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I know the American because I come from the American continent(however I live next to Guyana and they speak British) but I must learn British for my role play.

As a future English teacher I have to know Both!! I like each one since I was a little girl, eventhough my daddy just taught me the American and I am used to it, already! It takes time to get used to a language. It happened to me when I was learning French, so, If you don't like one's accent, it does not mean that is bad. That's a wrong term that people use when they are refering to something they don't like; I conclude that everything is a matter of taste

Well said, Oriani. Well said! :D
Will you be my teacher?

I'll be graduating in 2009

No need to wait for your graduation. You've been a teacher here, at EC!

Britons speak more clearly I think than Americans. However, BrEng's intonation is a bit complicated compared to AmEng. This is my personal view..

IowaRocks wrote:I personally believe British English is too "flowery." American English seems to be more direct and to the point, but in the case of creative writing it is better to use flowery language, so it's important to understand both.

I think so, too. But AmEng has its own good points and BrtEng does. We shouldn't consider which is better.

Yeah, I know this thread's been dead for over a year, but I need to say this. Being South African (and a canyon crab at that), I've heard the South African accent the most. It doesn't differ very much from traditional British because of most Anglo-African's heritage. It has, however, mixed alot with the Dutch diriven Afrikaans, making it what most people would say "less correct".

Personally, I think that American English is the best. I don't think it's easier to learn, but it's been made that way in some regions, giving it somewhat of a bad name. For example: I can't explain how much I hate it that so many people mix the past and the present or past perfect in the sense of "I seen" instead of the correct "I have or I had seen". All English dialects are guility of it, and I can't stand it.

Anyway, I think that for a Afrikaans speaker, American English is more fluid, but has a more difficult vocabulary as it has nearly twice as many words as British English. The spelling is easier, though.The New England accent (excluding Rhode Island and Boston) sounds so professional. I guess that's why all American news broadcast in other nations has Americans with that accent.

danyet wrote:There is not enough difference between the way Americans and English talk to even say that they are speaking different "dialects". It is the same language with a regional accent. Just the same as Australian or New Zealand or South Africans speak.

I am afraid that this person is incorrect. There is a remarkable difference between American and British English. The best way to understand the differences, if you believed what this person here wrote, then I suggest you rent a movie such as "SNATCH", by Guy Ritchie.

This movie demonstrates the differences quite a bit, (exclude the Brad Pitt) character. The Brits use a more formal sounding language, where Americans (and Canadians), use a more informal sounding language. Of course there are many words that are common, but there are plenty words and expressions that just are not.

To any native speaker of English, the differences are remarkably vast. Line up (1,5, 1000) Brits and Yanks, the native speaker will identify them with one hundred percent accuracy...

(I am a native speaker of English)
(You are not... and it is obvious... not with just this post, but others by you i have read)

Xkalibur wrote: I don't hear any difference between BrEng and AmEng when I'm trying understand it by watching BBC and CNN. If possible, can anybody tell what my writings looks like more, BrEn or AmEn? Or is the difference only in pronunciation?

According to my grammar book, BrEng says, for example: Have you had a dinner? AmEng says: Did you have a dinner?

The differences are huge! The structure is the same as are most, if not all grammar points. The difference comes from word choices and pronunciation... Rent a movie called KNOTTING HILL... watch it in English (obviously) and note the differences between Hugh Grant's character and Julia Robert's character... In fact, with the exception of Julia's character and Hugh's "room-mate" (we say room-mate, they say flatmate or lodger)... everyone in there is British speaking...ok...

danyet wrote:

Xkalibur wrote:
According to my grammar book, BrEng says, for example: Have you had a dinner? AmEng says: Did you have a dinner?

YOur book is wrong. You will hear both ways spoken everywhere. Most of the difference is in the overall accent, particularly the "r"s "a"s, and some minor spelling differences.

Again you are mistaken... Neither of us use either of those phrases... however, we both do say "Have you had dinner?" and "Did you have dinner?" If you did not see the difference between what the fellow wrote and I wrote... then I believe that you should perhaps grab a book or two yourself...

And again, most of the difference is not in the overall accent! They are different, but an accent usually comes from a particular way words are pronounced! The accent is obvious, but word usage is where we differ dramatically...

EG- Toss it in the boot!

or
Put it in the trunk!

Both Americans and British people would say both of these expressions... but one would never say one of them... You, as the expert, post which is which...

It's not important! It is the same language and only the usage varies. Every generation has their peciliarities and they are easily adaptable.

Why English doesn´t have Academy Languages like Spanish, which has a Royal Academy of Spanish language, and even an Academy for each language spanish country?? and beliveme there are differences and ways to express our ideas.

American English and Brith English I can't distinguish clearly! Because my English is poor.So I want to learn English well, So hope to make friends here.Yours English is excellent! I think so!I'm 21 years old.
Who can help me ? Thanks in advance!

I don't know why but I prefer American English.
However,my teacher said I was better at British English:((

I am a fan of American accent ... it forces you to love english language .. when it comes to British it is tooooooooooooooooo tough .... I dont like it ..

Vega wrote: I don't hear any difference between BrEng and AmEng when I'm trying understand it by watching BBC and CNN. If possible, can anybody tell what my writings looks like more, BrEn or AmEn? Or is the difference only in pronunciation?

