毕业论文-英式英语和美式英语的不同_The_Differences_Between_British_English_and_American_English
The Differences Between British English and American English
Contents
Abstract
British English and American English are the two major varieties of English in the world at present. They are belong to the same language -- English, there is there're common ground between them. Due to they developed independently with the different historical backgrounds, geography and culture. Of course, there are also many differences between them. As the English learners, it is necessary for us to get somewhat acquainted with the differences between them to help our study and keep us from unnecessary troubles. Because someone who don't know British and American English clearly, have a prejudice about British and American English, like that "which is better?" This thesis makes an analysis and comparison of British English and American English in terms of history, pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary and grammar, hoping to help you completely and objectively know the differences between British and American English.
Key words: English viariety historical background differences
摘要：
英式英语和美式英语是当今世界两种最为主要的英语变体，它们隶属同一种语言——英语，两者间有着必然的联系。由于它们各自成长于不同的历史背景和地域文化，两者之间也存在许多差异。作为英语学习者，我们应该清楚他们之间的区别，以便在使用的过程中避免一些不必要的错误。由于对英语与美语了解不全面，许多人对英语或美语存有偏见，认为其中的某一种更优越。通过此文对英式英语和美式英语历史、读音、拼写、词汇以及语法几个方面的分析和比较，希望能够帮助大家全面客观地看待英式英语和美式英语的区别。
关键词：英语变体历史背景区别
1.Introduction
Nowadays English is one of the most important languages in the world because of its worldwide use. Under the influence of geography, history, cultural and social
customs in different areas, until recently, English has been divided into many varieties: Australian English, New Zealand English, Scottish English, Northern Irish English, Welsh English, South African English, Canadian English, and so on. British English and American English are the two main varieties of them. As the Non-Native English speakers, most of the English learners in china think that the language used by British and American are the same one-English, and there are no differences between British English and American English. In fact, there are many unquestioned discrepancies between they two.
2.Background
2.1 The English Language
2.1.1 The origin of the English Language
The early inhabitants of the island we now call England were Celts(also called Britons). In 55 B.C. Britain was invaded by the Roman conqueror Julius Caesar. Until 410 A.D. all the roman troops returned to the continent, thus ending the Roman occupation of Britain. Later on, three tribes from the Northern Europe invaded Britain and settled down on the island: Angles, Saxons and Jutes. These three tribes merged into one people. And the three dialects they spoke naturally grew into a single language, the English Language.
2.2.2 The divisions of the history of the English Language
The history of the English Language is divided into three periods:
The period from 450 to 1150 is known as the Old English or Anglo-Saxon period. It is described as the period of full inflections, since during most of this period the case endings of the noun, the adjective, and the conjugation of the verb were not weakend.
The period from 1150 to 1500 is known as the Middle English period. During this period the inflections, which had begun to break down towards the end of the Old English period, became greatly reduced, and it is known as the period of leveled inflections.
The period from 1500 to the present day is called the modern English period. A large part of the oridinal inflectional system has disappeared, and it is known as the period of lost inflections.
2.2.3 The character of the English Language
By the more than 1500 years' changes, the English Language has developed from a local language spoken by a small number of people in Germanic tribes to its present position as a very important language spoken by a large numbers of people all over the world. The wide spread of English can due to the development of the politics, economy and the society. Meanwhile, the unique character of the English Language is also very unnoticiable.
On the one hand, it shares with West Germanic languages many common words and similar grammatical structures. On the other hand, more than half of the English vocabulary is derived from Latin and French. Besides, English has accepted words from other languages of the world in the course of its historical development. The English Language is a international language.
2.2 The English Language in America
2.2.1 The varieties of English
With the colonial expansion to the abroad and the foundation of British empire, more and more countries touched and accepted the English Language. Besides America, there are Canada, Austrilia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and so on. Because of the differences of their history, geography, politics, economy and cultural backgrounds, the English may be grouped into many varieties. And British English and American English are two major varieties of English at present.
Strictly speaking, British English is the English spoken by the great majority of educated people in South and Southeast England, especially in London and its vicinity. BrE or BE is short for British English. American English is General American spoken by the great majority of the American people. AmE or AE is short for American English.
