British English vs American English : A Comparartive Study

Prepared by the researcher  :  Dr. Ben Azzouz Halima – University of Abu Bakr Belkaid – Tlemcen –

Democratic Arab Center

Journal of cultural linguistic and artistic studies : Twenty Issue – September 2021

A Periodical International Journal published by the “Democratic Arab Center” Germany – Berlin

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Abstract 

   It is often believed that British English and American English are the foremost varieties of the English Language serving as reference norms for other varieties.That is the reason why they have obviously been compared and contrasted.Otherwise, categories of difference between Standard Br.E(S.Br.E) and standard American English(S.Am.E)each having their own sociolectic value : A difference in Pronunciation exists between the two foremost variants as well as a divergence in  Spelling, Grammar and Syntax  are distinctively  used to distinguish the two varieties of the English Language.Beyond these differences, Spelling is noted as one of the chief sources of variation.This is why orthography is chosen as a level of analysis under which British Spelling vs American Spelling are included, since it is mainly Spelling that indicated whether an expert is British or American in its origin.In fact, the given research work is merely an intralinguistic comparison between British English  and American English in terms of standard languages.

• Introduction :

The study of « Comparative Linguistics » is considered as one of the great preoccupations achieved by linguists. Indeed, it is undeniable to point out that linguistic readership still admire to know more about what the term « Historical Comparative Linguistics » applies.

Sociolinguistically speaking, « Comparative Linguistics »in cotrast to « Contrastive Linguististics » tends to compare the sociolinguistic constituents of a given language where the similarities are often found more than the differences.

Therefore, to what does the term ‘Comparative Linguistics’ refer ?

• The Implication of Comparative Linguistics :

The so-called approach ‘Comparative Linguistics’ marks the way of demonstrating the genetic relatedness of languages. The latter was developed and refined approximately in the classical period of historical linguistics,mainly between the 1820’s and the 1870’s.

Comparative Linguistics is then ; a branch of linguistics that makes statements on what concerns the features of different languages(especially those believed to have a common origin) or different states of language.

One of the comparative methods’ main techniques according to David Crystal is :

« The Comparison of forms taken from cognate languages to determine the nature of their historical relationship »

David Crystal (1992 : 16)

Meanwhile, historical emphasis developed under the heading of ‘Comparative Philology’. The latter displays major differences of aim, emphasis and technique compared with the kind of comparative work which would be carried on within a framework of contemporary linguistic theory.

Therefore, a comparativist within a linguistic department would tend to be called a ‘historical linguist’ ; otherwise, the name of ‘philologist would tend to be reserved for a comparativist in a department of literature or modern languages.

This, in fact, what comes in the digestive work of David Crystal in his book entitled « Introducing Linguistics » (1992)

In order to illustrate what is meant by a comparative method, here is a table providing some systematic correspondences in Latin and three Romance languages adopted from Jhon Lyons (1985 :193)

 For a better understanding on the functions of Comparative Linguistics, Victoria Fromkin & Robert Rodman summarize (1974 :33)

« The study of linguistic change is called historical and comparative linguistics. Linguists of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries studies the internal changes which occured in a language.They also compared languages , reconstructed earlier forms of particular language families and classified languages according to their family trees »

Fromkin.V & Robert Rodman (1974 :323)

Since this study is mainly a comparative linguistic analysis dealing with linguistic variation and language change between British English and American English in terms of Standard Languages, let’s shed the light on the notion of ‘Standard Language’ and more exactly on the term ‘ Standard English’

A standard Language is selected, it is accepted by influencial people and institutions and diffused geographically and socially, for example, through newspapers, education and the like, the latter acquires social prestige through use the powerful public figures and wealthy ; it is is taken to the most logical and valuable form of language because of its connections with written products. Thus, the public conciousness for a standard language is created and maintained.

