393Kviews
British English Vs American English: 24 Differences Illustrated
393Kviews
Given the number of places around the world that English is spoken, differences are bound to emerge. Despite how much the USA and UK have in common, there are enough differences between their two versions of the English language that someone may not always understand exactly what someone from the other country is saying. Not only are there 160 distinct dialects of the English language, but there's also different spelling and even words, used to describe one or other thing. Fortunately, the US State Department has created a series of these useful graphics to help clear things up between the British English Vs. American English usage.
Did you know, that the difference between spelling words like American color and British colour, or humor and humour, comes from the Brits adopting, their now called British words, from Old French language? When it came to America later, the spelling was simplified. And so is with many other American English and British English differences, as the adaptation of grammar took its part.
The US and the UK's imperial histories and modern influence over the world have changed the English wording forever. Because it was exported to countries all over the world, it has been forced to accept different variations of the same language, the most known one to be the British Vs. American.
Even if you're a native speaker of UK or US English, there's a good chance you'll learn something new here. Check the brilliant graphs about British Vs. American English language differences below.
More info: americanenglish.state.gov (h/t: designyoutrust, demilked)
This post may include affiliate links.
British Vs American Words For Clothing
British Vs American Words For Food
We too have french fries (what you get in McDonalds) chips are different. We also use peckish and hungry they indicate a degree in our state of hunger.
British Vs American Words For Vegetables
British Vs American Words For Housing
Labeling of floors in elevators in both the US and UK is a permanent cause of confusion for continental ppl lol
British English Vs American English
One of my sister in laws had a period of schooling in the states and had the class in fits of laughter when she asked for a rubber to rectify a mistake she had made not realising that a rubber was slang for a condom. Very red faced.
British English Vs American English
Autumn is widely used in the US. Basically holiday means a public holiday (what would be called a bank holiday in the UK) whereas vacation is your time off work. Actually that seems pretty reasonable.
British English Vs American English
Estate wagon sounds so much better. Would probably sell better too. You can't call a '78 Oldsmobile station wagon a 'sports wagon'...estate wagon would totally work tho
British Vs American Spelling
A parlour is a nice room in your house for special guests (bit old fashioned), you generally don't by ice cream there.
British Vs American Words For Sweets
sweets/candy in Australia = lollies, candy floss= fairy floss, ice lolly = icy pole,
British Vs American
British English Vs American English
The southern U.S. version of dish towel is "cup towel," even though you dry other dishes with it. And if we are betraying our roots, we say "dishrag" or "washrag" instead of dish cloth. I have to be really cautious to say the fancier one.
British Vs American Spelling
British Vs American Differences
Zebra crossing sounds like it would be way cooler than it actually is.
British Vs American
Diversion was a nightmare when I first moved to England! We were lost for 2 hours because the highway just closed and we had to exit! We had no clue what to do. Finally we saw a tiny sign that said diversion. We followed it and made it home!
What about petrol vs. gasoline?
That's there. It's near the bottom, though.
And pram vs. stroller?
For British English we tend to use Pushchair
No we don’t we use pram.
I would say that a pram is bigger than a pushchair.
Prams used to be common in the UK but you hardly ever see them now. Pushchairs/buggies have taken over.
or foetus disposal containment unit
I think it depends on what area of UK you live in as where I'm from (north west) we use pram / buggie
Push chair
In Britain we say sellotape (for sticky tape) whereas my American friend calls it scotch tape... :)
We say scotch tape as scotch is a tape brand here, just as we call bandages "band-aids", cotton swabs "q-tips" and jelatinis desserts "jello".
I am becoming mixed up here, Scotch tape is a brand name, as well as the others listed and all used here, but we have jelly
*Gelatinous
It's gelatinous.. sorry. and yes.. Americans call things by popular brand names i.e.. Tylenol for acetaminophen.
Sellotape and Scotch tape are both brand names, which is why they had to say 'sticky tape' on Blue Peter (a popular children's TV programme) in the 1970s!
What about petrol vs. gasoline?
That's there. It's near the bottom, though.
And pram vs. stroller?
For British English we tend to use Pushchair
No we don’t we use pram.
I would say that a pram is bigger than a pushchair.
Prams used to be common in the UK but you hardly ever see them now. Pushchairs/buggies have taken over.
or foetus disposal containment unit
I think it depends on what area of UK you live in as where I'm from (north west) we use pram / buggie
Push chair
In Britain we say sellotape (for sticky tape) whereas my American friend calls it scotch tape... :)
We say scotch tape as scotch is a tape brand here, just as we call bandages "band-aids", cotton swabs "q-tips" and jelatinis desserts "jello".
I am becoming mixed up here, Scotch tape is a brand name, as well as the others listed and all used here, but we have jelly
*Gelatinous
It's gelatinous.. sorry. and yes.. Americans call things by popular brand names i.e.. Tylenol for acetaminophen.
Sellotape and Scotch tape are both brand names, which is why they had to say 'sticky tape' on Blue Peter (a popular children's TV programme) in the 1970s!