The purpose of this essay is to give a detailed examination of some of the most significant features at which American English and British English diverge.
Despite having the vast majority of linguistic forms in common, American English (AmE) and British English (BrE), which are regarded as the two major varieties of the English language, differ in numerable points. For better understanding and easier comparison, the General American accent (GenAm), which "is used by two thirds of the American population", is used as a representative for the American English variety (Allerton 2002:16). The same function is applied to the Received Pronunciation (RP), because, although it is only spoken by circa three per cent of the population in England, it is the "most widely understood" and "most thoroughly described" accent in Britain (Hughes/Trudgill, 1996:4).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Pronunciation
3. Spelling
4. Grammar
5. Lexis
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This essay explores the primary linguistic differences between American English (AmE) and British English (BrE), focusing specifically on General American (GenAm) and Received Pronunciation (RP) as representative standard varieties. It aims to provide a structured comparison of how these two major language variants diverge across several key linguistic domains.
- Comparison of vowel systems and rhoticity in pronunciation.
- Analysis of spelling simplifications and derivation principles.
- Examination of morphological differences in verb forms.
- Investigation of vocabulary divergence due to historical and cultural development.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Pronunciation
In oral communication the differences in pronunciation are the most obvious ones. While the consonants of Received Pronunciation and General American English are the same, there is a clear difference in the number of phonemes of vowels: Received Pronunciation has 20, General American 16. One reason for this is that there are fewer diphthongs used in General American English in contrast to Received Pronunciation, which has the phonemes /ɪə/ /əɑ/ /ʊə/, and even they underlie a smoothing process so that /ʊə/ may be rendered as /oː/ and /əɑ/ may sound like /ɜː/. (Gramley/Pätzold, 2004:273)
Whereas Received Pronunciation only pronounces /r/ when it is followed by a vowel as in red or every, General American is a rhotic language, which means that /r/ is regularly pronounced where the spelling indicates it. For example car would be pronounced /car/ in AmE and /cɑː/ in BrE. But unlike General American English, Received Pronunciation also knows a linking /r/ to connect two words into a single phonetic unit to maintain a certain speech rhythm, even when there is no /r/ present in the spelling as in law officer /lɔːrɒfɪsə/. (ibid. 274)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the scope of the essay, identifying American and British English as the two major varieties and establishing General American and Received Pronunciation as the standards for comparison.
2. Pronunciation: This section details the phonetic differences between the two varieties, specifically highlighting the smaller vowel inventory in General American and the contrast between rhotic and non-rhotic speech patterns.
3. Spelling: This chapter examines the distinct orthographic conventions, focusing on American tendencies toward simplification and differing systems of regularization compared to British English.
4. Grammar: This part discusses morphological variations, particularly in past tense verb formations and the specific usage patterns of the verb 'get'.
5. Lexis: This chapter analyzes vocabulary divergence, attributing differences in terminology for everyday objects to historical, geographical, and cultural factors.
6. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings and notes that while global influences may impact spelling, future convergence or divergence between these standard varieties remains uncertain.
Keywords
American English, British English, General American, Received Pronunciation, Phonetics, Rhoticity, Spelling, Grammar, Lexis, Linguistic Variation, Morphology, Standardization, Language Evolution, Vocabulary, Diphthongs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this essay?
The essay provides a comparative analysis of the linguistic distinctions between American English and British English, focusing on their standard forms, GenAm and RP.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The core themes include pronunciation (phonetics), spelling, grammatical structures, and the development of distinct vocabulary (lexis).
What is the primary objective of the work?
The goal is to conduct a detailed examination of the most significant features that cause American and British English to diverge linguistically.
Which scientific method is applied?
The essay employs a descriptive, comparative linguistic approach, utilizing established reference literature to evaluate standard forms of both varieties.
What content is addressed in the main body?
The main body systematically analyzes four specific areas: phonological vowel differences, spelling rules and simplifications, verb morphology, and the historical drivers of lexical differences.
Which keywords characterize this essay?
Key terms include American English, British English, General American, Received Pronunciation, phonetics, rhoticity, spelling, grammar, and lexis.
How does the author explain the development of different vocabularies?
The author attributes lexical differences to a historical approach, noting that American settlers had to adapt to a new landscape, leading to the creation or adoption of new words.
Why is the influence of media on future linguistic convergence considered overrated?
The author suggests that despite the visibility of film and television, historical and regional linguistic roots remain strong, making it unpredictable whether the varieties will truly converge.
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- Adrian Müller (Autor), 2013, Differences between American and British English, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/315663
