American & British English Difference

 
   
  American and British English Differences
  1. Spelling of words ending in "our" in British English are "or" in American English. 
A representative list of such words is: 
            British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
      arbour 
    arbor 
     
    armour 
    armor 
     
    candour 
    candor 
     
    colour 
    color 
      ardour 
    ardor 
     
    clamour 
    clamor 
     
    enamour 
    enamor 
     
    behaviour 
    behavior 
      favour 
    favor 
     
    fervour 
    fervor 
     
    flavour 
    flavor 
     
    fervour 
    fervor 
      harbour 
    harbor 
     
    honour 
    honor 
     
    humour 
    humor 
     
    labour 
    labor 
      odour 
    odor 
     
    parlour 
    parlor 
     
    rancour 
    rancor 
     
    rumour 
    rumor 
      tumour 
    tumor 
     
    valour 
    valor 
     
     
     
     
     
     

   
  2. Many American words ending in "or" also end in "or" in British English. 
Some examples of this are: 
            actor 
    anchor 
    captor 
    censor 
    debtor 
    decor 
    donor 
      error 
    factor 
    jailor 
    manor 
    minor 
    pallor 
    pastor 
      razor 
    sector 
    terror 
    tremor 
    tutor 
    victor 
    visitor 

  3. The spelling of some American words ending in "er" such as center are spelled with "re" such as "centre." 
Some examples of this are: 
            British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
      fibre 
    fiber 
     
    centre 
    center 
     
    theatre 
    theater 
     
    calibre 
    caliber 
      metre 
    meter 
     
    louvre 
    louver 
     
    lustre 
    luster 
     
    litre 
    liter 
      sabre 
    saber 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

  4. But beware of some French words that end in "re" that are the same in both British and American English. 
Some examples of these are: 
            genre 
    Notre 
    Entré¥ 
    é­Â©gré ¼/SPAN>
    cadre 
    lucre 

  5. Also beware of some Spanish words such as "hombre" and "padre" which are also exceptions to the rule. 

6. The French word "cadre" requires special attention. It is a word that means the nucleus of a group that is intended to form a larger group. For many years the Chinese have pronounced it a "cotter." It is correctly pronounced as "ka dray." 

7. One word that deletes the "o" and changes and the "re" is "manoeuvre" in British English and "maneuver" in American English. 
  8. Some other spelling differences are as follows: 
            British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
      cheque 
    check 
     
    plough 
    plow 
     
    storey 
    story 
     
    behove 
    behoove 

  9. The use of articles is different in the two languages. The American rules for the use of the articles "a," "an" and "the" and British English is somewhat different and allows the following "The man went to hospital to see nurse." American English would require the following "The man went to a/the hospital to see a/the nurse." The choice of "a" and "the" would depend on whether he wanted to see a particular nurse at a particular hospital or any nurse at any hospital. 
  10. Many British words ending in "ize" also appear as ending as "ise." 
Both are accepted as correct in British English while the "ize" is only acceptable in American English. 
A small representative sample is shown below. 
I have only included a small sample starting with the letters "a" through "g." 
            apologize 
    atomize 
    authorize 
    barbarize 
    bastardize 
    brutalize 
    cannibalize 
    canonize 
    capitalize 
      carbonize 
    categorize 
    cauterize 
    centralize 
    characterize 
    civilize 
    collectivize 
    colonize 
    conceptualize 
      containerize 
    emphasize 
    epitomize 
    equalize 
    familiarize 
    finalize 
    formalize 
    fossilize 
    galvanize 

   
  11. British English has some vocabulary differences from American English. 
Some representative examples are: 
            British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
     
    British 
    American 
      lorry 
    truck 
     
    lift 
    elevator 
     
    biscuit 
    cookie 
     
    petrol 
    gasoline 
     
    flat 
    apartment 
      post 
    mail 
     
    ring 
    call 
     
    packet 
    present 
     
    pillion 
    seat 
     
    crisp 
    potato chip 
      holiday 
    vacation 
     
    hired 
    rented 
     
    waggon 
    wagon 
     
    aeroplane 
    airplane 
     
    chaff 
    tease 
      billy 
    tin pan 
     
    barrister 
    lawyer 
     
    bonnet 
    hood 
     
    football 
    soccer 
     
    handbarrow 
    wheelbarrow 
      reck 
    care 
     
    pub 
    bar 
     
    nil 
    nothing 
     
    tyre 
    tire 
     
    snigger 
    snicker 






VU

HAMD CENTRE

(Click Here To View My Web Page)


		
---------------------------------
New Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC for low, low rates.