It is very important to know that British and American English should be regarded as two different forms of one language, not as two different languages. Thomas Pyles et al point out in their book The Origin and Development of the English Language that on the one hand, there is no essential difference between the English of America and that of Great Britain; on the other hand, there is a difference between national varieties, just as there are subvarieties within them, but those differnces are insignificant in comparision with the similarities. English is unmistakably one language, with two major national dialects:British and American.
2.2.2 The development of American English
At the beginning of 17th century the English language was brought to North America by colonists from England. The British people used the language spoken in England, that is, Elizabethan English, the language used by Shakespeare and Milton and Bunyan. Since the seventeenth century, the time of American colonization, English has been the language of the United States.
The development of the English language in America can be simply separated into three periods:
The first period extends from the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 to the end of colonial times. This time may be put at 1787, or at 1790. In this period the population in America numbered about four million, 90 percent of whom came from British. The second period covers the expansion of the original thirteen colonies. This period was marked by the arrival of the new immigrants from Ireland and Germany. The third period, the period since the Civil War, is marked by an important change in the source from which the European immigrants came.
Through these periods, the American English had developed its own features.
2.2.3 The features of American English
Conservation and innovation are two main features of American English. On the one hand, American English has preserved certain older features of the language which have disappeared from British English. A number of survivals of British English mentioned above represent conservation of the American vocabulary. On the other hand, American English is imbued with the frontier spirit, ingenuity, vividness and casualness.American English invented large numbers of new words and gived new meaning to the old words to meet their various need. It has developed a character of its own, reflecting the life and the physical and social environment of the American people.
When we talk about American English, it should be motioned here that American English abounds in idioms of its own.
Why is English, especially American English, so heavily idiomatic? Adam Makkai wrote in A Dictionary of American Idioms: "The most probable reason is that we develop new concepts, we need new experience for them, but instead of creating a brand new word, we use some already existant words and put them together in a new sense." A few examples mey be given as follows:
That will do! (an expression of impatience meaning 'stop' )
to bring to a close (to terminate)
to come to blows (to begine to fight)
to let George do it(to let someone else perform a task which one should do himself)
to take one's word (to believe)
These idioms and slang are the development of English in America. And there are now approximately 10,000 slangy words in American English,e.g.
killer (a very well-dressed or charming person)
to take five (to take five-minute break )
to down (to defeat another)
to go west; to kick the bucket; to kick off (to die)
to throw the hooks into (to cheat)
What do you say? (a convertional greeting that needs no reply)
2.3 The reasons for the differences
Why does British English differ from American English? The differences between the two varieties are due to two factors.
a) one important reason is the change of BrE itself.
As above, the English language, taken to America during the 17th century, was the language used in Britain at that time. Now AmE still preserved many old words, while these words have bacome obsolete in BrE. All languages change as time passes, independent linguistic change within each variety may be the cause of some differences. One variety may preserve archaisms which the other has lost, or may introduce new meanings for old words which the other has not introduced.
Take "I guess" for an example, it existed many years ago in BrE. But now only British English rarely use it. On the contary, American Emglish speakers use it very often. In the past fifty years British English has adopted a great number of words that originated in American English. Words, like cafeteria, highlight, talkshow, to televise, etc. are examples. That is to say, BrE and AmE both have been developing all the same time but in their personal ways.
b)the second obvious is the dependent development of AmE.
In the earliest period a number of words denoting places, plants, animals, tools, and customs which exsited in America were added to the English language. New objects
and experiences were encountered in America which needed naming, either by adapting British English or by creating new words. American English has acquired a character of its own.
The term harmonica is a good example. Harmonica, the name of a musical instrument, was invented in 1762 by Benjamin Franklin. Other examples are: panhandle (the narrow part of a state extending outward like a pan' s handle) and butte (an abrupt isolated hill with a flat top) denote features not found in Britain.
e.g. hickory (a type of tree of North America which provides hard wood and bears nut),
moose(a type of large deer, with very large flat horns, that lives in the northern part of America),
tomahawk (a light axe used by North American Indians in war and hunting),
wigwam (a tent of the type used by North American Indians)
The above-mentioned words belong to American English and were borrowed from Amrican Indian languages. And America also borrowed words from the other varieties of languages, including: Spanish and African languages. Words used in one variety are often borrowed into the other.
