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B ritish English vs American English

«The Americans are identical to the British in all respects except, of course, language.» - Oscar Wilde

«We (the British and Americans) are two countries separated by a common language.» G.B. Shaw

Американский и британский английский имеют об­щую родословную, но не желают признавать кровное родст­во.

Британский английский - это язык науки, международной политики, культу­ры; американский - язык экономики и бизнеса, популярного искусства, массовой музыки. Первый требует фонетической акку­ратности, грамматической педантичности, интонационной кор­ректности, стилистической точности; он идет рука об руку с эти­кетом, то есть правилами, нормами, некими 'коммуникационными обрядами'. Разговор на британском английском непременно несет оттенок церемониальности, искусственности, формальнос­ти.

Американский пропагандирует простоту, порой не знающую разумных пределов. Он с удовольствием впитывает и подминает под себя все чуждое, иностранное, мастерски уклоняясь от тис­ков этики и презрительно попирая формализм. Переговоры по-американски - это во многом подростковая демонстрация сво­боды самовыражения: не все ли равно, что за грамматические конструкции вы используете и какие подбираете слова. Кто вы - китаец, беглый ирландец или бывший английский рабочий, - то­же имеет мало значения, как и тот акцент, с которым говорите; главное, чтобы вас поняли. Поэтому неудивительно, что, скажем, такой оборот, как  I seen him , становится языковой нормой.

Посвященным в тайны английского языка известна полуанекдотическая история о Бер­нарде Шоу, заявившем, что если бы англичане следовали кано­нам фонетического письма, то слово fish (рыба) писалось бы как ghoti: звукосочетание gh почти всегда произносится как [ f ], [ i ] может передаваться посредством о (как в women ), а последний звук эквивалентен среднему в слове nation .

Озадаченный и встревоженный проблемами английской орфографии писатель оставил премиальные человеку, который смог бы пред­ложить продуманную и эффективную орфографическую рефор­му. Самой известной личностью,   дерзнувшей выиграть премию Шоу, оказался внук известного стенографа Джеймс Питман: в 1959 г. он вынес на суд общественности алфавит, изобретен­ный на основе английских букв, использовавшихся в течение всей истории языка. Некоторые начальные школы Англии согла­сились на проведение эксперимента по апробированию новой системы письма. Когда на одной из таких школ англичане увиде­ли вывеску ' Priemery Skwl ', они были шокированы столь явным обращением к англо-саксонской старине.

Ну, а теперь конкретнее:

British English

American English

Clothes

Trousers

Pants

Pants / Underwear / Knickers

Underwear / panties

briefs/underpants

shorts/jockey shorts

Jumper / Pullover / Sweater / Jersey

Sweater

Pinafore Dress

Jumper

Vest

Undershirt

Waistcoat

Vest

Wellington Boots / Wellies

Galoshes

Mac (slang for Macintosh)

Rain Coat

Plimsolls

Gym Shoes

Trainers

Sneakers

Braces

Suspenders

Suspenders

Holds up stockings

Dressing Gown

Robe

Nappy

Diaper

Pinny / Apron

Apron

Polo Neck

Turtle Neck

Dressing Gown

Bath Robe

Swimming costume / Cozzy

Bathing Suit

Dungarees

Overalls

dressing-gown

bathrobe

bootlace/shoelace

shoestring

bowler/hard hat

derby

Parts of car

Bonnet

Hood

Windscreen

Windshield

Boot

Trunk

Reversing lights

Back-up lights

Number plate

License plate

Gear lever

Gear shift

Exhaust pipe

Tail pipe / Muffler

People

Girl / Lass

Girl

Boy / Lad

Boy

Man / Bloke / Chap/ Gentleman / Guy /

Man / Guy

Lady / Woman

Lady

Policeman / Bobby/ Copper

Policeman / Cop

Postman

Mailman

Dustman

Garbage Man

Friend / Pal / Chum/ Mate / Buddy

Friend / Buddy

Cashier

Teller

Lollypop Man

Crossing Guard

Guard (railway)