According to my grammar book, BrEng says, for example: Have you had a dinner? AmEng says: Did you have a dinner?

There is abit difference in accent and pronunciation of both languages, I will mention some words as a sample below:
Opportunity: In Amenglish it is pronounced as (aparchunity)
Opportunity: BrEnglish it is pronounced as (apartunity)


Immediate: AmEnglish pronunciation (Immediate)
Immediate: BrEnglish pronunciation (Immejiate)

And Many more. But I beleive that is not easily understood. and there is no big difference in writting or speech.

From a structural standpoint, the two dialects are almost identical. When reading text that is written by a native English speaker, I am often unable to discern whether the writer is British or American (I am a native American English Speaker). As many others have noted, the main difference can be observed with spoken English. From as objective as a viewpoint as possible, I believe that American English is easier to comprehend. This is because there there is more distinction between different words due to the larger range of sounds (e.g. farther vs. father) as well as the closer correlation between how a word should be pronounced based on the basic phonetic system of English and the proper pronunciation of a particular word, which is due to the American English revision of spellings (e.g. center vs. centre). As for difficulty of comprehension for a native English speaker of the opposite dialect, both are almost completely mutually intelligible. While some phrases that are used may not be common in the opposing dialect, it is easy to figure out what the intended meaning of the speaker is.

I agree with you @ Savetherocks.
The minor difference can be understood while communicating to them. And American English is easily understood by most of the people and easily learned as well

Hi friend

According to me, British is better

Murugan

SilverFish wrote:Sometimes,I wonder why most people think American English is better. Because the original English speakers are the British.

I am agree with u honey.

I agree with you Maniya. En Language originated in GB. I'm having a hard time with their accent, especially Scottish, but you can't beat the original.

Yes, british is the original English speaker but I find slightly difference between the two. Accent, pronunciation and some spelling differ like summarise(GB English) - summarize(Am English). Both are better.

American english is commonly used all over the world but in the other hand you are also right that the original speaker of english are British.

yahh yahh

Neither is better, because language is just a bunch of sounds put together that some people thought would be good for communication purposes.

The average American cannot understand foreigners at all if they do not attempt to speak with a standard American accent like one you would hear in the Midwest, or even large parts of Canada. I struggle very hard understanding Asian ESL speakers who use the British accent for English, so if you're going to be working in the states or with mostly Americans, go with American teachers.

There are some accents of English emerging that are almost becoming their own language. Those are the types of English teachers I would stay away from, that are going to teach you such a highly unique style of English that only one or two regions would understand you (for example, Welsh valley accent, Geordie accent, certain Irish & Scottish accents). When I was learning Korean, I wanted to learn the Seoul dialect that millions of people would understand, not the Pusan dialect or the Gwangju dialect - just as an example

I don't like to much British english, I always preffer American English. I think British it's too much polite, have other pronunciation and other words. When I heard a British people speaking, the first thing I imagine was a royal people, but when I heard an American didn't happend.
Also British is more easy for understand, they pronnunce better. It's like everyone everyone :)

I think the same as you Elba. British english have more pronunciation and stress syllables than American. At my school, they teached me British english and I didn't like to much. I prefer American. At university I take some subjects of American english and I like it.
When I heard british speakers I think in the royalty of England, and this is the reason because I prefer American English.

I'm from Chile, here whe have a very special type of spanish, we have lots of words wich you only understand if you are from Chile. But I love my country.

I believe, that any of them are better than other, only are different dialect, but for me a English learner is easier to understand and speak American English, but in the other hand British English is more beautiful have a different sound that make it more interesting…

I am English and I am going to say that both are equally good. They are just a little bit different. The most important thing is being clear and able to make yourself understood.

englishttw wrote:I am English and I am going to say that both are equally good. They are just a little bit different. The most important thing is being clear and able to make yourself understood.

I agree. The most important thing is to understand each other :) But I prefer British maybe because of the accent :P

Actually, I think American and British grammar are not that different. But most people prefer American English because it is more easy to speak. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_American_and_British_English

I absolutely hate American English, it seems its everywhere now and it simply drives me to distraction.

All languages and dialects are good. We can't say any language or dislect is better than the other. It's the same about accents. So both American and British English are good and if you live in a country that English is not your first language you can choose between theses two because both of them are perfect.
British and American English mostly differ in pronunciation.Sometimes, they may have different words for expressing the same meaning and sometimes the same words are used to express different meanings in these two accents.

Hi,

American English has many expressions/ terms/ words and even sayings that are not used in British English and vice versa.
Regarding the accent differences; both the General American and Standard British accents can be understood by a wide variety of non native English speakers, since they are very 'clear' (meaning they are devoid of various local accent influences and are therefore kept 'general'), so that anyone who speaks English with either one of those accents would have a 'non specific' geographical origin (ie, it would be hard to tell where that person is from)- other than that they have a 'general' American or a 'general/standard' British accent.

If you have any other accent related questions, please feel free to ask.

Michael Andrews
Dialect Coach

There are numerous words that are spelt diversely in both types of English. A few cases are:

American English
1. Analyze
2. Color
3. Center
4. Anesthesia
5. Fulfill

British English
1. Analyse
2. Colour
3. Centre
4. Anaesthesia
5. Fulfil

Scrabble word finder..