British or American English. Which option to prefer?

The difficulty of learning English is that you have to learn two versions: British and American. When using written English, it is important to stick to one spelling throughout the entire document. But also in oral speech You can get into trouble by not distinguishing between the meaning and pronunciation of words and phrases used in America and Great Britain. To avoid confusion American English with British, you need to know the main differences.

So let's start with the spelling of some English words. First of all, it should be noted that in British version In English, most words retain the features of the languages ​​from which they were transferred to English, while in American English their spelling is influenced by pronunciation.

So, for example, words ending with ‘-tre" in British English end with '-ter" in American English: theater, center - theater, center.

Words that end in '- our' in British English end in '- or' in American English: colour, labor - color, labor.

In British English, some words are longer than in American English, due to the fact that US residents adapt borrowed words: catalogue, program - catalog, program.

In the British version, verbs can end in ‘-ize’ or ‘-ise’; in America they only write ‘-ize’: apologize or apologise, organize or organize, recognize or recognize - apologize, organize, recognize.

Words that end in '-yse' in British have the ending '-yze' in American: analyze, paralyse - analyze, paralyze.

According to the rules of spelling in the British version, verbs ending in a vowel +l double the final consonant when adding the endings -ing or -ed; in the American version this rule is not present: travel - travelled - travelling - traveler; fuel - fuelled - fueling; travel - traveled - traveling - traveler - fuel - fueled - fueling

Some words from the field of medicine in British English are distinguished by the fact that they are written with 'ae" and 'oe", and in American English only with 'e': leukaemia, manoeuvre, oestrogen, paediatric - leukemia, maneuver, estrogen, pediatric.

One word - two pronunciations

There are words that are spelled the same in both British and American, but the British and Americans pronounce them differently. The transcription and pronunciation of such words must be memorized so as not to mix American and British English during communication. For example, the verb "Ask" is pronounced [æsk] in American and [ɑːsk] in British. Other most famous differences are presented in the table below.

Differences in grammar

It should be noted that Americans do not respect grammatical rules too much. Thus, when talking about an action that ended not long ago, they do not bother to use Present Perfect, replacing it with a time like Past Simple. The British use Perfect everywhere.

Did you do your homework yet? I already did it - that's what the Americans say.

Slight differences between British and American English are observed in the formation of the II and III forms of some irregular verbs.

BrE: learnt, dreamt, burnt, leant.

AmE: learned, dreamed, burned, leaned

Expression have got meaning to have is more often used by the British, while Americans simply use the verb have. Also, residents of Foggy Albion more often use dividing questions in their speech, while Americans do this very rarely.

The options for using prepositions are also different: the British say in a team, Americans - on a team, at the weekend (BrE) - on the weekend (AmE), write TO smb (BrE) - write smb (AmE).

Vocabulary

Sometimes the same single word or construction in British English can be translated differently into American English. In the table below you can see the most striking examples.

Conclusion

We found out how British English differs from American English. Now the question arises: which option should be preferred? You need to know both options. Knowing American English will help you understand everyone, and knowing British English will help everyone understand you correctly.

“The British and I have the same language, we just use it differently.” This is how a random African American acquaintance explained the essence of the issue to the author. Indeed, the differences between the American and British dialects, although noticeable, are not so important as to seriously bother with this issue. If your level of English is still far from ideal, then you should not spend more than ten minutes reading this article on studying American-British differences.

Differences in pronunciation

It is in the accent that the greatest differences between British and American English appear. If when reading a text it is usually difficult to determine who wrote it, then oral speech instantly reveals a person’s nationality. More about features American pronunciation and intonation is written in the article about the American accent (we recommend reading it, because knowledge of these nuances greatly facilitates listening comprehension). And you can get acquainted with the differences in pronunciation: all scenes are taken from American films, and the training video at the end was recorded by a Briton.

In addition to accent differences, there are also differences in the pronunciation of certain words:

The word schedule in the British version begins with the sound w, and in the American version it sounds sk at the beginning of the word.

In the words either and neither, the first two letters can mean either the long sound i or the diphthong ai. It is believed that the first option is more American, the second – more British. However, both of them can speak differently in different situations.