Conductor

Solicitor

Lawyer/attorney

Caretaker/porter

Janitor

Nutter

Crazy Person

Mum / Mummy / Mom

Mom

On the road

Dual carriageway

Divided highway

Sleeping Policeman / speed bump

Speed bump

Car park

Parking Lot

Car Journey / drive

Road Trip

Zebra Crossing / Pedestrian Crossing

Cross Walk

Lollipop Man or Lady

Crossing Guard

Motorway

Freeway/throughway

Motorway

Super highway

Traffic Jam / Tailback

Traffic Jam

Lorry

Truck

Articulated Lorry

Tractor Trailer /  Trailer Truck

Estate car

Station wagon

Petrol

Gas / Gasoline

Pavement

Sidewalk

Petrol Station

Gas Station

Skip

Dumpster

Diversion

Detour

Lay-by

Pull-off

Cul-de-sac

Dead end

Roundabout (road)

Traffic circle

Fly-over

Overpass

Fire Engine

Fire Truck

Phone Box

Telephone Booth

Overtake (vehicle)

Pass

Convoy

Caravan

Caravan

Trailer

In and around the house

The Toilet / Loo / The John / Bog / WC / Visiting the little boys (little girl's room).

Bathroom / Restroom

Bathroom - the room where the bath is. If you asked us for the bathroom we will think you want to have a bath!

Tap

Faucet

Garden

Backyard / Yard

Cupboard

Closet

Wardrobe

Closet

Curtains

Drapes

Net curtains

Sheers/under drapes

Bin / Dust Bin

Trash Can

Telephone / Blower / Phone

Telephone

Television / Box / Telly/ TV

TV / Television

Cooker e.g. gas cooker, electric cooker

Range or Stove

Couch / Sofa / Settee

Sofa

Hand Basin / Sink

Sink

Run the bath

Fill the tub

Bath

Bath tub

Bath (v.)

Bathe

Wireless / Radio

Radio

Clothes peg

Clothes pin

Sitting room

Living room

Living room

Living room

Lounge

Living room

Drawing room

Living room

Sofa

Davenport/couch

Semi-Detached House

Duplex

Block of flats

Apartment house

Block of flats

Apartment building

First floor

Second floor

Terrace (row of houses joined)

Town House

Chemist

Drug Store / Druggist

Surgery

Doctor's office

Cafe / Caff (not 24 hrs)

Diner

Ironmonger

Hardware store

Bungalow

House (one story)  Ranch House

Newsagent

News dealer/news stand

Off license/wine merchant

Liquor store

Bureau de change

Currency exchange

Bill

Check (restaurant)

Food and drinks

Scone

Biscuit

Fairy Cake

Cup Cake

Courgette

Zucchini

Sweets

Candy

Sausage / Banger

Sausage

Crisps

Chips

Chips (French Fries in McDonald's)

French Fries

Starter

Appetizer

Puddings / Afters / Dessert / Sweets

Dessert

Jacket Potato / Baked Potato

Baked Potato

Jam

Jelly or Jam

Jelly (a dessert in th UK)

Jell-o (flavoured gelatin)

Aubergine

Eggplant

Sandwich / Butty / Sarny

Sandwich

Ice lolly

Popsicle

Bill (at restaurant)

check

Grill (oven grill)

Broil (oven broil)

Food / Grub / Nosh

Food

Rasher

A slice of bacon

Eggy bread (fried)

French Toast

Runner beans

Green beans

broad bean

lima bean

Soldiers (We dip soldiers in our soft boiled eggs)

Finger sized slices of toast.

bap

hamburger bun

Take-away

Take out

biscuit (sweet)

cookie

corn flour

corn starch

desiccated (coconut)

shredded

icing sugar

powdered sugar

icing sugar

confectioner’s sugar

kipper

smoked herring

marrow

squash

semolina

cream of wheat

sorbet

sherbet

Swiss roll

jelly roll

black treacle

molasses

black or white?(coffee)

with or without?

candyfloss

cotton candy

Flapjacks in England are oats mixed with honey and/or golden syrup and baked then cut into slices. sometimes raisins are added to the mixture.

Other words

Torch

Flashlight

Plaster

Band-Aid

Autumn

Fall

Bank Holiday

National Holiday

Lift

Elevator

Queue

There's a queue.

Stand in a Line

There's a line.

