Anishchenko Yulia
Just three centuries ago there was only one variant of the English language. The one spoken by the inhabitants of Foggy Albion. Travelers and traders from Britain brought it to other continents. In America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Africa they began to speak English. In each of these places, the language developed in its own way, enriching and evolving. New words appeared, and the spelling and pronunciation of some old ones changed. Biggest changes in English originated on the American continent.
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XIV regional scientific and practical conference of schoolchildren
Section: linguistics
Job title: "Aspects of differences between British and American English"
10th grade, MBOU secondary school No. 20.
Place of work:
Nevinnomyssk, st. Kalinina, 159 a.
Scientific supervisors:
Demchenko Svetlana Mikhailovna,
English teacher of MBOU secondary school No. 20 of the highest category,
Kalinina Lyudmila Vasilievna,
English language teacher at MBOU Secondary School No. 20 of the highest category.
Nevinnomyssk, 2014
Introduction........................................................ ........................................................ ...................................3-4
Chapter 1. History of American English and the differences between American and British English
1.1 History of the formation of American English....................................5-6
1.2 The current state of English as a multinational language....................................7
1.3 Differences between American and British English.................................................... 8-11
Conclusions on the first chapter................................................... ........................................................ .............eleven
Chapter 2. Experimental part.................................................... ................................................12
Conclusion................................................. ........................................................ ................................13
Bibliography................................................ ........................................................ ....................15
Appendix I, II................................................... ........................................................ ...........................16
Introduction
Just three centuries ago there was only one variant of the English language. The one spoken by the inhabitants of Foggy Albion. Travelers and traders from Britain brought it to other continents. In America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Africa they began to speak English. In each of these places, the language developed in its own way, enriching and evolving. New words appeared, and the spelling and pronunciation of some old ones changed. The greatest changes in the English language occurred on the American continent.
American English is called Simplified. And this is perhaps the most accurate definition that reflects the essence. To ordinary people from different countries who went to America in search of happiness, they needed a simple and uncomplicated way of communication. The refined language of the English aristocracy was not at all suitable for these purposes. And few of the settlers owned it. The American version was based on colloquial English, the language of traders and the emerging bourgeoisie. It inevitably had to become easier in writing, pronunciation, and grammar. And it is also inevitable to absorb elements of other languages.
English today is a generally recognized language of international communication. This is the language of modern business, science, office work, information technologies. But nowadays it is the American version of English that has become especially widespread. As Chernov V.G. writes, “in a number of spheres of human life and activity - in the field material culture, economics and finance, education and health care and many other areas - the American version is increasingly spreading throughout the world and tends to displace Britishisms..." .
However, despite this, teaching English in many countries, including Russia, for many years has been focused only on the British version of the language.
But at the present stage of development of English teaching, one cannot ignore the fact that students come into contact with the American version almost every day, watching American films, listening to American music. Your contribution to language practice modern schoolchildren contributes global computer network Internet, as well as correspondence with American peers. Of course, we notice differences between the version of the language we encounter in practice and the one we study at school. The differences between American and British English need to be known not only for simple communication, but also to avoid awkward situations. For example, if a woman from London says to a New Yorker: “I have left my child’s dummy in the pram and his nappy in the boot ", the answer will be only a puzzled look. If he tells her: “You have nice pants ", she may consider this an insult. In Britain a baby's pacifier is called dummy, in America - pacifier, diapers in the first case - nappy, in the second – diaper . The British call a baby stroller- pram, Americans - baby carriage . What's for the British boot - trunk, for Americans– trunk . In America the word pants means trousers, whereas in Britain it means underwear.
Subject This work is to analyze the differences between British and American English. It relates to theoretical research.
Purpose of the study– systematize the main differences between these two varieties of English.
Tasks:
Introduce American English as a variety of English;
Explore the history of the formation of American English;
Identify the main differences between British and American English;
Give a brief analysis of them;
Conduct an experiment with students on recognizing British and American vocabulary;
Object of studyis the study of the lexical and grammatical content of English speech.
Subject of study– lexical, grammatical and phonetic types of differences.
In this work we will look at the history of the formation of the American version of the English language and the reasons for the appearance of differences between the American and British versions, as well as the main lexical, grammatical and phonetic differences between them.
Methods: method of analysis and synthesis, method of collecting information, method of questioning, method of comparison, method of practical application of knowledge.
Hypothesis: American English is an integral part of British English.
I consider my work relevant , as American English is now becoming the leading language in the world. It is the language of computer technology, business, science and technology. It is becoming increasingly widespread because it has simple grammar, vocabulary and phonetics.
The work will help students learning English become familiar with the main differences between British and American versions in grammar, phonetics and vocabulary.
Chapter 1.
1.1 History of the formation of American English
In 1607, John Smith founded the first colony in Virginia. And already in early XVII century, Europeans began to move to North America. This period marked the beginning of a huge flow of emigrants from Europe to North America. At first the settlers were small in number, but within three centuries they numbered in the millions. People left in the hope of a new, rich, free life full of interesting events and adventures. They created a completely new society with their own laws, life principles, their own economic structure, and their own statehood. People left for America for various reasons: some hoped to get rich quickly, some were hiding from persecution by the punishing hand of the law, some wanted to gain political freedom, while others wanted to get rid of religious persecution and gain freedom of religion. There were many reasons. People came to America from different European countries. But most of the colonists came from England. The early English colonists in the new world spoke the English of Queen Elizabeth, Shakespeare, and Marlowe when they arrived in America. Therefore, it was English that became the main language of communication in the then still emerging huge country.
There are only a few pure languages. English is known as a language of verbal borrowings. The emergence of American English was facilitated by English-speaking colonists who came into contact with various peoples - speakers of different languages and cultures. Many words borrowed from these languages were added to the English language in the 17th century. At first, words borrowed from the speech of various Indian tribes came into use. This was caused by the need to discuss new things, qualities, operations, concepts and ideas. Relocation of people to another new environment not only creates a communication problem, but also makes it cruel.
The first settlers planted plants and raised animals that were new to them. Some of the fish they caught on the coast were different from what they had seen before.
The land was occupied by tribes who spoke a strange language, wore strange clothes and cooked strange food. Even the landscape was very different from the English countryside. Names were given to all these aspects of their new life.
