World Englishes

American Vs. British English

Phonology
a. duce in a more relaxed manner in American and tense manner in British
Ex. reduce, produce, seduce
b. Sometimes letter/s is/are omitted in British English but not in American
Ex. secretary, secondary, little
c. Silent d would attract notice in American English but not in British
Ex. landlady, handkerchief, grandson
d. Sound of / / in American and /a/ in British
Ex. advance bath dance
after fasten giraffe
answer glass staff
ant banana basket
Orthography
a. or vs. our c. og vs. ogue e. ense vs. ence
color – colour analog – analogue defense - defence
favorite – favourite catalog – catalogue license - licence
b. ll vs. l d. ck vs. k vs. que f. ze vs. se
enrollment – enrolment check – cheque analyze - analyse
skillful – skilful checkered – chequered criticize - criticise
g. er vs. re i. dg vs. dge / g vs. gu
center – centre aging - ageing
meter – metre argument - arguement
h. e vs. oe vs. ae j. others
encyclopedia – encyclopaedia jewelry - jewellery
maneuver – manaeuver draft - draught
medieval – mediaeval pajamas – pyjamas
plow – plough
program – programme
tire - tyre
k. In British, 2-syllable word ending in l preceded by vowel doubles l when a
suffix is added
Ex.
counsel counseling counselling
equal equaling equalling
quarrel quarreling quarrelling
signal signaling signalling
travel traveling travelling
excel exceling excelling
propel propelingpropelling
Lexicon
Ex.
American British French fries chips jelly jam
fall autumn freeway motorway pants trousers
hood bonnet oatmeal porridge underpants pants
apartment flat vacation holiday
yard garden zipper zip
baggage luggage faucet tap
trunk lorry backpack rucksack
gas petrol elevator lift
bathrobe dressing gown soda fizzy drink
Kachru’s 3 Circles of English
1. Inner Circle – mother tongue or native language
United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
2. Outer Circle – second language or lingua franca
Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Zambia
3. Expanding Circle – foreign language or lacking official status
China, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Saudi Arabia,
Taiwan, USSR, Zimbabwe