Quid (slang for pound)

Bucks

Trodden on

Stepped on

I'm knackered

I'm Beat

Kip / sleep

sleep

Nick

steal

Starkers / naked

Naked

Come round

Come over

Off you go

Go ahead

It's gone off

It's spoiled

Lady bird

Lady bug

И более подробный словарик:

British English

American English

A

 

aerial (radio/TV)

antenna

American football

football

anorak

parka

articulated lorry

trailer truck/semi trailer

aubergine

eggplant

autumn

fall

B

 

bank holiday

legal holiday

bank note

bill

bap

hamburger bun

bat (ping pong)

paddle

bath

bathtub

bath (v.)

bathe

bathroom

bathroom/restroom/washroom

big dipper

roller coaster

bill

check (restaurant)

bill/account

account

billion = million million

billion = thousand million

biscuit (sweet)

cookie

black or white?(coffee)

with or without?

blackleg/scab

scab

black treacle

molasses

blind (window)

shade

block of flats

apartment house

block of flats

apartment building

blue jeans

dungarees/jeans

bomb (success)

bomb (disaster)

bonnet (car)

hood

book (v.)

make reservation

boot (car)

trunk

bootlace/shoelace

shoestring

bowler/hard hat

derby

braces

suspenders

break (school)

recess

briefs/underpants

shorts/jockey shorts

broad bean

lima bean

bureau de change

currency exchange

butter muslin/cheese cloth

cheese cloth

C

 

candyfloss

cotton candy

caravan

trailer

caretaker/porter

janitor

car park

parking lot

catapult

slingshot

cattle grid

Texas gate

centre (city/business)

downtown

central reservation

median strip/divider

chairman (business)

president

chemist

druggist

chemist’s shop

pharmacy/drugstore

chest of drawers

dresser/bureau

chips

French fries

cinema

movie house/theater

class/form (school)

grade

cloakroom

check room

cloakroom attendant

hat check girl

clothes peg

clothes pin

conscription

draft

contraceptive/condom

rubber

convoy

caravan

cooker

stove

corn flour

corn starch

corporation/local authority

city/municipal government

cot/crib

crib

cotton

thread

cotton reel

spool

cotton wool

cotton batting

courgette

zucchini

court shoe

pump

cream cracker

soda cracker

crisps

chips/potato chips

cul-de-sac

dead end

cupboard

closet

curtains

drapes

D

 

desiccated (coconut)

shredded

director (company)

manager

directory enquiries

information assistance

directory enquiries

directory assistance

district

precinct

diversion

detour

drain (indoors)

sewer pipe

draper

drygoods store

draught excluder

weather stripping

draughts

checkers

drawing pin

thumb tack

dressing-gown

bathrobe

dual carriageway

divided highway

dummy

pacifier

dungarees

overalls

dustbin/bin

garbage can/trash can

dynamo

generator

E

 

eiderdown

comforter

state agent

realtor

estate car

station wagon

F

 

fair (fun)

carnival

filling station / petrol station

gas station

film

movie

first floor

second floor

fish slice

spatula/egg lifter

fitted carpet

wall to wall carpet

flannel

wash cloth

flat

apartment

flex

electric cord/wire

fly-over

overpass

football/soccer

soccer

fortnight

two weeks

foyer

lobby/foyer

full stop (punctuation)

period

funny bone

crazy bone

G

 

gallery (theatre)

balcony

gangway

aisle

gaol

jail

garden

yard

gear lever

gear shift

giddy

dizzy

give a bell(to phone)

give a buzz

goods truck (railway)

freight truck

goose pimples

goose bumps

gramophone/record player

phonograph/record player

greenfingers

green thumb

grill (v.)

broil

guard (railway)

conductor

gym shoes/plimsolls

sneakers/tennis shoes

tennis shoes/trainers

sneakers/tennis shoes

H

 

hair grip/kirby grip

bobbie pin

handbag

purse/pocket book

hardware

housewares

headmaster/mistress

principal

hire purchase

installment plan

holiday

vacation

homely (=pleasant)

homely (=ugly)

hoover (n.)

vacuum cleaner

hoover (v.)