3. Differences between BrE & AmE
Before comparing BrE and AmE, perhaps it is important to mention the following point: Differences can be found between BrE and AmE in many accepts, but the concept of difference must not be taken too far, as the basic word stock, grammar and phonetic system of both varieties are essentially the same, and the similarities are more than the differences between them. In practice, the coexitence of BrE and AmE are common, and the differences between they two will not affect the ordinary communication.
3.1Differences in pronunciation 60'
3.1.1 Differences in individual sounds
1) Americans prefer to use flat \a\, similar to / /, in words path, grass, answer, etc. against the broad a currently used by Englishmen.
2)Americans retain the \r\ at the end of the words car, etc. or before consonants as in hard,etc.; in British English the \r\ is not pronounced, as in teacher / /.
[BrE] star / / car / /
[AmE] star / / car / /
(Webster's pronounciation
symbols)
3) Words in a stressed syllable spelled with a letter o followed by a single explosive consonant, such as dog, not, stop are pronounced by British speakers with a rounded and short vowel / /, whereas in America, people use \ \ with no rounding of lips.
4) Words begining with wh in which, when, why,etc. are pronounced differently in British and American English,e.g.
[BrE] [AmE]
which
when
why
white
[Note: However, who, whose and whom are pronounced as /hu:/, /hu:z/ and /hu:m/ both in British and American English.]
5) The letter a in consonant combinations aft, ask, ass, ath, alf and ance is pronounced as / / in British English, whereas a is pronounced as \a\ in American English.
[BrE] [AmE]
advance
after
ask
dance
fast
half
6) Diphthongs in British English are replaced by long vowels in American English.
/ / by \ \ / / by \ \
/ / by \ \ / / by \ \
[BrE] [AmE]
close
gave
hero
parent
7) In British English four-syllabled words ending in -ary or -ery are pronounced as three syllables.
[BrE] [AmE]
cemetery
ordinary
secretary
8)/ / in British English is pronounced as \ \ in American English.
[BrE] [AmE]
cup
dull
one
9) Note the striking differences in pronounciation of certain words as lieutenant, schedule, etc.
[BrE] [AmE]
clerk
either
lieutenant
schedule
tomato
vase
3.1.2 Differences in stress
1) Pronounciation of long words:
British English tends to stess strongly one syllable, usually the first and hurries over the rest of the word. American English tends to put the stress on the first syllable but also to put a secondary stress on the latter syllable and pronounces the remaining syllables more distinctly.
[BrE] [AmE]
secretary
factory
decorative
dictionary
2) Different stresses on the same words:
[BrE] [AmE]
adult
advertisement
laboratory
necessarily
ordinary
3.2 Differences in spelling
There are sets of regular spelling differences that exist between the BrE and AmE. Some are due to American innovations or to overt attempts at spelling regularization. Others simply reflect the fact that English spelling was variable in earlier times and the two varieties chose different varieties as their standard. Below is a list showing the major spelling differences. No attempt has been made to include every word falling under the particular spelling correspondence.
[BrE] [AmE]
-our -or colour/color favour/favor honour/honor
-ou- -o- mould/mold moult/molt smoulder/smolder
-ae/oe- -e- mediaeval/medieval amoeba/ameba foetus/fetus
en- in- encase/incase enclose/inclose ensure/insure
-dgement -dgment abridgement/abridgment judgement/judgment
-re -er centre/center fibre/fiber metre/meter
-ce -se defence/defense licence/license offence/offense
-ise -ize apologise/apologize capitalise/capitalize dramatise/dram atize
-xion -ction connexion/connection deflexion/deflction
-l- -ll- skilful/skillful instil/instill fulfil/fulfill
-gg- -g- waggon/wagon
-st no ending whilst/while amidst/amid amongst/among
miscellaneous cheque/check draught/draft gaol/jail kerb/curb tyre/tir e
hyphenated separate book-keeper/bookkeeper flower-pot/flowerpot
3.3 Differences in vocabulary
3.3.1 Different words with the same meaning
From the daily speech of Britain and American, we usually find that they use the different word to express the same thing. A few examples are listed below so as to explain the differences.