In addition to foreign language influence, important factor were and chronological framework formation language variant language in the USA: its basis during the colonial period was British speech in the period of the 17th-18th centuries. After independence, in the absence of mass communication, the changes that occurred in the language of the metropolis in the 19th and early 20th centuries (for example, the loss of retroflex r), as a rule, were not reflected in the speech of the United States,phonology And vocabulary which is still wornarchaic character.
American English has created thousands of words and phrases that have entered both the general English language (hitchhike, landslide) and the world lexicon (okay, teenager).
The language was particularly influenced by significant differences in life and everyday lifecolonists in the USA and UK. A different climate, nature, environment and way of life led to adaptation and the emergence of new words and concepts in local English. This category includes words that originated in the USA and did not become widespread in England. These include the names of plants and animals of the North American continent (moose-North Americanelk in English elk, which in the USA received the meaningwapiti ), various phenomena related to government and political system USA (dixiecrat -Southern Democrat ), with the way of life of Americans (drugstore-pharmacy - snack bar).
A special group consists of words that are used both in England and in the USA and in which only one of their inherent meanings is specifically American (market - grocery store, career - professional). The word faculty in England is used to mean “faculty ”, and in America “faculty and teaching staff”. The noun pavement for English means "sidewalk ”, and for an American “pavement”. To categoryAmericanisms also include words that in England becamearchaisms or dialectisms , but are still widespread in the USA: fall instead ofFranco-Normanautumn, apartment - “apartment” instead of flat, railroad instead of railway - “railway”, subway instead of metro - “subway, metro” and others.
In the process of borrowing, some Americanisms in Britain are being rethought. For example, caucus - “closed meeting of party leaders” acquired a new meaning in England: “policy of election fraud”, “pressure on voters”, etc.
The lexicon of American English and other European languages have had some influence.
The settlers borrowed words from Indian languages to denote plants (for example, hickory - a genus of hazel, or persimmon - persimmon) and animals (raccoon - raccoon, woodchuck - woodchuck) that were unfamiliar to them. From French words such as prairie-prairie are borrowed, and from the Dutch sleigh-sleigh. Many new words appeared by combining already known ones, for example, backwoods, outback, bullfrog (a type of frog). Many English words have received a new meaning: corn in the sense of “corn” (in England this word previously meant any grain, usually wheat). Obviously, new words appeared insofar as many new realities now appeared in the lives of former Europeans, for which there were no words in English and other languages.
Other waves of emigration brought Germanic, Italian and some Western Slavic nationalities. They also enriched the vocabulary of American English.
When developing a new version of the English language, the basic principle was laid down - simplification of the language. Ordinary, simple people, leaving their entire past behind, went to America in the hope of finding happiness. And they needed a simple and accessible way of communication that would unite all nationalities.
Unlike the British version, American English is more flexible, open to change and easy to understand. In particular, that is why it has become more widespread in the world. This is the language of a new generation without a specific nationality or place of residence, brought up on popular culture. Noah Webster (born 1758, died 1843) made a huge contribution to the formation of American English. He was the "founding father" of the language. He developed most of the American phonetics, spelling and vocabulary standards adopted today.
Noah Webster published his first dictionary almost two hundred years ago. It contained words that were not in any dictionary published in the UK. His goal in creating the dictionary was to create a book that would reflect the speech of the then young nation.
American linguist Noah Webster made an invaluable contribution not only to the formation of the American English language, but also to the culture of the American nation, since before that, no nation had such a unified language as the Americans.
American English is much easier to understand than British English. It was formed on the basis of the languages of the peoples of European countries. People who consider this language their native language belong to a new generation of nations that do not have a single nationality and the same cultural roots.
Today, the English spoken by Americans is not as diverse as it was during the founding of the United States of America. American English is clearly regulated and is the main language of communication and has the status of the state language.
1.2 The current state of English as a multinational language
As you know, the English language is widespread not only in England, but also abroad. It is the official language in many countries of the world, that is, the peculiarity of its functioning is that it is used not by one, but by many nations, not by one ethnic group, but by several. Thanks to this, it belongs to the multinational and multiethnic languages.
There are three periods in the history of the spread of the English language.
The first period is the early Middle Ages, when the influence of French and some other languages on English was so significant that in a relatively short period of time it became more Romance than Germanic.
The second period is the Renaissance and the years that followed, during which the English language borrowed a large amount of vocabulary from classical languages, and the work of some playwrights, such as Shakespeare and Marlowe, significantly enriched it.
The third period is the end of the second millennium and the beginning of the new millennium. Since the 60s of the twentieth century, the spread of the English language has become very widespread.
Nowadays there is a radical change in the language situation in the world. Never in the past have so many countries and peoples felt such a need to communicate with each other. Never before have so many people had the opportunity to travel around the world.
Although, none of the languages has ever become a universal world language. But the United Nations, based on the actual spread of languages in the world community, chose the following six as its official languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese. A special place among them currently belongs to the English language, which plays exclusively important role in many areas of human activity. It acts as the working language of the vast majority of international scientific, technical, political and professional international congresses, conferences, symposia and seminars. That is, the English language in our time plays the same role that the Latin language played in Europe in the Middle Ages.
Nowadays, the British language is heterogeneous, and also far from the classical English that existed three centuries ago. British modern English includes three language type: Conservative English (language royal family and Parliament), the adopted standard (the language of the media, also called BBC English) and advanced English (the language of youth).
Advanced English is most susceptible to the general tendency to simplify the language. Changes occur primarily in vocabulary. New vocabulary comes to the British youth language from other varieties of English, in particular American.
Therefore, learning English requires constant practice communication. An option for this practice could be English courses abroad, where you will fully immerse yourself in English-speaking environment and you will be able to feel all the subtleties of the language.
Today, the language of the educated population of London and southeast England has acquired the status of a national standard. It is based on “correct English” - the language of the best universities such as Oxford andCambridge . This is that classical, literary English, which is the basis of any English course in linguistic schools for foreigners.
1.3 Differences between American English and British English
Appendix I
Assignments for the practical part
Exercise 1
Which of the following words are written in American English and which are written in British English? Can you give a second spelling?
Sample: AE - mustache : BE - mustache
airplane, check, theater, tire, defense, woolen, pajamas, gaol
Exercise 2
Can you indicate how an American would pronounce the following words and how a British person would pronounce them?
vase, route, ballet, address (noun), ate, buoy, tomato, advertisement, garage, leisure
Exercise 3
From the list below, select pairs of words that have the same meaning and classify them as American or British English.
