Differences Between British English and American English

This year’s summer Olympics will be held in London so the British capital is sure to be flooded with tourists from all over the world who want to get a first hand look at the event.

One of the things that many visitors to London may notice, especially those coming from America, is that although English is spoken in the city, it may not necessarily sound familiar to other people. Other than the thick British accent that takes some time getting accustomed to, there are actually some words and phrases used in Britain that mean something entirely different in America.

British English and American English

In forms of writing, the two versions of English are quite similar. George Bernard Shaw once commented that Britain and America are “two countries divided by a common language”.

The formal English that we often see in newspapers is referred to as Standard English. Although both British and Americans speak English, there are many differences between the two languages, that sometimes, it may seem like an entirely different language is spoken.

British English refers to the form of English that is spoken in the United Kingdom, including all the English dialects in the country. It is also called “the Queen’s English,” as well as “Oxford English” or “BBC English”.

On the other hand, American English is the form of English that is spoken in the US. It was the British that introduced the English language to America, but the language has evolved into its own version in the United States.

What is the Official Language of the United States of America?

If English is your answer, sorry, you are wrong. If your answer is American English, you are still wrong! English is not the official language of the United States of America. In fact, the US has no official language, at least on the federal level. One would think that English, which is undoubtedly the lingua franca of business and global politics today, is by default the most powerful nation's official language. But it is not. There has never been one, and will probably never will be, at least in the near foreseeable future.

Why is this so? One theory is because it goes against the spirit on which the US was founded on. America is a country of immigrants of different races, religions, political beliefs, customs, traditions, and of course, languages. The Constitution of the US protects the freedoms of its citizens on many levels including their individuality and diversity. And language forms a big part of every citizen.

If Columbus discovered America, why isn't Spanish the official language?

The first Europeans who set foot on the Americas (North and South American continents) were not the Spaniards or the Portuguese. Vikings already found themselves in Canada even before the Spanish explorers sent their vast ships to find more lands and riches to conquer. But it was the voyages of the Spanish backed Christopher Columbus and his crew that were credited with the discovery of the Americas.