I spent the first seven years of my life in the United Kingdom and still have some British terms and phrases in my vocabulary.
Some words I've picked up even since moving to the US, thanks to the words that remain in my American mother's vocabulary after living in the UK for 15 years.
I often find that when I use certain British words around my American friends and family members, they point out their confusion. However, while I often find myself actively switching to American terminology, there are certain British words I refuse to stop using.
Americans know this beloved sandwich as a grilled cheese, but I refer to it as a 'cheese toastie'
As a food reporter, I've found that there are a ton of differences between the British and American words for various dishes. I've learned over the years to refer to aubergines as eggplants, and candy floss as cotton candy, but there are some foods that I still use the British word for.
"Toasties" are the British word for practically any grilled sandwich and are similar to what we call a panini here in the States. I always call it a "cheese toastie" when preparing one at home.
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For me, "cheese toastie" evokes a nostalgic, childlike feeling — which perfectly describes this comfort food.
When I'm cleaning up a mess, I reach for 'kitchen roll,' not 'paper towels'
To me, this term makes so much more sense. One could argue that paper towels are used in places other than the kitchen, and while I'm aware you could use them outside of the kitchen, in my opinion, they're a kitchen necessity.
British people similarly use the term "toilet roll" instead of "toilet paper," which I also think makes more sense given that the product isn't made with paper.
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To make things more confusing, I also refer to hand towels as 'flannels'
Growing up, I remember that one of the ways my mother would take care of me when I was sick was to give me a "hot flannel" — a small hand towel that she had rinsed in warm water.
Even today, I simply can't call a small towel by any other name, though it does get confusing when I ask my American roommates if we have "clean flannels" and they think I'm talking about a plaid button-up shirt.
Other British-isms, like 'miffed' and 'gutted,' simply have more resonance than their American counterparts
When I'm a little upset or angry, no American word encapsulates that feeling quite like saying "miffed."
And rather than saying I'm devastated, which feels a bit too dramatic, "gutted" also evokes the feeling of being extremely upset or disappointed, but not to the point where I need to be coddled.
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'Palaver,' sometimes misspelled as 'palava,' is a British slang term for something that's a hassle and truly has no direct American equivalent
One of the most common phrases I say that people pull me up on is something along the lines of, "It was such a palaver!"
The word "palaver" evokes something frustrating or over-the-top, and saying "hassle" simply doesn't have the same meaning when describing a situation that's given you the run-around.
Differences between the two include pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary (lexis), spelling, punctuation, idioms, and formatting of dates and numbers. However, the differences in written and most spoken grammar structure tend to be much fewer than in other aspects of the language in terms of mutual intelligibility.
Both sides could claim the same. Both languages have spelling standards so in this respect they are both consistent. Pronunciation is not so obvious when it comes to consistency.
The United States operates as a republic with the outward trappings of monarchy, a configuration that has endured to varying degrees since the American Revolution. In contrast, the United Kingdom operates as a monarchy with the outward trappings of a republic.
In the UK, people tend to be more reserved and polite than their American counterparts. The British also have a strong sense of tradition, with an emphasis on history and heritage. In contrast, Americans are often seen as more open-minded and outspoken when it comes to expressing opinions or beliefs.
The word “movie” is an Americanism, and is more common in North America. People in England, all over the UK, and most other English-speaking countries say “film”. The word “film” is also used in North America, but has a more limited meaning, with a connotation of better quality.
Yankee is sometimes abbreviated as “Yank.” People from all over the world, including Great Britain, Australia, and South America, use the term to describe Americans. (In Spanish, it's spelled yanqui.) Sometimes, it's a negative description.
In the US, the word sidewalk refers to a paved path that people can walk along the side of a road. In the UK, the words pavement or footpath are more likely to be used instead.
To call someone English refers to their nationality; they're citizens of England. The people who are ethnically native to the island are the British. The British ethnicity is a mixture of indigenous Celtic tribes, mixed with French, Norman, Viking, and Germanic influences.
In general, learners who are more familiar with American culture and media may find it easier to learn American English, while those who are more familiar with British culture and media may find it easier to learn British English. However, both dialects can be learned with sufficient exposure, practice, and study.
The longest word entered in most standard English dictionaries is Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis with 45 letters. Our definition is "a lung disease caused by inhalation of very fine silicate or quartz dust." The entry for this word can be found in our Medical Dictionary.
The difference is most common for words ending -bre or -tre: British spellings calibre, centre, fibre, goitre, litre, lustre, manoeuvre, meagre, metre, mitre, nitre, ochre, reconnoitre, sabre, saltpetre, sepulchre, sombre, spectre, theatre (see exceptions) and titre all have -er in American spelling.
English refers only to people and things that are from England specifically. Thus, to be English is not to be Scottish, Welsh nor Northern Irish. British, on the other hand, refers to anything from Great Britain, meaning anyone who lives in Scotland, Wales or England are considered British.
BrE speakers use a short 'i' in certain words such as 'privacy', 'vitamin', and 'simultaneous', but AmE speakers use a long 'i' for these words. For certain words, the emphasis in BrE and AmE differs drastically. For example, 'garage' is pronounced like 'GAR-idge' in BrE, but in AmE, it sounds more like 'ga-RAHJ'.
American English shows a lesser degree of dialects than British English due to some historical factors. There are three main American dialects, such as New England (Eastern type), Southern dialect and Common (General) American dialect which is used in the other parts of the country.
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