[BrE] [AmE] 中文
flat apartment 公寓
sweets candy 糖果
phone call 打电话
taxi cab 出租车
autumn fall 秋季
lorry truck 卡车
bobby policeman 警察
ill sick 生病
lift elevator 电梯
motorcar automobile/car 摩托车
3.3.2 The same word with the different meanings
Quite a number of words have different meaning on both sides of the Atlantic. Broadly speaking, they consist of three types:
a)When the Americans needed to express a new object, one handy means was to give an existing word a new meaning. e.g.
clout-power, influence, or prestige, esp. in politics
family-one of the operational unites of the Mafia
window-short for launch window
b)Some meanings that were once current in England have becom obsolete but survived in America.
For example, get, got, gotten. In the past, BrE used gotten as the past participle of verb get. Nowadays, AmE retain the usage gotten, but British English speakers often use got.
c)A number of English words simply changed their maening in the United States. Be as follows:
billion- 1,000,000,000,000 [BrE]
- 1,000,000,000 [AmE]
creek - a small arm of the sea [BrE]
- any small stream [AmE]
bakery - the craft of the baker, or the place for making bread
[BrE]
- the place where baked goods are available to the consumer [AmE]
grocery - the merchandise(in the fifteenth century)[BrE]
- a retail establishment(in the seventeenth century)[AmE]
public school - any of a limited number of private secondary school for boys, who live as well as study there [BrE]
- a free local primary school supported by taxes, usually for both boys and girls who study there but live at home [AmE]
Both British and American English use the phrase' Do you have…? ' but with different meaning.
In American English ' Do you have…? 'means: 'Do you possess at this moment of time?'
In British English ' Do you have…? ' means: 'Do you habitually have?'
3.3.3 Words without equivalent
There are some words without counterpart in BrE or AmE. That is, these words are unique in their own countries. In American English some words were borrowed from the American Indians and non-English immigrants. e.g.
bayon(F. landscape) canyon(Spa. landscape)
Some words were invented by themslves with the time change based on their personal experiences. e.g.
white house/shadow cabinet[AmE] prince/duke[BrE]
3.3 Differences in grammar
Grammatical differences between British and American English are few and trivial. Here are some examples to give a comparison, can't include everything. In this part we will discuss differences both in morphology and syntax.
1. Collective noun
British English often use the collective noun as the plural mood, but in American English it is singular. e.g.
The Government regard that … [BrE]
The Government regards that … [AmE]
2. Verb
In British English the verb get has its past participle got while American English speakers always use gotten as its past participle,e.g.
I wish I could have got here sooner. [BrE]
I wish I could have gotten here sooner. [AmE]
3. Preposition
The phrase different from is used for both American and British English. Some British English speakers say different to: He is different to me. Some American English speakers say different than: He is diffeerent than I am.
In American Enlish the word home is used without the preposition at as an adverbial of place, but British English requires the phrase at home, not home alone,e.g.
Is he at home? [BrE]
Is he home? [AmE]
British English requires the preposition on before a day of the week or a specific date, while American English does without the preposition on before it, e.g.
The new term begines on September 1. [BrE]
The new term begines September 1. [AmE]
I will see you on Sunday. [BrE]
I will see you Sunday. [AmE]
4. Pronoun
When the indefinite pronoun everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, no one and nobody is used in a sentence, In BrE people use the plural mood of the pronoun their, but in AmE people use the singular mood his or her.e.g.
Everyone should be honest with themselves. [BrE]
Everyone should be honest with himself/herself. [AmE]
5.Auxiliary
Several of the modals are used with a different frequency or meaning in AmE than BrE. Such as, shall, should, would, must, dare and need .etc. Here are some examples about some auxiliaries can't include everyone.
Shall is rarely used in AmE, and is replaced by will (or should in questions with first person subjects.) The negative form shan't is even rarer in AmE. Both varieties also often use the contracted form 'll.