In many words of non-English origin (often names and titles), for example, Mafia, Natasha, the English pronounce the stressed sound as [æ], and Americans pronounce it as [a].

The word lieutenant in the British version sounds like lɛf`tɛnənt, and in the American version it sounds like lu`tɛnənt

There are quite a lot of similar words, but most of them are rarely used (which is why the differences have not had time to smooth out). For those interested, you can find many examples on Wikipedia - American and British English pronunciation differences.

Differences in word formation

The suffix "-ward(s)" is usually used as "-wards" in the British dialect, and as "-ward" in the American dialect. We are talking about the words forwards, towards, rightwards, etc. However, the word forward is actively used in Britain, and the words after, towards, forwards are not unusual in the American dialect.

For American English, word formation through compounding is more typical. Today, it is most often in the Western Hemisphere that established phrases are transformed into new words. When forming phrases consisting of a noun-subject and a verb talking about its purpose, in the British version the gerund (sailing boat) is more often used, while Americans would prefer to simply glue the verb with the noun (sailboat).

The same thing applies to phrases meaning an object and its owner - dollhouse vs. doll's house. It is clear which version is American and which is British.

Differences in spelling

Words that end in -our in the British language have been shortened slightly by Americans, and they end in -or: labor, color, favor instead of labor, color, favor.

The British words apologise, paralyse are written in American as apologize, paralyze.

Some words of French origin that ended in –re, in the American version end in –er: center, theater instead of centre, theater.

The word "gray" in British spelling looks like grey, and in American spelling it looks like gray.

Differences in word meanings

Often for the same concepts, Americans and British use different words. For example, an American will not call a toilet toilet, but exclusively bathroom, even if there is neither a bathtub nor a shower even close. The period (the one that is placed at the end of the sentence) in British will be full spot, and in American - period.

Here is a table of the most common differences. Source - M. S. Evdokimov, G. M. Shleev - “A short guide to American-British correspondences.”

Sometimes the differences are more subtle. In American English word quite has a connotation of intensifying meaning; it can more often be translated as “quite” or even “very”. In British it should rather be understood as "to some extent".

Differences in grammar

This section was written using information from the article American and British English differences

In American English, nouns denoting a group of people (army, government, committee, team, band) usually have a singular form. The British can use these words either in the singular or in the plural, depending on whether they want to emphasize the plurality of people or their unity. If the team name has plural, then in any case the plural should be used. The Beatles are a well-known band.

There is a difference in the use of irregular verbs in the UK and the US. Thus, the verbs learn, spoil, spell, dream, smell, spill, burn, leap and some others in the British version can be either regular or irregular, having the endings ed or t, respectively. In America, irregular forms are used much less frequently, except burnt and leapt. The verb spit in British English has the form spat, and in American it can be both spat and spit, with the former often used in a figurative sense in the sense of “spit out” (a phrase) or “spit out some object”, rather than saliva. The past participle of the word saw in the British version sounds like sawn, in the American version it sounds like sawed. In America, the past participle of the word get can take the form gotten, from forget - forgotten, and from prove - proven. There are other differences in the use of irregular verbs, mainly related to local dialects, and this issue can be studied for quite a long time.

The British use the past more often perfect tense(I have just arrived home), while Americans prefer the simple (I just arrived home), especially in phrases with the words already, just, yet.

In the British version, the forms "I have got" (possession) and "I have got to" (necessity) are more often used in colloquial speech, and the expressions "I have" and "I have to" sound more formal. In America, “I have” and “I have to” are most often used, and in informal communication you can use “I got” and “I got to” respectively. The latter expression is known to have recently mutated into "I gotta".

Americans can construct conditional sentences in oral speech as follows: "If you"d leave now, you"d be on time." The literary analogue would sound like "If you left now you'd be on time." Even Americans try not to use the first option in a letter.

In the subjunctive mood, constructions of the form are more typical for America "They suggested that he apply for the job", and for the British - "They suggested that he should apply for the job."

Auxiliary verb shall almost never used in the USA.

Which option is better?

