Differences between American and British English
Throughout the length and breadth of the globe there are people who speak a myriad of languages and dialectal variants. Because yes, as hard as it may sound to believe, the same language can have variations depending on where it is spoken. That's why today we're going to talk about the differences between American and British English.
Why is American English different from British English?
Why are there so many changes in the same language?
As we mentioned by way of introduction, there is a wide range and variety of languages all over the world. And each of them can be distinguished from each other by both their spelling and their pronunciation. The way Spanish is pronounced is not the same as the way Catalan, French or Italian are pronounced.
Each language uses a series of letter combinations which in turn are transformed into varied and unique phonemes when spoken. But even the same language can have variations depending on where you are. This is something that is not always the case.
This is something we know all too well with Spanish. The way Spanish is pronounced in Spain is very different from the way it is spoken in countries like Mexico or Argentina. Even though the main language is the same, they have very autochthonous words or expressions that out of context might not be understood.
But this is also true of English. Although it originated in England, it can vary greatly depending on the country where it is spoken. Even in countries such as Scotland or Australia, English has its own particularities. However, today we will only focus on American and British as they are the two most widely spoken.
Main differences between American and British English
If you have ever listened through songs, films or videos to people speaking both versions of the language, you will no doubt have noticed some differences. Pronunciation and accents are undoubtedly the clearest difference of all, but that doesn't mean it's the only one. That is why today we will give you more complete information about all the differences.
Differences in pronunciation due to accents
As we already mentioned by way of an opener, the clearest difference of all is the accent. Even within the United States and England, depending on which state you are in, English can vary. But between the two countries, in general, the difference is even more noticeable.
Between the two countries, in general, the difference is even more noticeable.
When it comes down to it, the British are certainly much more careful about the correct pronunciation of every single phoneme in words. Whereas Americans tend to pronounce the language in a more relaxed way. So much so that often a British person may not fully understand what an American says.
Differences in grammar
The grammar is the basis on which the rules of writing and pronunciation of a language are structured. Well, another of the differences that can be found in the English of both countries are grammatical differences. For, although this should not be the case because it is the same language, they tend to be based on rules that change slightly.They are based on rules that change slightly.
An example of this can be clearly seen with regard to regular and irregular verbs. Whereas in the UK the verbs burnt, leapt or learnt, in the US they are burned, leaped or learned.
They are written burned, leaped or learned.
Something similar happens with collective pronouns, i.e. those encompassing some entity as a whole such as the government or a team. Whereas in America these pronouns are singular, in Britain they are plural.
Example:
Similarly, other grammatical differences such as the way they conjugate according to various verb tenses or the way they use prepositions can also vary. However, this is something that is usually overlooked most of the time.
Vocabulary differences
On the other hand, it is important to note the differences in vocabulary. As mentioned before, depending on the region, a different word may be used for the same object or situation. The following is an example of this:
Diferencias en la ortografía
Finally, we must also talk about the spelling differences between the two dialectal variants of English. In other words, it is not that the word changes even though it is the same object as in the previous case. Rather, the same word is spelt differently in each country. Here are some examples:
Differences in spelling
To conclude, we must also talk about the spelling differences between the two dialectal variants of English. In other words, it is not that the word changes even though it is the same object as in the previous case. Rather, the same word is spelt differently in each country. Here are some examples:
Learn English with a private teacher
Now that you know what the differences are between American and British English, you will probably be much more interested in learning the language. That is why, if you wish, we have a large number of language teachers available for you to choose from.
At WeSmartly we do our best to put you in contact with all kinds of private language teachers. So that you can broaden your knowledge. Both for academic and extracurricular reasons. Knowledge should not only be limited to students, even if you have already finished your studies, you can continue learning and with our teachers you will achieve this.
