British English vs. American English
A Brief Comparative Analysis of the Differences
Between American and British English Syntax
As English continues to assert its dominance as a leading language used worldwide, it’s no wonder to learn that it is now an acknowledged global language and the standards that its users hold it to will splinter and change over time. Most of the variance can be attributed to differing national histories and cultural development. Today, English is used in a range of contexts around the world as the native language of millions, the official language of numerous nations, and as a lingua franca in a multitude of international purposes. Undoubtedly due to these shifts in globalization, “more users of English than ever before feel some connection to the language, especially through their national dialect” (Adger, Wolfran & Christian, 2007, p. 2). The key question in this paper is, “what are the most prominent differences between American and British English syntax?” The purpose of this paper is to further explain these findings related to the key question in the areas of grammar, spelling, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Additionally, implications for teaching various English dialects in the classroom will be included.
For many years, the only standard for properly spoken and written English was Standard British English (SBE). McArthur (2001) states:
Standard American English (SAE) holds similar prestige on the world stage thanks to the growth of the United States ' prominence as a global power and, with the advent of the computer age; word processing software has nudged standards towards SAE conventions (p. 6).
However, the question is increasingly being asked: who really has the right to decide what is standard for a language with hundreds of millions of users around the world? According to Adger, Wolfram, & Christian (2007), “Standard English (SE) is seen as a dual standard of the U.S. and U.K. conventions and still seems to be the goal of language learning programs
Between American and British English Syntax
As English continues to assert its dominance as a leading language used worldwide, it’s no wonder to learn that it is now an acknowledged global language and the standards that its users hold it to will splinter and change over time. Most of the variance can be attributed to differing national histories and cultural development. Today, English is used in a range of contexts around the world as the native language of millions, the official language of numerous nations, and as a lingua franca in a multitude of international purposes. Undoubtedly due to these shifts in globalization, “more users of English than ever before feel some connection to the language, especially through their national dialect” (Adger, Wolfran & Christian, 2007, p. 2). The key question in this paper is, “what are the most prominent differences between American and British English syntax?” The purpose of this paper is to further explain these findings related to the key question in the areas of grammar, spelling, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Additionally, implications for teaching various English dialects in the classroom will be included.
For many years, the only standard for properly spoken and written English was Standard British English (SBE). McArthur (2001) states:
Standard American English (SAE) holds similar prestige on the world stage thanks to the growth of the United States ' prominence as a global power and, with the advent of the computer age; word processing software has nudged standards towards SAE conventions (p. 6).
However, the question is increasingly being asked: who really has the right to decide what is standard for a language with hundreds of millions of users around the world? According to Adger, Wolfram, & Christian (2007), “Standard English (SE) is seen as a dual standard of the U.S. and U.K. conventions and still seems to be the goal of language learning programs
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