Example: AE - cookie = BE - biscuit
closet | queue | vacation | fall | autumn | sweet |
petrol | lift | holiday | flashlight | subway |
|
postman | baggage | movie | candy | underground | luggage |
line | elevator | cupboard | mailman | torch | film |
Exercise 4
The following sentences are typically American. How would a Brit say them?
Do you have any siblings?
It is important that she be told.
The jury has not yet reached its decision.
Go fetch your book.
He dove into the water.
You must come visit me real soon.
Exercise 5
For whom (American or British) are the following sentences more typical?
I"ll try and visit you on the weekend.
Please write me when you arrive.
Call me as soon as you get there.
Most everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
If you make a mistake, you"ll just have to do it over.
He was born 3/27/1981.
The soccer team won two to nothing (2-0).
She arrived at twenty of two.
Answers
Exercise 1 - Writing
AE - BE
airplane - aeroplane
check-check
theater - theater
defense - defense
woollen - woollen
tire - tire
pajamas - pajamas
jail-gaol
Exercise 2 - Pronunciation
The emphasis is placed in different ways:
bal let - BE - bal let - AE
ad dress - BE - ad dress - AE
ga rage - BE - ga rage - AE
ad vert isement - BE - ad vertisement - AE
v a se: as in cars (BE) - as in face (AE)
r ou te: like shoot (BE) - like shout (AE)
b uoy : like toy (BE) - like the French name Louis (AE)
a te: like let (BE) - like late (AE)
tom a to: as in tomarto (BE) - tomayto (AE)
l ei sure: as in pleasure (BE) - first vowel as in she (AE)
Exercise 3 - Vocabulary
AE - BE
closet-cupboard
vacation - holiday
fall - autumn
flashlight - torch
subway - underground
baggage - luggage
movie-film
elevator-lift
mailman-postman
line-queue
candy-sweet
gas - petrol
Exercise 4 - Grammar
AE - Do you have any siblings?
BE - Have you got any brothers or sisters?
AE - It is important that she be told.
BE - It is important that she is told.
AE - The jury has not yet reached its decision.
BE - The jury have not yet reached their decision.
AE - Go get your book.
BE - Go and fetch your book.
AE - He dove into the water.
BE - He dived into the water.
AE - You must come visit me real soon.
BE - You must come and visit me really soon.
Exercise 5 - Using words
AE - I"ll try and visit you on the weekend.
BE - I"ll try to visit you at the weekend.
AE - Please write me when you arrive.
BE - Please write to me when you arrive.
AE - Call me as soon as you get there.
BE - Phone me as soon as you get there.
AE - Most everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
BE - Almost everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
AE - If you make a mistake, you’ll just have to do it over.
BE - If you make a mistake, you’ll just have to do it again.
AE - He was born 3/27/1981.
BE - He was born on 27/3/1981.
AE - The soccer team won two to nothing (2-0).
BE - The soccer team won two-nil (2-0).
AE - She arrived at twenty of two.
BE - She arrived at twenty to two.
Survey results
Spelling | Phonetics | Vocabulary | Grammar | General concepts |
|
Right | |||||
62% British variant | American variant |
||||
first floor | ground floor | 1st Floor |
|||
second floor | 1st floor | 2st Floor |
|||
government | government | administration |
|||
apartment | flat | apartment |
|||
snack | starter | appetizer |
|||
homework | homework | assignment |
|||
Assembly Hall | assembly hall | auditorium |
|||
baggage | luggage | baggage |
|||
basement | cellar | basement |
|||
banknote | banknote | bill |
|||
billion | milliard | billion billion |
|||
sad | blue |
||||
tin | |||||
checkers | drafts | checkers |
|||
Course of Study | course | class |
|||
wardrobe | wardrobe | closet |
|||
cookie | biscuit | cookie |
|||
corn | size | corn |
|||
sofa | sofa | couch |
|||
pharmacist | chemist | druggist |
|||
elevator | lift | elevator |
|||
eraser | (india) rubber | eraser |
|||
autumn | autumn | fall |
|||
repair | repair | ||||
highway | motorway | freeway |
|||
match | match | game |
|||
petrol | petrol | gasoline |
|||
mark | mark | grade |
|||
guarantee | ensure | insure |
|||
crossroads | cross-roads | intersection, junction |
|||
kerosene | paraffin | kerosene |
|||
surname | surname | last name |
|||
queue | queue | line |
|||
lend | lend | loan |
|||
located | situated | located |
|||
magician | conjurer | magician |
|||
post | |||||
metro | tube/underground | metro/subway |
|||
cinema | cinema | movies |
|||
napkin | serviette | napkin |
|||
oatmeal | porridge | oatmeal |
|||
package, parcel | parcel | package |
|||
pantry | larder | pantry |
|||
trousers | trousers | pants |
|||
paraffin | white wax | paraffin |
|||
pavement | road | pavement |
|||
billiards | billiards | pool |
|||
chairman | chairman | president |
|||
control, test | test, exam | quiz |
|||
raisin | sultana | raisin |
|||
order | book | reserve |
|||
schedule | timetable | schedule |
|||
sewer | drain | sewer/soil pipe |
|||
shop | store | shop |
|||
shorts | briefs | shorts |
|||
injection | jab | shot |
|||
sidewalk | pavement | sidewalk |
|||
football | football | soccer |
|||
tram | tram | streetcar |
|||
label | label | tag |
|||
taxes | rates | taxes |
|||
course work | essay/project | term paper |
|||
truck | lorry | truck |
|||
two weeks | fortnight | two weeks |
|||
underground crossing | subway | underpass |
|||
holidays | holiday | vacation |
|||
vacuum cleaner | hoover | vacuum cleaner |
|||
berth | quay | wharf |
|||
telegram | telegram | wire |
|||
wrench | spanner | wrench |
|||
letter Z | zed | zee |
|||
postcode | postal code | zip code |
Matyushenkov V. S. Dictionary English slang. Features of the use of slang in North America, Great Britain and Australia. – M., 2002 – P. 5-6
English has long been the main world language. Therefore, it exists over a vast territory.
