there are quite a few noticeable differences between the british english dialect and the evolved...
TRANSCRIPT
There are quite a few noticeable differences between the British English dialect and the evolved dialect of American English.
These are the aspects we will cover:SpellingPronunciation {sounds}GrammarVocabulary
AMERICAN – “-or”
BRITISH – “-our”
Color Colour
Honor Honour
Favorite favourite
AMERICAN – “-ll”
BRITISH – “-l”
Enrollment Enrolment
Fulfill Fulfil
Skillful skilful
AMERICAN – “-ze”
BRITISH – “-se”
Analyze Analyse
Criticize Criticise
Memorize Memorise
AMERICAN – “-er”
BRITISH – “-re”
Center Centre
Meter Metre
Theater theatre
AMERICAN – “-og”
BRITISH – “-ogue”
Analog Analogue
Catalog Catalogue
Dialog Dialogue
AMERICAN – “-ck” or “-k”
BRITISH – “-que”
Bank Banque
Check Cheque
AMERICAN – “-e” BRITISH – “-ae” or “-oe”
Encyclopedia Encyclopaedia
Maneuver Manoeuvre
Medieval Mediaeval
AMERICAN – “-dg” “-g” “-gu”
BRITISH – “-dge” “-ge” “-gue”
Aging Ageing
Argument Arguement
Judgment Judgement
AMERICAN – “-ense”
BRITISH – “-ence”
License Licence
Defense Defence
AMERICAN BRITISH
Jewelry Jewellry
Draft Draught
Pajamas Pyjamas
Plow Plough
Program Programme
Tire Tyre
Other word-specific differences --
BASE WORD
AMERICAN BRITISH
Counsel Counseling Counselling
Equal Equaled Equalled
Model Modeling Modelling
Quarrel Quarreling Quarrelling
Signal Signaled Signalled
Travel Traveling Travelling
Base words that end in L normally double the L in British English when a suffix is added.
The letter can double in American as well – but ONLY IF the stress is on the second syllableof the base word.
BASE WORD
AMERICAN
BRITISH
Excel Excelling Excelling
Propel Propelling Propelling
WORD AMERICAN PRONUNCIATION
BRITISH PRONUNCIATION
Teacher
Father
Letter
Water
Aunt
Tomato
There are also other words borrowed from French that feature stress differences.
American first-syllable; British last-syllable:
Mustache MustacheCigarette Cigarette
NOUNSIn British English, collective nouns
can take either singular or plural verb forms, depending on whether the emphasis is on the body or the members within it.
i.e.“A committee was appointed.” “ The committee were unable
to agree.”
VERBSmorphology American -- "-ed" British -- "-t" i.e. learned/learnt, dreamed/dreamt British English rarely use “gotten;” instead, “got” is much more common. Past participles often vary: i.e. saw – American: sawed; British: sawn
tenses British English employs the present perfect to talk about a recent event {i.e. “I’ve already eaten,” “I’ve just arrived home.”}
auxiliaries British English often uses “shall” and “shan’t” American English uses “will” and “won’t”
American& BritishEnglishsometimeshavedifferentwords forthe samethings --
AMERICAN BRITISH
Apartment Flat
Argument Row
Carriage/coach Pram
Bathroom Loo
Can Tin
Cookie Biscuit
Diaper Nappy
Elevator Lift
Eraser Rubber
Flashlight Torch
Fries Chips
Gas Petrol
Guy Bloke/chap
AMERICAN BRITISH
Highway Motorway
Hood {of a car} Bonnet
Jelly Jam
Kerosene Paraffin
Lawyer Solicitor
Line Queue
Mail Post
Napkin Serviette
Nothing Nought
Period Full stop
Potato chips crisps
AMERICAN BRITISH
Truck Lorry
Trunk Boot
Vacation Holiday
Windshield Windscreen
License Plate Number Plate
Pacifier Dummy
Parking lot Car park
Pharmacist Chemist
Sidewalk Pavement
Soccer Football
Trash can Bin
American and British English speakers often use the same words but intend very different meaning with them:WORD AMERICAN BRITISH
Biscuit Dinner roll Cookie
Brew Beer Tea
Bureau Chest of drawers Writing table/desk
Casket Coffin Jewelry Box
First Floor Ground Floor “Second” Floor
To hire To employ To rent
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_words_having_different_meanings_in_British_and_American_English {for more examples!}