As far as the characteristics of ‘Standard Language’ are concerned, here is a general idea of how Suzane R omaine (1994 : 70) conceives the term :

« The ideology of Standardization is a historical process which is always in progress. It occurs systematically in Spelling, Pronunciation, Word- Meaning, Word- Forms or Sentence Strusture Conventions. »

Towards the previous data, it is of a great interest to elucidate the term ‘Standard English’ as viewed by a number of distinct scholars ; Indeed, it refers to that variety that no one is able to tell from which part of a community it comes ; it is socially prestigious deriving from social class, political strength, popular acclaim and educational background.

It mainly refers to that variety which is likely to become the most widely spread among the public. Most of people speak a variety of Regional English and only a minority with a country actually use it when they talk.

Moreover, in his book entitled « Introducing Applied Linguistics », Ronald Carter defines ‘Standard English’ (1993 : 65)

« That varierty of English which is usually used in print and which is normally taught in schools and to non-native speakers using the language, it is also the variety which is normally spoken by educated people and used in news broadcats and other similar situations »

The idea of World Standard English stands mainly from that English is used by an enormous speech community, probably of 600 million of people of whom about 300 million are speakers of English as their mother tongue.

Thus, among the vast range of linguistic variation which exists, a World Standard English (W.S.E) is acting today as a strongly unifying force.

As its name reveals, the W.S.E is totally dominated by standard English Language.Considering that point, one should know that at present, English is the only language to adopt a World’s first language role and there is no competitor as a world language for the English Language.

In brief, the following diagram will clearly illustrate what might be the components of World Standard English (W.S.E)

Inuit English,

Since the given paper is aiming to compare British English and AmericanEnglish as varieties of the main super ordinate English Language, let’s have a bird’s eye view and a general case study on the different characteristics each variety of the English Language from the other.

• British English and American English : a general case study 

It is often believed that British English and American English are the foremost varieties of the English Language serving as reference norms for other varieties. That is the reason why they have obviously been compared and contrasted.Meanwhile, the terms ‘British English’ and ‘American English’ are used differently by differnt people to refer to :

• Two national varieties, eacg subsuming regional and other sub-varieties standard and non-standard.
• Two national standard varieties an which each one is only part of the range of English within its own state, but the most prestigious part.
• Two international varieties, that is each is mora than a national variety of the English Language.
• Two international standard varieties that may or may not each subsume other standard varieties. Furthermore, each variety serves a reference norm for users of the language elsewhere.

Moreover, without a clear identification, as primarily belonging to one variety or the other, British English(Br.E) and American English(Am.E) are understood as national or international varieties.

British English and American English are both « variants » or « varieties » of the English Language, more similar than different.

In brief, the following may justify general categories or difference between Standard American English(S.Am.E)and Standard British English(S.Br.E) each having their own sociolectic value :A difference in pronunciation exists between the two foremost varieties, although it is the same spelling, by contrast, a divergence in spelling may be recognized, eventhough the same pronunciation. In such case, the same term is different but there is a similarity in spelling and pronunciation. Otherwise, grammar, syntax and pronunciation are distinctively used to distinguish the two varieties of the English Language. Beyond these differences, spelling is noted as one of the chief sources of variation.

• British English vs American English : a comparative study

Even if it is believed that Americans and Britons are viewed to be ‘divided by a common language’ as claimed by George Bernard Shaw, the language remains essentially common, mainly, in terms of standard usage.

Consequently, Spelling differences between British English and American English serve as emblems of linguistic nationalism, and it is primarily spelling that indicates wether a text is British or American in origin.

For the sake of implementing a spelling differentiation between American English and British English, here is a list of about 400 American and British words that are spelt differently.

The words are complied respectively from a list of over 180 words sent by DANTILQUE(xx.dant.aol.com), the alt usage Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

In addition, two dictionaries are mainly used as primary materials, these are (COD) The Concise Oxford Dictionary Eight edition, 1990(190000 definitions) for the British side and The Merriem-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth edition,1993 for the American side, chosen as the best to reflect a contemporary usage of words.

