1. British and American English
The differences and varieties
Менчинова Валерия, гр. ИЯ

2. British English (BrE)
is the form of English used in the United Kingdom. It includes all English dialects used within the United Kingdom.
In the United Kingdom, Received Pronunciation (RP) is considered "standard“
also called the Queen's English and BBC English

3. American English
American English (AmE) is the form of English used in the United States. It includes all English dialects used within the United States of America.
General American (GA) is considered to be "standard" or "accentless"

4. Which is correct?
American and British English are taught in English as a foreign language programs
no one version is "correct"
RULE: be consistent in your usage
the largest difference is probably in the choice of vocabulary and pronunciation

5. “England and America are two countries divided by a common language.”
~George Bernard Shaw

6. How did this divergence occur?
The Atlantic ocean served as a major divide, allowing the two dialects to develop
American English picked up words from Native American languages as well as from Dutch, Spanish, and French settlers
Noah Webster decided to solidify and standardize American English in his dictionary

7. Noah Webster Writer of the first American dictionary in 1806
Believed that Americans’ language should reflect the way they spoke, and be distinct from British English
Came of age during the American revolution, and therefore placed great emphasis on America’s cultural separation from England
Simplified spellings of many words, such as ploughplow centrecenter colourcolor
Added uniquely American words, such as squash and chowder

8. What does this mean?
I put on a jumper and raced to catch a lift. Once outside, I discovered it was dark and I was feeling mad. "I should have brought a torch," I thought. At the underground I bought a return ticket. "How am I going to get a rise from my boss?" I wondered.

9. Grammatical Differences
British English:
Present perfect for action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment
two forms to express possession: Have or Have got
American English
Past tense is also possible
simple past include already, just and yet
employ the have (do you have, he doesn't have etc.)

10. is gotten
He's gotten much better at playing tennis.
on the weekend
Different than
from 5 through 6
dreamt OR dreamed
regular form is more common to American English.
The past participle of the verb get is got
differences in preposition use:
at the weekend
Different from
from 5 to 6
Past Simple/Past Participles
Burnt OR burned
irregular form is more common in Br. E.

11. Spelling Differences British English Words ending in –our:
colour, humour
Words ending in –ise:
recognise, patronise
Others:
Traveller
Cheque
programme
American English
Words ending in –or:
color, humor
Words ending in –ize:
recognize, patronize
Traveler
Check
program

12. Lexical Differences British English Pardon? Autumn Film Trousers Flat
Tin
Mobile phone
Biscuit
lorry
American English
Excuse me?
Fall
Movie
Pants
Apartment
Can
Cell phone
Cookie
truck

13. Differences in the organization of education lead to different terms
Differences in the organization of education lead to different terms. BE «public school» is in fact a private school. It is a fee-paying school not controlled by the local education authorities. AE «public school» is a free local authority school. BE «primary school» is AE «elementary school» BE «secondary school» is AE «high school». In BE «a pupil leaves a secondary school», in AE «a student graduates from a high school» In BE you can graduate from a university or college of education, graduating entails getting a degree.

14. Pronunciation Differences
British English
[o] in spot
[a:] in fast
[t’] in better
[r] – sometimes silent
[ɪ] in privacy
American English
[a:] in spot
[ae] in fast
[d] in better
[r] pronounced everywhere
[aɪ] in privacy

15. Americanisms:
ranch, sombrero, canyon (Spanish), wigwam, squaw, canoe moccasin, war path, war paint, pie of peace (Indian), boss, dope, sleigh (Dutch). Backwoods, blue-jack, sweet potato, red cedar, assembly, caucus, congress, Senate, congressman, President, senator, precinct, Vice-President etc.

16. The languages diverge…and converge
The differences in the languages reached its peak right after the industrial revolution
With the spread of modern technology, more terms are becoming common

17. Quiz: What are the British equivalents?
1. Q: Vocabulary ‘round trip' - I booked a round trip.
2. Q: Spelling 'check' - I wrote a check for the full amount.
3. Q: Spelling 'tire' - Do you know how to change a tire?
4. Q: Vocabulary 'subway' - I took the subway to work.
5. Q: Spelling 'color' - Do you have this shirt in a different color?
Return ticket
cheque
tyre
underground
colour

18. 7. Q: Grammar 'just went' - He just went home.
6. Q: Vocabulary 'trunk' - Put your luggage in the trunk.
7. Q: Grammar 'just went' - He just went home.
8. Q: Vocabulary 'flashlight' - The lights have gone out. Where is the flashlight?
9. Q: Expression with preposition 'Monday through Friday' - He works Monday through Friday.
10. Q: Grammar 'seven hundred thirty' - eight thousand seven hundred thirty
11. Q: Expression with preposition 'plays on' - He plays on a team in town.
12. Q: Vocabulary ‘gas' - I think we need some gas.
boot
torch to
And thirty
petrol

19. African American Vernacular vs Standard American
That my bike
The coffee cold.
The coffee be cold
I ain’t gonna help you
Is it a miss Jones in the office?
Don’t nobody help me do my work
He don’t never go nowhere
That’s my bike
The coffee’s cold
The coffee is always cold there
I’m not gonna help you
Is there a Miss Jones in the office?
Nobody ever helps me do my job
He never goes anywhere