Heath Pulliam is an independent education writer with a focus on the language learning space. He’s taught English in South Korea and various subjects in the United States to a variety of ages. He’s also a language learning enthusiast and studies Spanish in his free time.
British and American English are two well-known varieties of the English language. While the accent is often the first difference people notice, there are also subtle distinctions in vocabulary, grammar and even style. Many know about how Brits say boot and lift, while Americans would say trunk and elevator, but what about a few lesser-known differences?
Here, we take a look at a few of the more obscure differences between British English (BrE) and American English (AmE).
Note: British English is underlined and American English isitalicized.
Along with the well-known difference of how in the U.S., football refers to American football, while football in Britain is what Americans like me call soccer, Americans also use player after the sport to denote someone who plays the sport. In British English, the sport with an added -er suffix is more common, like footballer and cricketer, not football player or cricket player.
This is not universal, though. For some sports, the -er suffix is used in both dialects. Both Brits and Americans use the term golfer, not golf player. There are also sports where the -er suffix is never used, like for tennis, cycling and gymnastics. Nobody says tenniser, tennis player is used instead.
People who cycle are cyclists and people who do gymnastics are gymnasts. Sometimes, badminton players are even called badmintonists. Overall, there aren’t really any concrete rules for what to call each player of a sport. Each sport has its own way of calling someone who participates in that sport.
The American version (I could care less) means the same thing. Although technically incorrect, it is still widely used in North America as an idiom and will be interpreted as not caring at all about something. Although popular, both variations can be heard in North America. Regardless, miscommunications do happen surrounding this phrase.
“I could care less about who Harry Styles is dating right now.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you were interested in tabloid news.”
“I’m not! I just said I didn’t care about it.”
“No, you said that you could care less, meaning that it is possible for you to care less about who he’s dating.”
“Ugh! What I mean is that I dzܱ’t care less. Happy?”
Both British and American dialects are filled with many minuscule differences in spelling and phrasing. For example, the words plough (BrE) and plow (AmE) mean the same thing, but are spelled differently.
When two words differ, American English generally favors the simpler, more phonetic spelling. Hey, there’s another one! Favour (BrE) and favor (AmE). It’s apparent in pairs like analyse (BrE) and analyze (AmE), and neighbour (BrE) and neighbor (AmE).
Many of these small spelling differences can be attributed to Noah Webster, author of Webster’s Dictionary, who sought to distinguish American from British English by simplifying many of the words.
Some of his simplifications to American English are swapping the s for z, (specialised to specialized), dropping the u in words ending in our, (colour to color), and changing words ending in -tre to -ter (theatre to theater).
The history of this vegetable, whatever you may call it, tells us why zucchini is used in American English and courgette is used in British English. If you’ve studied languages, you can probably guess what country each name originated from. England was introduced to this cylinder-shaped vegetable in the 19th century by its French neighbors, while Americans were introduced to it in the early 20th century by the large influx of Italian immigrants.
The word zucchini is something of a mistranslation from Italian, however. What Americans use (zucchini) is the plural masculine form of the proper Italian word, (zucchino).
These terms mean the same thing, the rotation against the way a clock runs. In British English, this movement would be called anticlockwise, and in the U.S., they use counterclockwise.The prefixesanti- andcounter- mean similar things.Anti- means against, andcounter- means contrary or opposite to.
You should use antibacterial soap in order to stop the spread of germs.Buying cheap clothes that only last you a few months is counterproductive in the long term.
Can you guess how they described this movement before the invention of clocks with hands and circular faces? English speakers this long ago used sunwise. This direction at the time was considered auspicious and the opposite of the other direction.
Have and take are used often before nouns like shower, break, bath, rest and nap.In the U.S., peopletakeshowers andtakenaps, while in the U.K., peoplehaveshowers andhavenaps. Another example of this is how Americanstakea swim and Britshavea swim. These are called delexical verbs and we use them all the time in English, both British and American.
Although often different, both groups of English speakers have arguments, make decisions and take breaks.
This word is spelled the same in both American and British English, but means something different. In the U.S.,quiteis typically used as an intensifier, like the wordvery.In the U.K., it’s normally used as a mitigator, like the wordsomewhat.
It can also mean completely if it modifies certain adjectives. (e.g., It’s quite impossible to learn a language in one month.)
American English: That Mexican food we had yesterday was quite spicy.
Translation: That Mexican food we had yesterday was very spicy.
In British English, quite means something more on the lines of kind of, or a bit.
British English: Thank you for the meal, it was quite good.
Translation: Thank you for the meal, it was somewhat good.
The category of clothes is one of the richest, with differences between the two English variants.How about those pants that people used to only wear at the gym and around the house, but now wear them everywhere?
Brits call themtracksuit bottomsand Americans call themsweatpants. What about a lightweight jacket that protects from wind and rain?Brits might call this ananorak(derived from the Greenlandic word), but Americans would call it awindbreaker. Both variants also useraincoatfor this article of clothing.