Like all widely spoken languages, it can sound different in different parts of the world. The two most famous varieties are American English and British.
So how different is the classic British version from the American one? And which one should you choose to study? Let's figure it out.
So, let's begin.
Difference between American and British English
The difference between these two varieties of English is not that bad.
Conventionally, three main types of differences can be distinguished:
1. Words
2. Spelling
3. Grammar
Let's take a closer look at each of them.
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Differences in word usage between American and British English
The most noticeable thing separating British and American English is words.
Exists whole line everyday things that are called differently in the two countries. Let's look at the table.
| American version |
Translation | British version | ||
| Counter-clockwise |
[,kaʊntər’klɑkwaɪz] |
Counterclockwise (about movement) | Anti-clockwise |
[,ænti’klɒkwaɪz] |
| Autumn, fall |
[‘ɔ:təm], |
Autumn | Autumn |
[‘ɔ:təm] |
| Attorney |
[ə’tɜ:rni] |
A lawyer who has the right to defend someone in court | Barrister |
[‘bærɪstə(r)] |
| French fries |
|
French fries | Chips |
|
| Parking lot |
[‘pɑ:rkɪŋ lɑt] |
Parking | Car park |
|
| Cookie |
[‘kʊki] |
Cookie | Biscuit |
[‘bɪskɪt] |
| Soccer |
[‘sɑ:kər] |
Football |
[‘fʊtbɔl] |
|
| Apartment |
[ə’pɑ:tmənt] |
Apartment | Flat |
|
| Highway |
[‘haɪweɪ] |
Intercity highway | Motorway |
[‘məʊtəweɪ] |
| Elevator |
|
Elevator | Lift |
|
| Gasoline |
[‘ɡæsəlin] |
Petrol | Petrol |
[‘petrəl] |
| Queue |
|
Queue |
[‘laɪn] |
|
| Garbage |
[‘ɡɑ:rbɪdʒ] |
Garbage | Rubbish |
[‘rʌbɪʃ] |
| Faucet |
[‘fɔsɪt] |
Tap water) | Tap |
|
| Flashlight |
[‘flæʃlaɪt] |
Flashlight | Torch |
|
| Subway |
[‘sʌbweɪ] |
Metro | Tube |
|
| Closet |
["klɑ:zət] |
Closet | Wardrobe |
[‘wɔ:drəʊb] |
| Candy |
["kændi] |
Candy | Sweets |
|
| Pants |
|
Pants, trousers | Trousers |
["traʊzəz] |
There is also a difference associated with words such as irregular verbs. Let's look at this.
Difference between the use of irregular verbs in American and British English
A verb is a word that expresses an action (talk - talk, understand - understand, run - run).
In English, the past tense (talked, understood, ran) is usually formed with -ed (talked - talked). But there are times when instead of ed we simply have another word (understood - understood, ran - ran). Such verbs are called wrong, because they do not obey the general rule.
Among the irregular verbs there is a group of those that in the past tense end in -t (learn (study, recognize) - learnt (studied, recognized) and others). In American English, such verbs became regular (that is, they received the usual -ed instead of -t).
Besides -t words, there are other differences between American and British irregular verbs, but they are not many. Let's take a look at them.
| American English |
British English Example |
Translation | ||
| Learn-learned-learned |
|
Learn-learn-learn |
|
Teach, study |
| Dream-dreamed-dreamed |
|
Dream-dreamt-dreamt |
|
Dream, see in a dream |
| Burn-burned-burned |
|
burn-burnt-burnt |
|
burn |
| Lean-leaned-leaned |
[li:nd] |
Lean-lean-lean |
|
Recline on something |
| Spill-spilled-spilled |
|
Spill-spillt-spillt |
|
Shed |
| Get-got-got |
[ɡɑt][ɡɑt] |
Get-got-gotten |
[ɡɑt][ɡɑtn] |
Receive |
| Prove-proved-proven |
|
Prove-proved-proved |
|
Prove |
Spelling difference between British and American English
Oddly enough, a huge number of differences are related to spelling. Thanks for this should go to the American Noah Webster. It was he who, in the 18th century, decided to simplify the spelling of a number of words that seemed illogical to him. This was, among other things, a political step, because the United States had just declared its independence from Great Britain. From then on different sides oceans exist different variants spelling.
Some cases of distinction are observed frequently enough to be remembered as rules:
1) British words ending in -our are almost always simplified to -or in American.
2) British words starting with -yse are always written as -yze in American.
| American English |
British English |
Pronunciation | Translation | |
|
Color |
Color |
[‘kʌlə(r)], [k`ale] |
color |
|
|
Center |
Center |
[‘sentə(r)], [s`ente] |
center |
|
| Catalog | Catalog | ["kætəlɒɡ], [k`talog] | catalog | |
|
Analyze |
Analyze |
[‘ænəlaɪz], [`analayz] |
analyze Paralyze, deprive movement |
|
Difference between American and British grammar
Besides the difference in words, there are a small number of differences in grammar. There are not many of these nuances. Let's go through the most noticeable ones.
1) Words denoting groups of people.
Among the words denoting objects, people, animals (answering the questions “who?” and “what?”) there are those that denote groups of people: team (team), staff (workers in an organization), committee (committee) and many others.
In American English, such words always behave as if they were singular. Indeed, there may be many people, but there is only one group! In a sentence these words would behave like he/she/it (he/she/they).
Compare:
The committee has made a decision.
Committee He has made a decision.
It has made a decision.
He[the committee] made a decision.
The band is
Group
It is recording a new album right now.
She[the band] is recording a new album right now.
In British English such words would behave like plural. The logic is this: there may be only one team, but there are many people in it! British words like team, band, etc. will behave like we/you/they. Compare:
The committee have made a decision.
Committee He has made a decision.
They have made a decision.
They decided.
The band are recording a new album right now.
Group is recording a new album right now.
They are recording a new album right now.
They recording a new album right now.
2) Present Perfect
Present Perfect(have + third form of the verb) is a tense often used to show an action in the past that is important in the present and has an effect on it.
For example:
I have prepared my report. I"m ready to send it to you.
I have prepared my report. I'm ready to send it to you.
The preparation of the report happened in the past, but it is connected to the present, because right now I am preparing to send it.
In British English this happens every step of the way:
I"ve read
I read
Tom's dog has run
Tom's dog ran away. I help him look for her.
