Across the Pond: American vs. British English

Across the Pond: American vs. British English

English Language Tug of War English Dialects: American English, British English, South African English, Australian English, Cockney English, Southern American English... There are so many! For every dialect, someone will vow their version is the "right" version: "Americans can't spell." "The British can't tell advise from advice." We've heard it all! Before we get into the differences of American vs. British English, let's get one thing straight: Just as many British English writers struggle with poor grammar and spelling as American English writers. Whew! Glad that's out of the way! Whether you use American or British English, we will accept either as long as you stay consistent in the dialect you use throughout the whole article. Today's guide will help you on your journey to discovering the subtle nuances of American English and British English as well as strengthening your article writing skills. Let's get started! 5 American vs. British English Language Spelling Guidelines 1. Words ending in -or (American) vs. -our (British) Neighbor vs. Neighbour Favor vs. Favour 2. Words ending in -er (American) vs. -re (British) Center vs. Centre Meter vs. Metre 3. Verbs ending in -ize (American) vs. -ise (British) Organize vs. Organise Realize vs. Realise 4. Verbs ending in -yze (American) vs. -yse (British) Analyze vs. Analyse Paralyze vs. Paralyse 5. Nouns ending in -ense (American) vs. - ence (British) License vs. Licence Defense vs. Defence Please note the above guidelines are not comprehensive and there are many exceptions. If you are unsure, keep a dictionary on hand or perform a quick Internet search to ensure you are using the correct spelling for either dialect. Here are a few more spelling examples of American vs. British English to watch out for: Canceled (American) vs. Cancelled (British) Enroll (American) vs. Enrol (British) Gray (American) vs. Grey (British) Check (American) vs. Cheque (British) Maneuver (American) vs. Manoeuvre (British) What Did They Do to My Definite Article?! Our final guideline today on American vs. British English language often aggravates American English writers: "Why do British English writers insist on dropping the definite article (e.g. a, an, the, etc.) in phrases with institutional nouns (e.g. university, hospital, prison, etc.)?" For British English writers, it's based on the intention of the phrase. For example: John is at university. John is at the university. "John is at university" is the British English equivalent to the American English "John is a university student." When we add the definite article ("John is at the university"), the meaning changes: John is no longer necessarily a college student; he is merely located on the university's property. We've covered a lot of ground today! Remember: Be consistent and when all else fails, look up the spelling based on the dialect to ensure you don't confuse your audience. Stop the tug of war over the English language and strengthen your article writing skills by keeping these guidelines in mind for your next set of quality, original articles. Do you write your articles for American or British English language readers? Share your tips and comments about the American vs. British English langauge tug of war here!