There are opposing opinions about which language variant to focus on when learning English. Supporters of the American version talk about its wider distribution, modernity, simplicity and convenience. They are right. Their opponents believe that only the British version is truly English, and everything else is a simplification, clogging and perversion. They are also right. The correct answer is to teach both in order to understand everyone. If we talk about grammar, most textbooks give the classic British version. American conversational norms, although they simplify British ones, do not cancel them. Don't be afraid to overwork yourself, learn English grammar. If your phrase is overly literary, then no one will think badly of you. It’s worse if, on the contrary, you try to simplify something that should not be simplified - you will look like a jamshut. As for vocabulary, the first thing you should know is American meanings words, for they are used almost all over the world except Britain. Thanks to Photoshop, the whole world (and the British too, by the way!) knows that an eraser is an eraser, not a rubber, and thanks to Eminem, the world remembers that a closet is a closet, not a wardrobe. (However, you should know when to stop - you shouldn’t call football “soccer” anywhere except America).

Almost everyone who started learning a foreign language was faced with the question - British English or American English, which language to learn? Some believe that it is necessary to know the classic British version, while others argue that the American version is not only modern, but also easy to learn. Especially this question relevant for beginners. In this article we will try to understand which option is more preferable and is suitable for you in a particular situation. Since there are certain differences in pronunciation and grammar.

Before you make your choice and start learning, you need to find out what advantages both languages ​​have.

Before talking about the American language as an independent unit, we should remember how the division of languages ​​occurred. After the discovery of America by Columbus, Europeans began to explore this continent. Representatives different languages needed one thing that everyone could understand. The choice was made in favor of the language Foggy Albion. Neither the Queen nor members of the intelligentsia visited the open mainland. Merchants, the bourgeoisie, as well as all those who needed to hide from persecution sought to get here. Naturally, in such a diverse society there could be no talk of prim British vocabulary with its complex grammar. In addition, Spaniards and French began to move to America, bringing something of their own to the refined vocabulary of the British. Thus, one of the most changing and simplified languages ​​arose. Here is the answer to the question of what is the difference between these dialects.

Advantages of American English

Which one should you learn – British English or American English? Naturally, each of us is attracted by the lightness, modernity and accessibility of the American model. Just as Europeans many centuries ago, when moving to a new continent, sought to simplify their lives, so we are following their example. Bright idioms, slang - these are all the ways in which the American language differs from its progenitor - the prim English language. The genes of their ancestors are so strong among the inhabitants of America that they are still too lazy to understand the rules and nuances of speech. Abbreviated words and phrases, distortion of established expressions - everything that terrifies the natives of England.

So, the main advantages of the American model:

• simplified grammar. In the American version there are only three simple tenses - Past, Present, Future. For Americans it costs nothing instead Past Perfect use Past Simple. Moreover, the latter can be replaced by Present Perfect. In England such liberties are unacceptable. These are very significant differences between dialects.
• slang. Helps make speech more lively and convey your thoughts to your interlocutor faster.
• idioms. Despite the fact that there are plenty of these parts of speech in the British language, American ones are distinguished by their brevity and conciseness. For example, start comparing some expressions - hit the books - learn a lot (American version).
• trends of other languages. If you carefully monitor the speech of an American, you will notice that suffixes and words from Spanish and French are used quite often. For example, tutor - tutor or adios - goodbye. And you must agree that the resulting mixture of several languages ​​has its own charm, which we are happy to learn.

The advantages of classical English

First of all, British English is the foundation, the foundation. Knowing this option, you will have no problem in the future learning any interpretation of it, be it American or Singaporean.

Despite the fact that the American version is quite common in the world, classical English is more valuable in narrow circles. Believe me, on international conferences or business negotiations British English is not only more preferable, but also more appropriate, which cannot be said about American pronunciation.

If you can master the difficult grammar of classical English, the American version will seem like heaven to you in the future. After all, everyone knows that constructions in the British language are quite difficult to learn.

It would seem that the British are more restrained in their emotions than the Americans, however, the British language has much more intonation than it seems at first glance. Their speech is more variable in tone, ranging from outdated expressions to up-to-date vocabulary.

The British version is being studied in Russian educational institutions. Therefore, if you know at least some basics, it will be easier for you to learn English for beginners and advanced in the future.

Comparing the pronunciation of the English and American versions, you will notice that the latter is harsher. The British language is viscous, soft, melodious and sounds more pleasant. Even US residents recognize the superior tonality of this version. And the British celebrate their victory.