In the American version, the usual past tense can be used for such cases:
I read your book and I can give it back to you now.
I read your book and I can return it to you now.
Tom's dog ran away. I"m helping him to look for it.
Tom's dog ran away. I help him look for her.
The same goes for the words already, just and yet: in British English they are almost always used with the perfect. Americans can use them with the usual past tense.
British version:
I have already told you about it.
I'll tell you already about it told.
Have you prepared your presentation yet?
You already prepared your presentation?
I have just returned from work.
I only What back From the job.
Americanoption:
I already told you about it.
I'll tell you already about it told.
Did you prepare your presentation yet?
You already prepared your presentation?
I just returned from work.
I only What back From the job.
3) Affiliation
American English expresses ownership using a verb have("have"):
I have a friend in this city.
U me There is friend in this city.
Do you have a pen?
Do you have pen?
The British, in addition to have, also use the second option - have got:
I have got a friend in this city.
I have friend in this city.
Have you got a pen?
Do you have pen?
What to choose: American or British?
Everything here, as usual, depends on your goals. If you are moving to the USA or you have to fly to London several times a year for work, then the issue is resolved for you.
If you don’t yet know in which specific country you are going to use the language, then this is worth thinking about. Ideally, of course, it is better to know and understand both options - then you will definitely not be lost. Moreover, the differences between them, as you can see, are not so catastrophic. To simply sound “beautiful”, it is enough to choose one and strictly adhere to it, without mixing purely British words with purely American ones, for example.
In any case, you need to understand that we live in the era of television and the Internet: both the British and Americans are familiar with each other’s popular culture, they read the same books, watch the same films and TV series. In big cities, no matter what option you use, you will most likely be understood. Even if there are any confusion, you can always try to explain a word differently.
Are British and American English the same thing? Find out how they differ and how they are similar. For those who want to “feel the difference” - 5 test exercises!
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Classmates
Those who complain about the difficulty of learning German don’t even know how lucky they are - because they only have to learn one language. Of course, there are different dialects in German-speaking countries, but someone who has learned standard literary German (Hochdeutsch) will have no problems and will be easily understood by residents of Germany, Austria or Switzerland.
The difficulty for those learning English is that there is no standard in this language. There are two options to learn: British English and American (even if you don’t take into account Australian, Indian, South African dialects, etc.). Despite their mutual cross-cultural influences, it seems that the vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation of British and American English are becoming increasingly different every year.
To stick to one option and, more importantly, to be understood correctly, you need to know which words differ in meaning and pronunciation in America and Great Britain. This is important not only for simple communication, but also in order to avoid awkward situations.
For example, if a woman from London says to a New Yorker: “I have left my child's dummy in the pram and his nappy in the boot,” she will only get a puzzled look in response. If a New Yorker tells her: “ You have nice pants,” she could easily consider this an insult.
In Britain, a baby's pacifier is called a dummy, in America - a pacifier, diapers in the first case - nappies, in the second - diapers. The British call a pram a pram, while the Americans call it a baby carriage. What is boot for the British is trunk for the Americans. In America the word pants means trousers, while in Britain it means underwear (underpants).
Below are examples of the main differences between the two languages, as well as some exercises.
Differences in spelling
With regard to the spelling of British English (BrE) and American (AmE), it can be said that Americans adhere to a more economical and phonetic spelling. silent letters are skipped, and words are written closer to their sound. The most obvious example is the absence of the letter u in American words such as color, neighbor, honor, etc.
Compare also the words traveling, jewelry and program with their British equivalents - travelling, jewelery and program. However, this rule does not always apply. You might think that in America it's spelled skilful and in Britain it's spelled skillful, but it's actually the other way around!
Exercise 1
Which of the following words are written in American English and which are written in British English? Can you give a second spelling?
Sample: AmE - mustache:BrE— mustache
- airplane, check, theater, tire, defense, woolen, pajamas, gaol
Differences in pronunciation
Of course, both countries have their own regional pronunciations, but the following words are pronounced differently by most Americans and Britons. The differences are mainly in the sound of vowels or stress.
Exercise 2
Can you indicate how an American would pronounce the following words and how a British person would pronounce them?
- vase, route, ballet, address (noun), ate, buoy, tomato, advertisement, garage, leisure
Differences in vocabulary
The percentage of words that are used in only one country is very small, but the problem for English learners is that these words are among the most commonly used. Many words are used only by Americans but most Britons understand them, but others can be difficult.
For example, the British know that Americans call biscuits cookies, and flat - apartment, but not many people know what alumnus (college or university graduate) or fender (dirt shield over a car wheel) are. In turn, Americans know that a yard in Britain is called a garden, and a truck is called a lorry, but the words plimsolls (sneakers) or off-licence (liquor store) that are familiar to the British will not tell them anything.
Exercise 3
From the list below, select pairs of words that have the same meaning and classify them as American or British English.
Sample: AmE - cookie = BrE - biscuit
| closet | queue | vacation | fall | bonnet | sweets |
| thumb tack | lift | bill | caravan | flashlight | subway |
| postman | baggage | movie | drapes | underground | luggage |
| hood | elevator | cupboard | mailman | torch | check |
| line | curtains | film | candy | gas | autumn |
| petrol | drawing pin | holiday | trailer |
Differences in grammar
The grammar of British and American English is almost the same, but there are some interesting variations, for example in some verb forms. In AE, the past tense of the verb fit is fit; in BrE - fitted. Americans say I "ve gotten to know her well; the British - I"ve got to know her well. BrE often uses the Present Perfect where AmE would rather use Past Simple.
For example, when using the words just or already, the British are most likely to say I "ve just seen him or I"ve already done it, and the Americans - I just saw him or I already did it.
Another example is that Americans are much more likely to agree collective nouns with the verb. In standard AmE it is correct to say The team is playing well this season, while in BrE it is acceptable to say: The team are playing well. The same applies to words such as government, committee, etc. In American - The government is..., in British - The government are...
Exercise 4
The following sentences are typically American. How would a Brit say them?
- Do you have any siblings?
- It is important that she be told.
- The jury has not yet reached its decision.
- Go fetch your book.
- He dove into the water.
- You must come visit me real soon.
Use of words
There are countless interesting nuances between AmE and BrE that relate to the use of words. AmE has a useful preposition through, which means “through, inclusive.” For example, The exhibition is showing March through June. Its equivalent in BrE is from March to June, but this can be understood in two ways.