For the reason of an intralinguistic comparison between British English and American English, the words are arranged alphabetically by the left hand column (Br.E) and by the right side(Am.E) from a Greek Classic Spelling to a Present Day Usage of the English Language.

In words of Greek origin, British English (Br.E) has /oe/ in exclusive variants,  in parallel, American English(Am.E)/e/ or less commonly /oe/ typically in non-exclusive variants may be well noticed in the examples above.

In words of Classic ultimately Greek Origin, a neo- latin /ae/ passed into English as /oe/ then /ae/, British English has tended to keep /ae/ as an exclusive variant and American English has had /e/ and /ae/ as non-exclusive variants such as (a) aon, arch(a)eology, (a)esthetics and the like.

British English /rh/ may be well noticed in its distinction for American English /r/ as the case of British English ‘eurhythmics’ and U.S English ‘eurythmics’, meaning as the example mentioned above.

A silent /ph/takes place in British English words of Classic ultimately Greek origin as the case of ‘apophthegm’ compared with American English ‘apothegm’ concerning spelling variation between the two varieties of the English Language.

In words of Latin origin, British English /ph/ is substituted by American English /f/ in such words as British English (bisulphate, sulphate, disulfide) and the like.

By the Old and Middle English periods, a spelling distinction marks its existence on verbs, characterized by a British English /t/ and American English /ed/ use in the past simple tense.

A British English /gh/ is mainly replaced by an American English/f/ in such words of the English Language as the above instances and a spelling divergence may be well noticed in the replacement of /ough/ in British English by /ow/ in U.S English.

British English tends to use /y/ in such words as : gupsy, tyre, tyke. Whereas, /i/ is more suitable for an American English Spelling Use.

In words of this type, British English /re/ and American English /er/ , the difference is exclusice, the chief spelling variation is of non- Germanic origin but rather of a French one, such as(amphitheatre/ amphitheater), (centre/ center), (sabre/ saber), (sombre/ somber), (theatre/ theater).

Though (theater, sepulcher and titer) are the preferred American English Spelling ; the words are part of names. Generally, the differences are noticed in inflections such as(centred/ centered) and compounds as (centrefold / centerfold), (centreboard/ centerboard) but usually Vanish in derivatives through the loss of the /e/ which is not pronounced, for instance(central, metric/metrical, theatrical).

Most words of the type British English /our/ and U.S English /or/ are from Latin or French origin.In Latin, their forms are uniformly /or/ as (arbor, vigor, odor) and in Modern French, their cognates may have /eur/ as (couleur, honneur).Some, however, are from a Germanic origin, such as( harbo(u)r, neighbo(u)r).

The British English /u/ is rarely used in words, other than neighbo(u)r, that readily refer to people as (actor, author, emperor, governor, survivor, tenor) which are the same in both varieties, either British English or American English, though especially during the 16^th and 17 ^th centuries such spellings as emperour and governour occured.

Another category of spelling differenciation between the two varieties of the English Language, the British /our/ and the American English/o/ may be well felt.

As one may notice in the above examples, /mme/ marker is applied in British English spelling, mainly, in nouns as (programme) and sometimes the two cases are available in a British English, Orthography as (kilogramme, kilogram) whereas, the American English Spelling tends to use /m/ in nouns and rarely /mm/ as the case of verbs as (program, programme).

Although in words like catalog(ue), dialog(ue), monolog(ue), prolog(ue), U.S English, sometimes, drops /ue/, only catalog is a widely used American English Variant.Thus, such spellings are systemic, non-exclusive variants in American English, the word analog(ue) is a special case, so that the spelling analog prevails in contrast with digital when referring to such things as computers, but it is undeniable not only in American English but also in British English, where American English spellings are generally used in the register of computing.

The American English (ction) is well observed in the given instances above, what is replaced by (xion) in British English and sometimes, the two variants of spelling are available for a British English usage of words.