As for literature, if you know the British language, you can read American authors without any problems. The exception is modern works, for example, Chaka Palahniuk. In this case, readers need to know the slang. Therefore, you will have to start learning modern American expressions.

All dialects of English are very similar to each other. This applies to both vocabulary and grammar. That is why, when going on a trip to an English-speaking country, you don’t have to worry that local residents won't understand you.

Varieties of British English

To date, three variations have emerged within the British model:

• The first option is aristocratic. It is spoken by representatives of the royal family and Parliament. Its use is appropriate at meetings and important receptions. This variety is called conservative.
• The second option is the language of society. He answers everyone accepted standards and is called received pronunciation (RP). You can also find something else - the BBC language. It is intended primarily for the press.
• The third variety is advanced. This is an advanced version spoken by young people. Advanced is mobile and constantly in dynamics. You can find a lot of slang, newfangled words and colorful idioms in it. In some ways, this variety is similar to the American model, since it has simplified grammar and an American sound.

English with a native speaker via Skype

In the age of computer technology, learning English with a native speaker using Skype is becoming increasingly popular. This is a good option that will help you quickly master all the intricacies of the language and “speak.” A native speaker, be it a resident of England or America, will teach you the current language and indicate how to pronounce this or that construction. With its help you can master words and phrases from real life. This way, you can avoid memorizing outdated phrases that no one needs. Current vocabulary is the basis for learning not only English, but also any other language.

The British will help you master the grammar course without much difficulty. It will teach you how to construct sentences correctly, which will allow you to quickly understand the spoken dialect.

A tutor will help you get rid of your accent, teach you clear pronunciation, and tell you how to pronounce words correctly. With its help you can eradicate the admixture of Spanish or American language.

A native speaker will help you fully immerse yourself in the language environment and understand what English sounds like. Once you learn to understand the speech of a tutor, you will understand the speech of other native speakers without any obstacles.

American English lessons

The Voice of America radio program has developed a course with which you can gradually learn American English in a fairly short period of time. Its name is English USA - That's what they say in America. It is designed for two years of study and includes 104 lessons. There is no transcription here, but there is everyday vocabulary. The main goal of training is practical mastery of American English.

Each lesson offers dialogue. In it, students follow radio journalist Martin Lerner as he travels across America. He meets with many Americans who come from different backgrounds and different professions. The journalist conducts a dialogue using everyday expressions.

Also present in the lessons is presenter Anna Filippova, who invites her students to take part in the conversation and also helps them practice using idiomatic constructions. The main focus of the lessons is the repetition of structures from colloquial speech, which will help to better master and understand the language.

Having looked at the merits of one and the other option, most likely, you have already decided which English you want to learn more. Here are some interesting facts:

• The similarity between American and classical English reaches up to 98%. In fact, very of great importance doesn't matter which option you choose. Knowing one of the varieties, you will be able to communicate without barriers, both with residents of England and with residents of America or Australia.
• Native speakers note that a mixture of American and British languages ​​is gaining great popularity all over the world. It has already been given a name - “international English”. It is an emotionally neutral language that contains a minimum number of idioms and slang. However, it is mainly used by residents of non-English speaking countries.

Teachers and philologists say that it is better to start learning English from classical British, gradually adding idioms and slang to it.

As can be seen from the above, no matter what option you choose, in any case it will be useful to you in the future. But first of all, focus on the goals you are pursuing. If you want to go to rainy England, learn British, and if you want to go to America, learn American. It would be a good idea to listen to audio recordings in both languages. Decide which speech you like best. One of the keys to successful learning is a love of language. If you studied the classical dialect at school or university, it would be more advisable to continue studying it.

Which version of English is better: British or American?

Of course, there is no clear answer to this question, but today we will look at 5 points that need to be taken into account when choosing one of them.

What is British or American English?

Speaking in the most in a general sense, English is the term used to refer to the form of English used in the United States, including all dialects used there. A English is the form of English used in the United Kingdom and all its varieties.

What are the differences between British and American English?

In general, both of these varieties of English are very similar. There are some subtle differences, but they usually do not interfere with communication or understanding. Some of these differences exist...

