Difference between British English and American English

English is the second most used native language globally. While most users are from the United States, it originated in Britain or, more specifically, the British Isles. English is one of the extensively learned foreign languages and the most widely used language for communications on a global scale. 

American English and British English are often referred to as two dialects of the identical language. Grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, idioms, and dates and numbers are just a few differences between the two dialects. 

Be sure to stick to consistency in your writing as your primary rule of thumb. Make sure you are consistent with your spelling if you use American English. However, it’s not always easy or practical to accomplish this. This guide aims to provide significant differences between these two English dialects.

Difference between British English and American English:

1.Spelling:

When writing British or American English, spelling and pronunciation are different when speaking. Because English spelling wasn’t standardized during its British settlement of North America, the spelling variations first appeared. 

Similar questions could have afflicted readers of American Noah Webster’s 1808 Compendious Dictionary of the English Language and his American Dictionary of the English Language. In the end, Webster intended American English to be distinct compared to British English and spelled in line with the pronunciation. 

Some of his suggestions, like a plough, were adopted and eventually entered into the American Dictionary of Spelling. Remember that there isn’t any difference in spelling between these two versions. It might be a good idea to stick with one design when you write for a scientific or professional reader.

2.Accent:

American and British accents were similar before they entered the Revolutionary War. The American English accent has changed more slowly than the British accent. The non-rhotic language gained popularity in southern England towards the end of the 1800s, especially in the upper classes. The “prestige” non-rhotic speech was accepted as a standard and has since been embraced across Britain. 

Due to the variety of dialects in both the U.S. and the U.K. It is not effortless to distinguish between American or British accents. If it comes to hearing an accent, you can differentiate between an American and one that is British in a matter of seconds. Contrary to American English, where the sound r is spoken, British English does not pronounce the sound r unless the word precedes it.

3.Grammar:

British English uses the present perfect, which is used to express a past event that the speaker thinks is relevant to the present. When speaking in American English, the present perfect is utilized similarly; however, people typically employ the past simple to indicate that the event has ended. It is most common when adjectives like currently and just are still used.

The past tense for the verb”get” is “got” used in British English. The word “gotten” is in American English. Be aware that “have got” is frequently used to refer to requirements or possession in British and American English. In this case, you are mistaken.

A term that refers to a group of people or objects can be used as a singular or plural verb to describe a collection of things or individuals in British English. We employ the plural version of the verb if we view the group as an individual group and objects. Alternatively, we choose one-word forms. The plural form is American English, and the singular verb joins collective nouns.

The verbs take and have often been used to describe British English when talking about washing using nouns such as bath shower, wash, or bath, as well as relaxing with nouns such as break, holiday, or rest. The verb “take”  is utilized in this way when referring to American English.

4.Vocabulary:

The differences in vocabulary in American and British English are the most evident. Many common words have different meanings. It’s not difficult to discern the differences in the meaning of words in British and American English. There are occasions when the same thing can be explained using different British and American English words. 

Although many words can have a different significance within British English and another in American English, and vice the other. A few words are commonly used in American English but not frequently used in British English. Contrary to American English, some words are widely used in British English.

Conclusion:

There are numerous resemblances between British and American English than dissimilarities. You should be able to recognize the style of the other as long as you can comprehend the first. Most Americans and Britons can communicate easily in all other respects, except for some regional dialects. 

Check out AmazingTalker for more than native English tutors from different nations. Will you be interested in learning more about these dialects? So, it’s a great way to take online English classes from English natives from different cultures and to expose you to the accents of their natives as well as pronunciations. To help you know, you can also take classes from the native-language online tutors on AmazingTalker.