As an American, I’ve been confused before when coming across the word torch while reading the work of an English author.
To Americans, a torch is a piece of wood with the end lit on fire for light.What Brits are referring to when they use the wordtorchis aflashlight (AmE), a small, battery-run electric lamp.
Ah, the English contraction. Many English learners don’t particularly love learning these, but they are an essential and everyday part of the language. ’t, however, is one that I don’t think I’ve ever heard another American say.
In the U.K., this contraction is fairly common. ’t, when separated, becomes need not.
British English: “You needn’t come until Tuesday night.”
Americans would say the relatively simpler don’t need to.
American English: “You don’t need to come until Tuesday night.”
Don’t be fooled into thinking British English has necessarily more difficult contractions than the U.S., though. Just come to the American South and prepare to hear famous (or infamous) contractions like y’all (you all) and ain’t (am not, is not, are not)!
There are hundreds of differences between British and American dialects, we’re only scratching the surface here.Some of these make more sense than others, but luckily, both Brits and Americans can usually understand the meaning of any English word through context.
Some people would even say that Brits speak English while Americans speak American.Although each dialect from across the pond seems very different, they have far more similarities than differences.
Read our posts 'Understanding dialects in the English language' and 'What are the most spoken languages in the world?'
Learning English with music can enhance learning and create a more engaging and dynamic classroom environment. In a previous post, we discussed if music can help you learn a language; this post looks at how music can be incorporated into the classroom.
Using music in your classroom can help improve student motivation, focus, and retention of information. Here are some ways you can use music to enhance your classroom teaching:
Have you considered studying abroad? Moving to Canada to study? With more than 100 world-class universities across the country, there’s good reason to. From coast to coast to coast, it offers many international students a safe and supportive learning environment and the opportunity to work after graduation.
Want to learn more? In this guide, we cover ten things you should know about studying in Canada:
In today's globally connected business landscape, language training is not merely an added advantage but a critical component for companies seeking to maximize their team's potential. Being proficient in multiple languages enables effective communication, promotes cross-cultural understanding, and enhances networking capabilities.
As businesses expand their operations globally, the proficiency to communicate in the native languages of clients and partners becomes crucial. This essential skill, proficiency in spoken languages, fosters trust and paves the way for more successful negotiations. Linguistic adaptability is becoming a pivotal requisite for organizations that aim to thrive in international commerce's dynamic and diverse environment.
Acquiring a second language through language learning involves a systematic approach. It focuses on studying one language with the aim of enhancing communication skills in professional, educational and personal settings. This form of education transcends mere memorization and language study of vocabulary and grammar in a single language. It strives to foster a profound understanding of linguistic subtleties and cultural aspects across multiple languages.
Language learning mastery accelerates critical thinking and adaptation to communication challenges, resulting in stronger, more meaningful connections in a multilingual, interconnected world. Mastering more than one language in today's diverse business world is not simply about translation; it's about gaining a competitive edge by understanding the nuances and cultural contexts that can inform and enhance global relationships.
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Language skills are not just tools for effective communication—they can be a catalyst for career advancement.
Acquiring proficiency in a first or second language, a foreign tongue or an additional second language can also open the door to new roles within the company, such as international liaison or translator, which may have been unattainable otherwise. Mastering more than one language not only signifies an individual's ability to engage in varied linguistic exchanges but also demonstrates a commitment to personal development and an understanding of the evolving demands of the global marketplace.
Employees with multilingual capabilities are often perceived as valuable assets who can seamlessly interact with diverse markets, making them prime candidates for promotions and leadership positions.
Furthermore, as companies increasingly value global collaboration, being able to negotiate and network in a different culture and other languages can lead to being entrusted with more strategic projects and overseas postings. These opportunities broaden an individual's experience of the global economy and exposure to learning a second or third language, preparing them for a variety of influential roles within the ever-expanding global business arena.
The process of acquiring and learning a new language thus does much more than merely expand an individual’s ability to communicate in only one language; it also provides significant cognitive enhancements.
As individuals learn and use a second language, they engage in mental exercises that strengthen their brain and the new language's neural pathways, leading to better memory retention and recall of the new language.
This cognitive exercise extends beyond language acquisition, enhancing the brain's ability to handle complex situations and solve problems more efficiently. Bilingual or multilingual individuals often demonstrate enhanced proficiency in recognizing essential components of complex problem-solving challenges and crafting innovative solutions. This ability stems from their adeptness and other skills acquired through language diversity.
The practice of switching between languages enhances multitasking abilities, making language learners more effective in navigating tasks that require an attention span juggling multiple priorities. These cognitive side benefits of learning can have profound implications, contributing to an individual's mental agility and resilience in both personal and professional contexts. You can read more in our post 'Being bilingual can help keep your brain in good condition'.