I shall tell you latter. [BrE]
I will tell you latter/I'll tell you latter. [AmE]
Shall I drink this now? [BrE]
Should I drink this now?. [AmE]
In American Enlish it is wrong to use the modal auxiliary can to request permission, they always say: May I see you for a few moments? Habitually, British People use can. Can I see you for a few moments?
A well-known grammatical difference between BrE and AmE lies in the differing use of have, do have and have got to indicate possession.
i)Have you any fresh cod? I haven't any fresh cod.
ii)Have you got (any) fresh cod? I haven't got (any) fresh cod.
iii)Do you have (any) fresh cod? I don't have (any) fresh cod.
iv)Do you have fresh cod? I don't have fresh cod.
In the (i)sentences, the verb have functions as an auxiliary. Such sentences are usual, if somewhat foemal or older, in BrE, but are rare in AmE. Sentences like (ii) are usual in both varieties in more informal styles. Sentences of the (iii)type are the most uaual ways of constructing question and negative forms indicating possession in AmE and are now also used in BrE. Sentences like those in (iv)are widely used in BrE to express habitual possession but are not usual in AmE, where a paraphrase such as Do you ever have fresh cod would be preferred.
6.Conjunction
From the sixteenth century, British people used the word like as a conjunction all along. But it is considered as a fault in American English, they usually used the word as to do the same function.
These Russians dance like the Italiana sing.[BrE]
These Russians dance as the Italiana sing. [AmE]
7.Idiom
American English observe the grammar regulation strictly when they use the idioms, but usually in british English the natural order is considered firstly. He did not need to look around to know from whom it came. In this sentence American English speakers rigidly adhere to use whom, to make sure that objective case is following the preposition. On the contary, British English speakers use who, the sentence is He did not need to look around to know who it came from.
The majority of American English speakers use the phrase you and I as both subject and object, whereas many British Ebglish speakers would say you and me when the phrase is used as an object or complement.
In American Enlish Do you want out is a fixed phrase meaning 'to want to go out. ' British English speakers often use Do you want to get out to express it.
4.Conclusion 180'
English is one of the most important languages in the world. Large numbers of people in the world speak and write English as a foreign language for the purpose of science, technology, and international communication. In fact, no language is more widely studied and used as a foreign language than English. The desire to learn English is immense now and apparently insatiable not only in other countries, but also in China. English has also become a required subject in our middle schools, colleges, universities, and even in some primary schools.
Therefore, only by knowing the differences between British English and American English, can we learn it well and avoid misunderstanding while using them. For a non-native learner, it is best to be receptive to both varieties, know the differences, and be able to communicate with either BrE or AmE.
Moreover, it is not proper to say which is better, or which is superior, after we have a new recognize on the British English and American English. Any judgment that BrE is "better" or "worse" than AE is a prejudice against the description of language.
A Dictionary of American Idioms. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc.,1975.
Dictionary of American Slang (Second Supplemented Edition). New York: Thomas Y. Crowel, Publishers, 1960.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Harlow, Essex, England: Pearson Education Ltd.,2003
Merriam-Webster'CollegiateDictionary.Springfield,MA: Merriam-Webster Inc.,2003. British and American English. London:Collier-Macmillan,1972.
International English (Third Edition) Peter Trudgill, Jean Hannah 外语教学与研究出版社, &Edward Arnold(Publishers) limited 北京 2000,8
American English, Marckwardt&Albert H, NewYork: Oxford Univerdity Press1980.
Language in the USA, Ferguson, Charles A. Heath&Shirley B NewYork: Cambridge Univerdity Press 1981.
英语史李赋宁北京商务印书馆 1991
现代英语词汇学概论张韵斐周锡卿北京北京师范大学出版社 1987，6 现代英语词汇学新版陆国强上海上海外语教育出版社 1999，9
现代英语语言学概论戴炜栋上海上海外语教育出版社 1998，8
英语词汇学教程汪榕培卢晓娟上海上海外语教育出版社 1997，10
英语词汇学引论3版林承章刘世平武汉武汉大学出版社 2005，2