• in vocabulary: most words are the same, but there are some exceptions. For example, the English say biscuit and the Americans say cookie. However, people from both countries understand each other very well.
• in grammar: most of the verbs and structures are the same, but there are some differences in usage. For example, a British person might say: "Have you had dinner?", and an American would say: "Did you have dinner?"
• in slang: there are several differences here. For example: a British person might say: "Alright, mate?", and an American would say: "OK, buddy?" And, of course, there are a great many varieties of slang in both the US and the UK.
• in spelling: most words are spelled the same, but some words in the American version are simplified in terms of spelling. For example, the British write color And gynecology, while in the American version it is written color And gynecology.
• in pronunciation: the British prefer to pronounce the sound [ə] in words ending with -er (water, later, never). While Americans make a sound [r] more pronounced.

Which option is easier to learn?

It is impossible to say definitively which version of English is the simplest. Much depends on which version you prefer. Any British or American who speaks clearly enough will be equally easy to understand. For example, if you're listening to a BBC or CNN presenter, you probably won't notice much of a difference in accent. Of course, in both countries you may meet people who are difficult to understand.

Which version is recognized as official English?

There is no official version in English. There is Standard English (the type of English you find in newspapers, official letters And legal documents), but it is not an official English language. And linguists classify Standard English as a dialect, just like all other varieties, such as Canadian English, New Zealand English, South African English, Australian English, British English, American English, Scottish English, Irish English.... So no the English version is not superior to another - they are all used equally.

So which version of English should you choose?

In the end, it is up to you to decide which version of English you choose to study. Since the differences between varieties of English are minimal and there is no "official" version of English, it really doesn't matter. Of course, if you are planning to emigrate to the USA, it is better to pay more attention to the American version of English; and if you're planning to travel to Australia, you should probably focus on Australian English. However, if these things are not a problem, then the best thing would be to listen to different versions of English, including non-local ones, to get a feel for this international language.

English is considered one of the most popular languages ​​in the world. It is native to more than 400 million people on our planet, and at least 1 billion people can speak English fluently. Of course, due to cultural differences and as a result of various historical events dialects appeared. Surely you have repeatedly heard about the most popular language variant - American. How does it differ from the “original” British one?

Brief historical background

If you want to get a complete answer to this question, you should pay attention to studying the history of American English. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the United States had a huge number of immigrants who came from England, Spain, Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden. People who set out to explore uncharted territories needed to engage in production, establish trade, and create optimal socio-economic conditions.

To achieve common goals, people vitally needed one language. It is not surprising that it was not the pretentious and refined English that the aristocrats used that migrated to America. People needed a practical, accessible and understandable language of the people. Changes in priorities, exchange of experience between representatives of different nations, features of the local climate and nature led to a gradual modification of familiar English and the emergence of unique slang.

Phonetics

American English is sharper and faster due to specific features in pronunciation. Let's consider the main characteristics of phonetics:

• the sound [e] is practically no different from [ɛ];
• in the sound [ju:] after consonants [j] almost disappears. US residents often pronounce words duty And student like [ `du:ti ], ;
• the sound [r] is pronounced regardless of its location in words;
• Americans often do not pay much attention to diphthongs, for example, the word fate may sound like .

How can such differences be explained? As already indicated above, American English was formed under the influence of the dialect of visitors from different countries of the world. People often neglected traditional phonetic rules. British English follows a single pronunciation standard, Received Pronunciation. There are different regional standards in the United States of America.

People who study classical British English are aware of the meaning of intonation in phrases. It can be descending, ascending, sliding, stepped, etc. Americans do not attach much importance to the manner of pronunciation. Typically, a flat intonation scale and a falling tone are used.

By the way, when studying phonetic differences, do not forget that not only the general rules differ. Some identical words are pronounced completely differently in the British and American versions. For example, the word schedule US residents speak with sound sk(at the beginning), and the English pronounce the sound w.

Grammar

British English is famous for its rather complex grammar. The huge number of tenses, which can easily confuse not only a beginner, is far from the only feature of the language. In the USA, everything is much clearer and more concise. American English requires the use of simple tenses: Present, Future, Past Indefinite. Even the tense Present Perfect, used to denote a completed action that has a visible result, is successfully replaced by Past Indefinite.