Will the exhibition last until the beginning of June or until the end? To avoid misunderstandings, it is better to say, for example: The exhibition is showing from March to the end of June.
Another example: for Americans, the number billion contains 9 zeros (billion). For most Brits there are 12 zeros (a trillion). As for zero itself, in AmE the word zero is more common, while in BrE it is nought. Americans are more likely to pronounce the number 453 as four hundred fifty three, while the British almost always pronounce it as four hundred and fifty three. And this is just a small part!
Exercise 5
For whom are the following sentences more typical - an American or a British person?
- I"ll try and visit you on the weekend.
- Please write me when you arrive.
- Call me as soon as you get there.
- Most everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
- If you make a mistake, you"ll just have to do it over.
- He was born 3/27/1981.
- The soccer team won two to nothing (2-0).
- She arrived at twenty of two.
- The secretary said, "Mr. Clinton will see you soon."
Conclusion
It is quite obvious that for non-native speakers it will be very difficult to separate these two dialects. The best thing to do in this case is to purchase a good reference book. We can recommend two books on this topic:
- Practical English Usage, M. Swan (1995), Oxford University Press
- The Right Word at the Right Time (A guide to the English language and how to use it) (1985) Readers Digest
Answers
Exercise 1 - Writing
- airplane - aeroplane
- check - check
- theater - theater
- defense - defense
- woollen - woollen
- tire - tire
- pajamas - pajamas
- jail-gaol*
* Now in Britain the word jail is also more common, but gaol is also quite acceptable (they are pronounced the same).
Exercise 2 - Pronunciation
In most cases, Americans and British accents are the same. For example, everyone says pencil and relax, cinema and consider, but in the following words accents are placed differently:
- ballet - BrE - ballet - AmE
- address - BrE - address * - AmE
- garage – BrE – garage – AmE
- advertisement – BrE – advertisement – AmE
There are words that differ in the sound of the stressed vowel. They are difficult to illustrate without resorting to phonetic symbols, which not everyone is familiar with. Therefore, they are presented in comparison with common words containing the same sound.
- vase: as in cars (BrE) - as in face (AmE)
- route: like shoot (BrE) - like shout * (AmE)
- buoy: like toy (BrE) - like the French name Louis (AmE)
- ate: like let (BrE) — like late (AmE)
- tomato: like tomarto (BrE) - tomayto * (AmE)
- leisure: as in pleasure (BrE) - first vowel as in she (AmE)
* Some Americans pronounce these words the same way as the British.
Exercise 3 - Vocabulary
- closet - cupboard
- vacation - holiday
- fall - autumn
- thumb tack - drawing pin
- flashlight - torch
- subway - underground
- baggage - luggage
- movie-film
- drapes - curtains
- elevator - lift
- hood - bonnet
- mailman-postman
- check - bill *
- line - queue
- candy - sweets
- gas - petrol
- trailer - caravan
* In England, bill is the bill you ask the waiter in a restaurant. In America it is called a check, while a bill is a banknote.
Exercise 4 - Grammar
- AmE - Do you have any siblings?
- BrE — Have you got any brothers or sisters?
- AmE — It is important that she be told. *
- BrE — It is important that she is told.
- AmE — The jury has not yet reached its decision.
- BrE - The jury have not yet reached their decision.
- AmE - Go get your book.
- BrE - Go and fetch your book.
- AmE - He dove into the water.
- BrE - He dived into the water.
- AmE — You must come visit me real soon.
- BrE — You must come and visit me really soon.
* AmE uses the subjunctive form much more often than BrE.
Exercise 5 - Using words
This was a tricky task because in reality all of these sentences are more likely to be said by an American than by a British person! Here are their UK equivalents:
- AmE — I"ll try and visit you on the weekend.
- BrE — I"ll try to visit you at the weekend.
- AmE — Please write me when you arrive.
- BrE — Please write to me when you arrive.
- AmE - Call me as soon as you get there.
- BrE — Ring me (phone me) as soon as you get there.
- AmE — Most everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
- BrE — Almost everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
- Americans often prefer the sounds [æ] to the sound [ɑː]. For example, fast, answer [ænsə];
- 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 .
- Unpronounceable letters are skipped, and words are written closer to their sound. For example, US residents quite often omit the letter u from the end -our :
сolour – color (color)
labor – labor (work)
humor – humor (humor). - Compare also the words traveling, jewelry and program with their British equivalents - travelling, jewelery and program.
- 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 (verbs and nouns). The difference is that the British use a participle for this purpose, while the Americans prefer not to bother and just connect two words. For example, a sailboat in the USA is called sailboat, In Great Britain - sailing boat.
- Aubergine (BE) - eggplant (AE) - eggplant
- Milliard (BE) - billion (AE) - billion
- Lift (BE) - elevator (AE) - elevator
- Repair (BE) - fix (AE) - fix
- Queue (BE) - line (AE) - queue
- Pavement (BE) - sidewalk (AE) - sidewalk
- To book (BE) - to reserve (AE) - order
- Postal code (BE) - zip code (AE) - postal code
- Hoover (BE) - vacuum cleaner (AE) - vacuum cleaner
- Post (BE) - mail (AE) - mail
- Underground (BE) - subway (AE)
- British English is universally recognized. This is what you need to study to pass most standardized tests. 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 an excellent opportunity to significantly expand your vocabulary and make your speech much richer.
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The British and Americans are two nations that speak the same language, but in completely different ways. Of course, they will understand each other perfectly, as well as the fact that in front of them is a person from another continent.
Personally, it has always been easier for me to communicate with Americans, because... their speech is simple and understandable. The British, on the other hand, can jabber so much that only isolated fragments of phrases are heard. The differences between British and American dialects are not only in pronunciation. They are in grammar, vocabulary, and writing.
To stick to one option and, more importantly, to be understood correctly, you need to know which words differ in meaning and pronunciation in America and Great Britain. This is important not only for simple communication, but also in order to avoid awkward situations. For example, if a New Yorker tells a woman: “You have nice pants,” she could easily consider this an insult. In America the word pants means trousers, while in Britain it means underwear (underpants).
Let's see how American and British English differ point by point.
Why are there differences between American and British English?
