Some Facts about American English and British English

• American English is the language spoken by U.S. government officials, network newscasters, et. It does not include Canadian English which falls outside of the definition of “American English”. Canadian pronunciation is similar to American English but the spelling is more often like the Commonwealth form of English. American English is also used by countries and organizations like Japan, Philippines, and Liberia where English is the most influenced by the United States.

• British English is otherwise known as “Commonwealth English” and is assumed to be the form of English spoken in southeast England and the BBC and understood in other parts of the United Kingdom. Various forms of pronunciations exist throughout the region. Commonwealth English is written in most of the English-speaking world including Australia (though the dialect is different), New Zealand (different dialect like the one in Australia), South Africa and the United Kingdom. The dialect differs some from country to country but is much like Commonwealth English versus American English. British English, or Commonwealth English is widespread throughout the areas that Britain had or currently has as colonies.

• Although British English and American English are similar there are enough differences between the two languages to cause some awkward situations and misunderstandings. Sometimes the differences between the two languages can even lead to a complete communication failure. There is a famous quote by George Bernard Shaw that the United States and United Kingdom are “two countries divided by a common language”.

Spelling Differences between American English and British English

-or/-our

American words ending in –or may end in –our in Commonwealth English.

American English Examples: color, flavor, honor, favorite, savory

Commonwealth English Examples: colour, flavour, honour, favourite, savoury

-er/-re

Some words of French or Greek origin in Commonwealth English end in consonants and are followed by –re which is unstressed and pronounced “r”. Most of these same words have a –er ending in American English. This is especially true of words in Commonwealth English that end in –bre and –tre.

American English Examples: fiber, saber, center, specter, theater

Commonwealth English Examples: fibre, saber, centre, spectre, theatre

-se/-ce

American English retains the noun/verb distinction in certain words which are indicated by their endings. For example, advice/advise, device/devise, licence/license, practice/practice.

American English Examples: defense, offense, pretense

Commonwealth English Examples: defence, offence, pretence

-ction/-xion

American English Examples: inflection, deflection, reflection

Commonwealth English Examples: inflexion, deflexion, reflexion

-ize/-ise

American English Examples: colonize, harmonize, realize, organize

Commonwealth English Examples: colonise, harmonise, realize, organize

-yze

This ending is possible only in American English.

American English Examples: analyze, catalyze, hydrolyze, paralyze

Commonwealth English Examples: analyse, catalyse, hydrolyse, paralyse

-og/-ogue

American English Examples: analog, catalog, dialog,

Commonwealth English Examples: analogue, catalogue, dialogue