For example:

I have cooked dinner. Let's eat together!(British)
I cooked dinner = I have cooked dinner.(American)
I prepared lunch. Let's eat together.

It's interesting that even adverbs just, already And yet in American English can be used with Past Indefinite, contrary to the rules that we are used to learning.

Mary has just received your letter.(British)
Mary just received your letter. = Mary has just received your letter.(American)
Mary has just received your letter.

Let's look at other grammatical differences between American and British English:

1. Ownership designation. British English requires the use of the verb have got, Americans can easily replace it with the form have. For example, in the USA you can say: Have you got a laptop?, so Do you have a laptop?(Do you have a laptop?).

2. Use will And shall . British English with first person subjects still uses the form shall. Most often used in American English will. (I shall call him later = I will call him later ).

3. Features of the subjunctive mood. American English requires the use of the subjunctive mood after many words: important, demand, advice, essential etc. In British English subjunctive mood preferred exclusively in polite communication and correspondence.

4. Features of collective nouns. In British English they are used with singular verbs. and many more numbers. And American English words require a singular form. For example: The family is going/are going to emigrate (British). The family is going to emigrate (American) (The family is going to emigrate).

5. Usage as if And like(as if, as if). In American English the more common word is like, in the British version its use may be considered an error. Americans can say how She smiled as if she knew something , so She smiled like she knew something (She smiled as if she knew something.)

6. Using adverbs. People who study American English are aware that adverbs can be placed before auxiliary and regular verbs in a sentence. In British, on the contrary, they are placed after verbs. If a British person tells you I am always busy on Monday, then the American will say I'm always busy on Monday. (I'm always busy on Mondays).

Spelling and word formation

The American spelling can be called more simplified than the classic British one. For example, US residents quite often omit the letter u from the end -our :

Сolour - color (color)
labor - labor (work)
humor - humor (humor)

Some words that end in British -re, in the American "version" end with -er. For example, the word "theater":

Theater (British)
theater (American)

Words that end with in Great Britain -ise, in the USA end with -ize. For example, the word "realize":

Realise (British)
realize (American)

In the English language, new words regularly appear that are formed by compounding words (verb and noun). The difference is that the British use a gerund for this purpose, while Americans prefer not to bother and simply connect two words. For example, a sailboat in the USA is called sailboat, In Great Britain - sailing boat.

Word usage

First of all, the difference concerns abbreviations. In England they are often used without dots, in the USA - exactly the opposite.

People who study foreign language, you will also probably be interested in the difference in the use of prepositions. In American English you can safely omit on before the days of the week.

There are inconsistencies in the use of prepositions for And in. In the United States, they are considered interchangeable when talking about a period of time up to the present moment. In the UK, in such situations it is used exclusively for. Let's look at a simple example:

I haven't seen my ex-girlfriend in years(American)
I haven't seen my ex-girlfriend in years (and still haven't met her).

Vocabulary composition

Perhaps the differences in the lexical composition of American and British English can confuse a person even with an excellent level of knowledge. The catch is that some words and phrases exist in both “versions” of the language, but they do not express the same meaning. For example, in America the word pants denotes trousers, in the UK - an item underwear. Not knowing the differences can get you into a very awkward situation.

In addition, different words are used to translate the same Russian words in British and American English. For example, in the USA sweets are called candy, In Great Britain - sweets.

When learning a language, you should pay attention to some subtleties. In British English the word holidays most often used to refer to a long vacation or vacation. In the USA this word is in most cases replaced by the word vacation.

Which version of English is worth learning?

Of course, it all depends on the circumstances, but if you are not going to live in the USA, it is definitely recommended to study British English. Let's list a few reasons in favor of this decision:

• British English is universally recognized. This is what you need to study to pass most standardized international tests. You can rest assured that with your knowledge of British English you will be understood anywhere in the world.
• British English allows you to develop a complete understanding of grammar. By learning complex rules, you can easily use various designs in any situation.
• British English is more varied than American English. You have a great opportunity significantly expand your vocabulary and make your speech much richer. Plus, you'll be able to freely read your favorite English works in original.

Many modern centers and tutors offer various programs for learning British and American English. If you want to become more familiar with the two varieties of the language, start your studies with the classics, and then gradually expand your knowledge.