I would like to know because I was asked this question by a group of Chinese students, and could only come up with a few examples in spelling (the English use "s" instead of "z" or "c" for the "s" sound), and the accent.
Can anyone come up with anything else? I know there are some smart people out there. :)
Thank you.
2007-10-14 18:44:50 · 27 answers · asked by Pauley _ 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
SLANG: British and American slang are quite disparate. For example, a US teenager might say "Hey my friend--I hooked up with a girl I liked on an elevator," but his UK counterpart might say "Hey mate--I shagged a girl I fancied on a lift." UK slang in particular is very rich and quite varied--some regions enjoy vernacular sayings stretching back over centuries of history.
SPELLING: There are many spelling differences. Color vs. Colour, etc.
PRONUNCIATION: British and American English sound quite different--American English is flat, nasal, and clear,while British English is "full," musical, and highly specialized.
GRAMMAR: Certain slight grammar differences with regard to common usage appear in the two languages.
DIALECTS: British English has far, far more dialects.
2007-10-14 18:52:57 · answer #1 · answered by SPQRCLAUDIUS 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Most British people don't speak the Queen's English but their own local dialects, some of which can be difficult for Americans to understand.
Also, don't call us "Yanks", To us, that does not apply to all the people living in the country but only to those who live in the northeastern part of the country. If you called someone from the south by that name, that person will be quite insulted. Even thought it ended some 140 years ago, there is still some lingering bitterness from the Civil War.
2007-10-15 04:28:21 · answer #2 · answered by RoVale 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You answered it in your question. The Brits speak the Queen's English. The Americans -USA and Canada- speak American English.
They are mutually exclusive. All languages derived from another language. Caribbean speak Island English. South Africans speak South African English.
The Queen's English is not progressive. It does not change as drastically as American English; this is why certain words in the States are actually spelled like they sound and spoken like they are written. However, there is little room for improving the Queen's English because to do so loses it's uniqueness as being the proper way to speak English. After all, it bears her name.
2007-10-15 01:55:39 · answer #3 · answered by Richard S 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Too numerous to mention (he says as if he knows them all) however, where you state the English use "s" instead of "z" it is not strictly accurate. The "s" may be used more frequently and is perfectly acceptable, but "z" is what should actually be used in almost all cases.
Check your O.E.D., or in fact any dictionary published in the UK.
Mike:
They also drive on the correct side of the road in most of Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Japan amongst others.
You'll have heard of Japan, they play baseball, somebody has to.
2007-10-15 02:01:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most of the main points have already been included.
Regarding the matter of British-English being more
'proper', it really depends on who is speaking.
True, many people in Britian are more educated than most Americans and have a better vocabulary.
It is the European-Influenced culture that helped achieved this. Slang in British-English sounds awful, whereas in American-English many people use slang and it has become so common that it sounds normal.
2007-10-15 01:52:28 · answer #5 · answered by Lunacy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
pavement = sidewalk
trousers = pants
pants = shorts
braces = suspenders
waistcoat = vest
bum = fanny
fanny = ???????
Americans run for office; we stand
Americans fill out a form; we fill it in
term = semester
CV = resume
redundancy money = severance pay
vice (tool) = vise
defence = defense
offence = offense
dived = dove
FOOTBALL = soccer
THROWBALL = football
truncheon = night stick
torch = flashlight
herb = 'erb
head waiter = maitre d'
tights = panty hose
fitted (past tense) = fit
courgettes = zucchini
lorry = truck
trunk road = turnpike
motorway = highway
cafe = diner
small cake = English muffin
estate agent = realtor
underground railway = subway
cinema = movie theater
centre = center
flat = apartment
rubber = eraser
offal = variety meats
etc., etc., etc.
2007-10-15 02:51:16 · answer #6 · answered by niceguyswlondon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
GB USA
lift elevator
CV Curriculum Vitae Résume
pavement sidewalk
tap faucet
shopping centre mall
lorry truck
rubbish garbage
vulgar gross
motorway freeway
2007-10-15 01:53:26 · answer #7 · answered by Barry K 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Americans use 'grey', English use 'gray'
Ditto with the spelling for Theater & Theatre
Car hood & Bonnet
Car trunk & Boot
Car & Auto
Cookies & Biscuits
Cat & Moggie
They have a bunch of words we never use, or we have an American version they don't use. I'm not talking slang or anthing along that line, just standard names for things.
2007-10-15 01:49:25 · answer #8 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
British pronounce their ar as an a and some H's are silent.
My daughter in law says Nottingam instead of ham.
2007-10-15 01:57:41 · answer #9 · answered by less 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
uS,, English. has developed from their Colonial past and the English is from within the Empire of Great Britain and the Commonwealth and of course from Yorkshire and the Danes/
2007-10-15 02:23:52 · answer #10 · answered by joseph b 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