Concerning the main type of variation, one should know that verbs taking only /ise/ do not generally have a noun in /tion/ as (advertise/advertisement), (apprise/ apprentice). However, some verbs that allow both forms-meanings as British English/ise/ and American English/ize/ do not form nouns in /tion/, for example : appologise/ize/ do not form nouns in /tion/ ; for example : (appologise/appologize/appology), (criticise/criticize/criticism) and the like.

In Birtish English /yse/ and American English /yze/ group, such verbs as (analyse, paralyse) are preferred. Otherwise, (analyze, paralyze) are used in American English, the variants are systemic and have been mutually exclusive, but recently and more frequently, (analyze) has begun to appear in British English.Correspondingly, the difference disappears in nouns as (analysis, paralysis) as the  /z/ of the verbs becomes /s/ in the nouns.

British English /au/ in comparison with American English /a/ may be well recognized through the above examples where mostly the two forms are applied in both varieties of the English Language.

As one may notice, the British English /ce/ is notably replaced by its equivalent /se/ in American English words such as : Br.E ( defence, offence, prefence) and American English (defense, offense, pretense). Otherwise, the British English /ce/ remains the same in American English as mentioned in the last instances (vice/ vice).

/or/ is obviously preffered to be used in British English words as the case of (adaptor, advisor, propellor) Whereas, /er/ is more suitable for an American English usage of words.

Comparing the main type of English Spelling variation, British English /ee/ is greatly replaced by American English /e/ such as Br.E (employee) and Am.E(employe) and British English /gg/ is obviously replaced by /g/ in American English Spelling as the above examples.

In this group, British English /l/ is exclusively substituted by /ll/ in American English such the case of Br.E ( appal, distil, wilful) and Am.E ( appall, distill, willful) and the like.

British English is greatly marked by the use of /ll/ in such words as the above, whereas, American English tends to use only /l/.

British English Spelling is marked by the use of /tt/ as (cigarette, clarinettist, garrotte) whereas, American English Spelling is often characterized by the use of /t/ as (cigaret, clarinetist, garrote).

As the above examples are concerned, Br.E /dge/ is notably replaced by /dg/ such as 🙁 acknowledgement, judgement) and ( acknowledgment, judgment) and so on.

In this case, /en/ in British English is, mostly substituted by /in/ in American English such as : Br.E (encase, enclose, enquire, ensure) and American English (incase, inclose, inquire, insure).

Where differences exist between the two varieties of the English Language, American English Spellings tend to be shorter than British English Spelling, for instance : Am.E (jewelry, jeweler), Br.E (jewellery, jeweller), Am.E (councilor, counselor), Br.E (councillor, counsellor), US.E( catalog,color), Br.E(catalogue, colour) and so on.

Exceptions include American English kind of words as (instill) and British English(instil) ; american English(skillful) and British English (skilful).

Otherwise, in general terms, a spelling used in Briain is accepted in America than is an American Spelling in Britain.Therefore, British English seems sometimes to use spelling to distinguish items with the same pronunciation as (tyre/ tire), (cheque/ check).

Thereby, British English and American English Spelling can be seen in printed as well as edited texts as foremost varieties of the English Language.

• Conclusion :

Throughout this paper, it was of a worth importance to ring up the curtain on the concept of ‘Comparative Linguistics’, what does it implement ? How does it work ? What effect has it done to languages ?

A case study of American English and British English in terms of spelling is more suitable to be mentioned since the majority of linguistic readers were and are still being curious about to discover whether a given expert is American or British in its origin.

For the sake of illustration, a great table diagramed the spelling differences between the two varieties of the English Language, in which 165 words are alphabetically collected under 31 spelling simplifications.

As a conclusion, even if it is believed that Americans and Britons are viewed to be divided by a common language, it is the English Language itself which remains essentially common, mainly, in terms of Standard English.

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