heard all about his dog before he put him straight! Whoops! You call them veterinarians I believe. An Eddy Izzard sketch which takes a humorous look at some of the differences between American and British English.
"American vs. British English" the tongue match
UK vs US English
British are also NOT stupid - WITH SUBTITLES
The Resident / Why People Hate The USA
How to be English.How to "make" a cup of tea
Sting - Englishman In New York
"Englishman In New York"
I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
I'm an Englishman in New York
See me walking down Fifth Avenue
A walking cane here at my side
I take it everywhere I walk
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
You could end up as the only one
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
At night a candle's brighter than the sun
Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Takes more than a license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
A gentleman will walk but never run
If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