To find the answer to this question, you should pay attention to the history of the United States.
We know that America and the USA in particular were populated for a long time by people from European countries, local population in some places they were oppressed, in others they were simply exterminated, and along with the settlers, new languages settled in the territories.
Large-scale colonization of America by the British, biggest wave which occurred in the 17th century, brought English to America, which began to take root in local languages and new arrivals: German, French, Spanish.
To engage in production and establish trade, people vitally needed one language. It is not surprising that in America it was not the pretentious and sophisticated English that aristocrats used that took root, but the practical, accessible and understandable language of the people. Change of priorities, exchange of experience between representatives of different nations, features local climate and nature led to a gradual modification of familiar English and the emergence of a unique slang.
Differences in phonetics and pronunciation
American English is sharper and faster due to specific features in pronunciation. Let's consider the main characteristics of phonetics:
Some identical words are pronounced completely differently in the British and American versions. For example, the word schedule US residents pronounce it with a sound (at the beginning), and the British pronounce the sound [ʃ]. There are even more differences in pronunciation in the picture below:
People who study classical British English are aware of the meaning of intonation in phrases. It can be descending, ascending, sliding, stepped, etc. Americans don't give of great importance manner of pronunciation. Typically, a flat intonation scale and a falling tone are used.
It is worth noting that the peculiarities of American pronunciation do not necessarily need to be memorized. Once you are surrounded by native speakers, you will quickly begin to understand speech and learn to speak the same way as residents of the United States.
Differences in spelling
With regard to the spelling of British English and American English, it can be said that Americans adhere to a more economical and phonetic spelling.
Differences in vocabulary
Perhaps the differences in the lexical composition of American and British English can confuse a person even with an excellent level of knowledge.
Sometimes the same word can be translated differently in British and American English. The meanings of the same words in these two dialects may differ depending on the context or completely. Fortunately, misunderstandings between speakers of these two dialects are very rare - after all, the language is the same.
Examples of the most famous differences:
In addition, to translate the same Russian words in British and American English, different words. For example, in the USA sweets are called candy, In Great Britain - sweets. 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.
Look for even more differences in the names of items in the picture below.
click to enlarge
There is a difference in use prepositions:
On a team (AmE) - in a team (BrE)
On the weekend (AmE) - at the weekend (BrE)
Write smb (AmE) - write TO smb (BrE)
In American English you can safely omit on before the days of the week.
Colloquial/Slang Expressions
Also in American colloquial you can find the following forms:
Yep (yes) - yes
Nope (no) - no
Gonna (going to) - get ready
Wanna (want to) - want
Gotta (have got to) - must (do something)
Gotcha (got you) - got you
Gimme (give me) - give me
Lemme (let me) - let me
Differences in grammar
British English is quite famous. A huge number of words that can easily confuse not only a beginner is not 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 Simple. Even present time Perfect, used to denote a completed action that has a result in the present, is successfully replaced by the Past Simple.
For example: I have cooked dinner. Let's eat together! (British)
I cooked dinner = I have cooked dinner. (American) I prepared dinner. Let's eat together.
Interestingly, even the adverbs just, already and yet in American English can be used with the Past Simple, 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 a 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 form singular. 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).
Which version of English is worth learning?
In fact, British and American English have many more similarities than differences. The differences between American and British English are often exaggerated. If you understand one option, you will understand the other.
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.
However, if you are not going to live in the USA, then it is better to study British English. Let's list a few reasons in favor of this decision:
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300 years ago there was only one version of English. The one spoken in Britain. This language was brought by the British to new lands. America, Australia, New Zealand, India, Asia and Africa started speaking English. In each of these places, the English language developed in its own way, enriching and evolving. And according to an inevitable pattern, he returned to his homeland - with emigrants, goods, technologies, communications.
So let's start with the fact that the modern British language, firstly, is heterogeneous, and secondly, it is far from what existed 3 centuries ago. Within the British version, three language types are distinguished: conservative English (conservative - the language of the royal family and parliament), the accepted standard (received pronunciation, RP - the language of the media, also called BBC English) and advanced English (the language of youth). The last type is the most mobile; it is the one that actively absorbs elements of other languages and cultures. Advanced English is most susceptible to the general trend towards simplifying the language. Changes occur, first of all, in vocabulary, one of the most mobile parts of the language: new phenomena arise that need to be named, and old ones acquire new names. New vocabulary comes to the British youth language from other varieties of English, in particular American.
However, an even more variable part of the language is phonetics. Phonetic differences are ubiquitous, and it is they that primarily determine one or another variant or dialect of a language. Let's say the British call a store "shop", and the Americans call it "shap"; The English have “lav” for love, the Irish have “liv”, and the Scots have “luv”; The English pronounce day as "day", and the Australians pronounce it as "dee". There are three main dialects in America: Northern, Central and Southern. Each of them, in turn, is divided into several subdialects. The richest and most characteristic is the southern dialect, especially Californian. This is the quintessence of what is commonly called American pronunciation: “racking”, savory chewing, voicing of consonants, shortening of vowels. Thus, the word "bete" ("better") turns into "bader". Closer to classical English is the northern dialect, the language of the east coast, New England, where the first settlers from Britain arrived at one time. In Great Britain itself, there are also several regional dialects: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, Scottish, Welsh and Irish.
One of these dialects, the language of the educated population of London and south-east England, eventually acquired the status of a national standard (RP). It is based on “correct English” - the language of the best private schools (Eton, Winchester, Harrow, Rugby) and universities (Oxford, Cambridge). This is the classical, literary English that is taught, for example, in our foreign language language and which is the basis of any English course in linguistic schools for foreigners.
Irish, Australian and New Zealand English are perhaps closest to classic British English. Due to their geographical isolation, these countries did not experience strong influence from other languages and cultures. The differences are mainly in phonetics - in particular, in melody. This is a more even, “neutral” pronunciation, replacing “complex” sounds with simpler ones, for example, interdental in in the words that, think ordinary. The Irish, in addition, do not save sounds between consonants; they add neutral ones: for example, film sounds like “filem”. Irish English is more musical, melodious - which comes from Celtic; Australian is characterized by a slower rhythm and an even intonation scale.
