Презентація на тему:
Americanisms in British English

Tatyana Suprun, School 17 Cherkassy Americanisms in British English

“We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language” Oscar Wilde “The Canterville Ghost”

The American language as a variety of English started to develop in the XVII century, thanks to loanwords and consequently to the development of American culture.

I think this work is of current importance now since the British English language changes constantly, borrowing words from other languages, including American English.

British & American spelling

Americans have a tendency to simplify the pronunciation & spelling of English words, according to their needs & comfort, while the British tend to pronounce & write according to the rules.

British American -our -or Humour Favour Colour Neighbour Humor Favor Color Neighbor

American –er at word ending is sometimes equivalent to –re. British Theatre Centre Metre American Theater Center Meter

Grammatical differences between British & American English

Grammatical differences between British & American English are minimal. Perhaps the main one is the American use of the past tense where British English would use the present perfect tense.

“Have you collected your ticket yet?” “Did you collect your ticket yet?” American British

Americans say, Do you have…? where many British people would say Have you got…?

There are a few differences in the use of prepositions: American Life in Ukraine is different than life in America. I meet with my friends every weekend. British Life in Ukraine is different from life in America. I meet my friends every weekend.

Such words as “gotta” & “wanna” are purely of American English. Americans tend to simplify British grammar rules. American I wanna go to the theater. British I want to go to the theatre.

Lexical differences between British & American English

American apartment bar bathroom can cookie dresser elevator subway taxi vacation British flat pub lavatory tin biscuit wardrobe lift underground cab holiday

Grammatical difference. Grammatical differences of American variant consist in following: 1.In that events, when Britainians use Present Perfect, in States can be used Present Perfect or Past Simple. 2.Take a shower/a bath instead of have a shower/a bath. 3.Shall is not used. In all persons is used by will. 4.Needn't (do) usually is not used. Accustomed form -don't need to (do). 5.After demand, insist, require etc should usually is NOT used. I demanded that he apologize (instead of I demanded that he should apologise in British variant).

6. to/in THE hospital instead of to/in hospital in BrE. 7. on the weekend/on weekend instead of at the weekend/at weekend. 8. on a street instead of in a street. 9. Different from or than instead of different to/from 10. Write is used with to or without the pretext. 11. Past participle of "got" is "gotten" 12. To burn, to spoil and other verbs, which can be regular or irregular in the British variant, in the American variant ALWAYS regular. 13. Past Perfect, as a rule, is not used completely.

Finally, a great deal of common English colloquialisms are American in origin: OK, cool, hot.

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