which is better to learn? british english or american english?

Question

i need objective answers

please ignore all the words which I didn't capitalize

Answer 1

I agree with: A [sic] answer master. 100 procent [sic] corect [sic] English is British English. Just don't go to the part of the UK where she is from. You won't learn it very well. lol

Answer 2

I'm French, and at school, you learn British English (well, England is closer!). I went to live in Cardiff (Wales), London, Wisconsin (USA), and had no problem understanding any of those people!

My point is, it doesn't really matter which dialect of English you'll learn! The basics are exactly the same. True, they use different words to express the same things, sometimes (flat/appartment; pants/trousers;etc.). And they have expressions that are also different. But it's really not a problem to understand what people are talking about.

What's more, you'll only be able to speak English like a native speaker (by that I mean that you'll be able to use expressions fluently) once you'll go to that country. So you'll end up learning a lot of words from one of the dialects.

Honestly, if you can master the English grammar (which is pretty much the same in all English-speaking country, I think), and if you get confused between British and American expressions/idioms, I don't think it will be a problem!

As far as the accent is concerned, well, I suppose it depends on where you're planning on going. If you think you'll spend more time in America than in England, then try to acquire an American accent. Now, the thing is, you'll still have to choose WHICH accent you'll want to learn!

Answer 3

Hooray, Alpine Alli, for speaking the truth. There is no such thing as "proper English". British English is no closer to Shakespeare's English than American English is. Both dialects have been changing at the same rate of speed. British snobs will say they speak something called "proper English", but there is no such thing and they would have just as much difficulty understanding their national playwright we we in America would.

Now to answer your question: 1) It depends on where you are going to be using English. 2) You may not have a choice. In many countries of Europe they emphasize British English and that's what is taught. Some places emphasize American English (the Americas) and that is what is taught. Australia, of course, emphasized Australian English, etc. When I was in Eastern Europe last Christmas, my friend could not get a job teaching English even though she has a master's degree from an American University in English because she uses American English and not British English.

Answer 4

Personally I would say learn British English as that is the one used in the majority of English speaking countries for the way the words are spelled.
However if you are going to have lots of dealings with America then you would need to learn to learn the exceptions to the spellings they have.
As for understanding - if you learn either British or American or even Australian South African on New Zealander you should be able to understand anyone from the other countries they do all after all speak English - just slightly different varaitions of it.

Answer 5

There is little difference between the two......! One can learn any one and manage with the other....!
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Answer 6

Please ignore anyone who says that either is more "correct". Certainly there are people in both countries who speak more and less closely to standard grammar, and people in both countries who can't spell very well. When you get down to it, I think it's better to learn British spelling, because it's accepted much more widely, and even in the USA it's understood as acceptable albeit rather mocked. You will not likely be able to acquire a particularly accurate accent (unless you're very young, under 12 or so) but my overall impression is that foreign American-like accents are better understood than foreign British-like accents. That may well be my own bias!

LOL, it occurs to me that what I'm basically saying is "learn Canadian English"--you'll sound American and spell British. And yeah, I am Canadian, and an ESL teacher.

Answer 7

British English ( Usage/Spellings etc ) are use fully or closely by Canada, Ireland Republic, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Many Mid Eastern countries and all of British Commonwealth countries.

So take you pick.

If you are staying in US or Migrating/Working then its better to learn American English usages.


Apply common sense.

Good luck.

Answer 8

i feel British English is more "correct", but generally, when spoken, they both sound the same (exceptions are words like lieutenant and aluminium - why can Americans just include the last i in their pronunciation!?). Written Amer English seems somehow lazier to me.

I think more countries speak British English. So it depends on where u intend to live and work.

Answer 9

There is no such thing as American English.
There is a language with no name, which should be called American, or Usanian.
English has been around far longer than America.
If you wish to learn English, you must learn to spell properly, and proniunce things properly.
If we wish to be incredibly slack, and make up words, spellings and pronunciations as you go along, then learn Usanian.

As you are unaware that the words British, and English and American should be written beginning with upper case letters, then I suspect that usanian is best for you.

Answer 10

Real English is the British one.
However, people around the world are very much influenced with the American one because most of the movies are of American accent.

Answer 11

American English is easier, but being British I prefer British English, just because I'm used to it.