But America created an almost new language: changes affected not only phonetics and vocabulary, but also the most stable part of the language - grammar. Therefore, it is quite natural that the debate is mainly around two varieties of English - British and American. American English is called Simplified. And this is perhaps the most accurate definition that reflects the essence. Ordinary people from different countries who went to America in search of happiness needed the same simple and uncomplicated way of communication. The refined language of the English aristocracy was not at all suitable for these purposes. And few of the settlers owned it. The American version was based on colloquial English, the language of merchants and the emerging bourgeoisie. But, as you know, it was not only the British and Irish who explored America. Peoples from all over Europe flocked there: the French, Spaniards, Scandinavians, Germans, Slavs, Italians. The new nation needed a unifying element that would help overcome national differences. The transformed English language became such an element. It inevitably had to become easier in writing, pronunciation, and grammar. And it is also inevitable to absorb elements of other languages. Unlike the British version, American English is more flexible, open to change and easy to understand. In particular, that is why it has become more widespread in the world. This is the language of a new generation without a specific nationality or place of residence, brought up on popular culture.
New computer technologies, a powerful entertainment industry, global business - all this is “made in America” and works everywhere. The Americans themselves call their main achievement the ability to create models and export them. The entire history, culture and mentality of America fit into one concept - the “American Dream”. And with this role model, with this dream, the Americans infected the whole world. The fact that the whole world is learning English is also a merit of the Americans. However, as in many other cases, they only gave an impetus, and development went its own way.
English, which is studied in language schools Foreigners all over the world, native speakers call Course Book English (the language of textbooks). This is basic standard English, common to all varieties of the language. It has no flavor, no color - that which distinguishes native speakers from non-native speakers or from each other. Each version of English has its own idioms, metaphors, and jargon. To comprehend them, as well as to master local phonetics and melody, means getting closer to perfection, moving to another level - “English as a native language”. The task is unattainable for most foreigners. But, on the other hand, few people put it before themselves. English in modern world just a means of communication. And not at all with the carriers (or rather, not so much with them), but with people different nationalities together. English these days is the new convenient Esperanto. However, unlike that, “real” Esperanto is not stillborn.
According to the director of the Russian representative office of the British school Language Link, Robert Jensky, we can now talk about the emergence and consolidation of a kind of averaged universal English, which has absorbed the features of different languages. This – and not the American, not the British or any other – option is the “language of international communication”. It is naturally easier to understand. Firstly, it is neutral in color, and secondly, foreigners speak English more slowly, pronounce sounds in isolation, and words clearly. In addition, it is more convenient: you don’t have to strain yourself trying to get closer to a “purely British” or “purely American” pronunciation.
The same problem is solved by " international language business." Another myth is that this is American English. It is true that business is an American invention (like the word itself), that business schools appeared in America and most and best of them are still located there. But as for the language of business, then it cannot be attributed to any variant of English. professional language. Like the language of any profession, it has a certain, rather limited set of terms and clichés that are used by representatives of this type of activity. The language of business is mastered along with the profession (in the vast majority of business schools in the world, teaching is conducted in English). It can also be studied at special courses English (Business English, Executive English). The basic content of these courses is the same in all English speaking countries. Therefore, there is no big difference where to take them: in the USA or Great Britain, Australia or Ireland, Canada or New Zealand.
What language should I learn?
The answer to this question is embedded in the goal: why do you need English? If you are going to take the TOEFL and study in America, you cannot do without the American version of English. Are you thinking of emigrating to Canada? It would be nice to get acquainted with the peculiarities of Canadian English. And so on. But you need to learn the right language. According to many Russian linguists and teachers, this language is the British version, more precisely, that part of it called the “accepted standard” (RP). Correct basic English, by the way, is also needed in order to understand other variants of the language, dialects and features. And to be able to master them. According to Natalia Kuznetsova, a teacher at the Moscow Linguistic Center, a person with good classical English will not disappear anywhere and, if necessary, can easily adapt and get used to another modification of the language.
According to Natalia Kuznetsova, we should also start with the British version because it is the most complete and rich language. American grammar is noticeably simplified compared to British. Americans only recognize simpler times: present, past and future Simple– and almost never use Perfect. The general tendency towards simplification in the American version also applies to pronunciation. American English can be called a "casual" language. The British version is more particular, more scrupulous. It has a huge variety of intonation patterns, unlike the American one, where there is practically one: a flat scale and a descending tone. This intonation model determines the entire sound structure of the American version. British English has many scales: descending and ascending, stepped and sliding. The same goes for tones. Sometimes the accent is revealed not by the pronunciation of the sound, but by the temporal characteristics: if you tighten (or understretch) the sound a little, they will recognize you as a foreigner. The Americans themselves, by the way, treat British English with reverence. They are sick of the sound of their language. Americans even host such parties: they invite an Englishman to visit, ask him to tell something, and listen to him speak. Americans call British English refined - they never had this language, and, naturally, they did not have what is called “English traditions and culture.” Partly envying the British, the Americans say that those showing off are showing off. The British themselves say that they are simply polite - polite.
Our teachers give preference to the British version for one more reason. Our school has always focused and continues to focus on classical English. In the best language universities(primarily in foreign language) the British version was traditionally taught, and mainly teachers from Britain were invited as foreign consultants and methodologists. We have practically no professional teachers of the American version. “Practically” – because teachers who are native speakers of “American” still exist. But there are negligibly few professionals among them (according to general estimates, no more than 5%). In schools where there are still professionals, they try to explain to students the difference between various options English and teach exactly the version of English that the student needs. However, agreeing with our teachers, Robert Jensky (an American who heads a British school of English) argues that all this applies to advanced students. On initial stages There is only one option of English for a student. And to learn it, you need to put in a lot of effort and patience.
Intensive communication and various “quick” techniques are unlikely to help here. They are good for “talking” the student, to overcome the language barrier, give him a positive attitude, convince him that learning a language is a pleasure. But, alas, serious language learning requires drill: cramming, repetition of models, grammatical phenomena, and so on.
The best teaching method is perhaps combined: a combination of traditional and communicative. It gives the best result - on the one hand, a solid base, and on the other, speaking practice. Indeed, in fact, no matter for what purpose a person learns English, he always strives for one thing - confidence. That is, he wants to reach a level where communication in the language does not create tension. Confidence is a feeling of confidence, the ability to “switch” to another language and exist without problems in a new language space. Be at ease.
Based on materials from the newspaper "Foreigner"