Silent Differences Between American And British English Essay

Silent Differences in English that Divide American and British Spelling (Rough Draft) Guiding Question: What is the origin of and reasoning for different word endings that have no effect on pronunciation between American and British English? Does one go to the theater or does one go to the theatre? Are one’s eyes the color blue or the colour blue? The answer to both of these questions will differ depending on where they are asked. In England, the answers will most likely appear as theatre and colour respectively. However, in America, the opposite answers would be given, but only if the questions were in written format. If these questions were posed verbally, the answers would appear the same and no difference would be discerned. Therefore, why is one considered correct and one considered incorrect if they are phonetically equivalent and why do such differences exist? The answer to these questions is rooted in the history of the language itself. Whether it is the French influence or the American Revolution, British and American English are products of their history and culture. The evolution of phonetically equivalent word endings in British and American English reflect political situations, language shifts, and fo reign influences while evoking historical pride on both sides that carry the differences into present day. The move towards standardization of spelling for word endings can be seen in the seventeenth century. The fluidity of spelling was still prevalent as shownShow MoreRelatedAmerican English And British English1520 Words   |  7 PagesChamyan IEP UK 6 JUL 16 American English and British English The usage of the many forms of English dialects have often led to miscommunication. The knowledge gained beforehand can help to limit that, and to provide those visiting with an idea of what the local culture is like. There are specific words and phrases that may prove useful, words and phrases to avoid, and many key differences between American English and British English. Many useful words and phrases in the English language can mean manyRead MoreThe Lines Form The Backbone Of Communication1947 Words   |  8 Pagesvariations include differences in classification of the words, the meaning of the words and the usage of the word among other differences. Furthermore, the uniqueness of the word or phrase can also reveal information such as age group, ethnical background gender the socioeconomic status of the users. In others words, the uniqueness of words forms the foundation upon which the silent languages and communications are founded. This research will focus on a unique British English word that shows semanticRead MoreNoah Webster Essay925 Words   |  4 PagesNoah Webster Noah Webster, familiar to most Americans as the writer of the first American dictionary, worked as a schoolteacher in the late eighteenth century. As he taught, he came to realize that there were some major problems with the way English was taught in the American schools. The United States of America had recently declared its independence from England, and was struggling to form its own identity. The schools were still using textbooks from England, and these books varied inRead MoreEnglish As A Second Language Essay1497 Words   |  6 PagesLearning Academic English as a Second Language When I started searching about topics that are related to Academic English I came up with the features of Academic English but this was a general topic so I looked for other topics. I searched on google about other topics, such as the importance of Academic English. I noticed a website that is about the importance of Academic English for non-native speakers. That really interested me because it is a personal topic since English is my second languageRead MoreThe Constitutional Development Of Canada1372 Words   |  6 Pagesand common law derived from the French and British respectively. Canada did not always have a written constitution. The territory we now refer to as Canada was once populated by the French and English colonial masters. These colonists extended the laws of their home countries to their colonies. As the population of this territory grew and the UK gained control of more colonies including those from the French, making regional laws became a necessity. Between the eighteenth ad nineteenth centuries, theRead MoreThe Modern Day Legal Systems1671 Words   |  7 Pagescivil and common law derived from the French and British respectively. Canada did not always have a written constitution. The territory we now refer to as Canada was once populated by the French and English colonial masters. These colonists extended the laws of their home countries to their colonies. As the population of this territory grew and the UK gained control of more colonies including those from the French, regional laws became a necessity. Between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, theRead MoreHow Language Changes Start and Spread Essay948 Words   |  4 PagesPeople have always argued about the causes of language change and tried to control the changes that occurred but ultimately they accomplished nothing. Languages changes and spread as a result of the people who use it daily. African American English and California English are both examples of the different ways language can change. People try to resist the changes in their language because they do not want to see it change. Language change is a natural process that can be affected by others but neverRead MoreBritish vs American English6929 Words   |  28 Pagesby adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009) | The English language was first introduced to the Americas by British colonization, beginning in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia. Similarly, the language spread to numerous other parts of the world as a result of British trade and colonization elsewhere and the spread of the former British Empire, which, by 1921, held sway over a population of 470–570 million people, approximately a quarter of theRead MoreSpelling Reforms1719 Words   |  7 PagesThe English Language originates from a Germanic language of the Indo-European family from several local languages brought by 6th century invaders.It has since spread throughout the British Isles and into various regions where Britain held overseas colonies. Today, as the second most spoken language in the world, it has been subjected to multiple prejudices concerning its acquisition, reception and learnability as a second language. As the language of business, science and technology, English shouldRead MoreAmerican and British English Pro nunciation Differences2740 Words   |  11 PagesAmerican and British English pronunciation differences From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Comparison of American and British English | American English British English | Computing | Keyboards | Orthography | Spelling | Speech | Accent Pronunciation | Vocabulary | American words not widely used in BritainBritish words not widely used in AmericaWords having different meanings in British and American English: A–L  Ã‚ · M–Z | Works | Works with different titles