vacuum

housing estate

sub-division

I

 

ice/sorbet

sherbet

iced lolly

popsicle

icing sugar

powdered sugar

icing sugar

confectioner’s sugar

identification parade

line-up

immersion heater(electric)

water heater

interval

intermission

ironmonger

hardware store

J

 

jab (injection)

shot

joint (meat)

roast

jug

pitcher

jumper/sweater/pullover

sweater/pullover

K

 

kiosk/box (telephone)

telephone booth

kipper

smoked herring

knickers (girl’s)

underwear/panties

knock up (tennis)

warm up

knock up (call from sleep)

in American slang this means to get a woman pregnant

L

 

label

tag

larder

pantry

lavatory/toilet/w.c./loo

john/bathroom/washroom

lay-by

pull-off

leader (leading article in newspaper)

editorial

leader(1st violin in orchestra)

concert master

left luggage office

baggage room

let

lease/rent

level crossing (railway)

grade crossing

lift

elevator

limited (company)

incorporated

lodger

roomer

lorry

truck

lost property

lost and found

M

 

mackintosh

raincoat

made to measure

custom made

managing director/MD

general manager

marrow

squash

methylated spirits

denatured alcohol

mileometer

odometer

motorway

freeway/throughway

motorway

super highway

N

 

nappy

diaper

neat (drink)

straight

net curtains

sheers/under drapes

newsagent

news dealer/news stand

nought

zero

noughts and crosses

tic-tac-toe

number plate

license plate

O

 

off license/wine merchant

liquor store

oven cloth/gloves

pot holder/oven mitt

overtake (vehicle)

pass

P

 

pack (of cards)

deck

packed lunch

sack lunch/bag lunch

panel beater

body shop

pants (boy’s underwear)

shorts/underwear

paraffin

kerosene

parcel

package

pavement/footpath

sidewalk

personal call

person-to-person call

petrol

gas/gasoline

pillar box/letter box

mail box

plaster/elastoplast

bandaid

point/power point/socket

outlet/socket

post

mail

postal code

zip code

postman

mailman/postman

postponement

raincheck

pram

baby carriage/baby buggy

prison

penitentiary

public convenience

bathroom/restroom/washroom

public school

private school

pudding

dessert

purse

change purse

pushchair

stroller

put down/entered(goods)

bought/charged

put through (telephone)

connect

Q

 

queue (n.)

line

queue (v.)

stand in line/line up

R

 

rasher (bacon)

slice

reception (hotel)

front desk

receptionist

desk clerk

return ticket

round trip ticket

reverse charges

call collect

reversing lights

back up lights

ring up/phone

call/phone

roof/hood (car)

top

roundabout (road)

traffic circle

rubber

eraser

rubbish

garbage/trash

S

 

saloon car

sedan

scribbling pad/block

scratch pad

sellotape

scotch tape

semi-detached

duplex

semolina

cream of wheat

shattered

exhausted

shop assistant

sales clerk/sales girl

sideboard

buffet

sideboards (hair)

sideburns

silencer (car)

muffler

single ticket

one way ticket

sitting room

living room

living room

living room

lounge

living room

drawing room

living room

skipping rope

jump rope

skirting board

baseboard

sledge/toboggan

sled

smalls (washing)

underwear

sofa

davenport/couch

solicitor

lawyer/attorney

sorbet

sherbet

spanner

monkey wrench

spirits (drink)

liquor

spring onion

scallion/green onion

staff (academic)

faculty

stalls (theatre)

orchestra seats

stand (for public office)

run

standard lamp

floor lamp

state school

public school

sellotape

adhesive tape

stone (fruit)

pit

sultana

raisin

surgery(doctor’s/dentist’s)

office

surgical spirit

rubbing alcohol

suspender belt

garter belt

suspenders

garters

swede

turnip/rutabaga

sweet corn

corn

sweet shop/confectioner

candy store

sweets/chocolate

candy

Swiss roll

jelly roll

T

 

tadpole

pollywog

tap

faucet

teat (baby’s bottle)

nipple

tea trolley

tea cart

telegram

wire

telephone box

phone booth

term academic (3 in a year)

semester(2 in a year)

tights

pantyhose

time-table

schedule

tin

can

tip (n. and v.)

dump

torch

flashlight

traffic lights

stop lights

traffic lights

traffic signals

traffic lights

stop signals

trousers

pants/slacks

truncheon (police)

night stick

trunk call/long distance

long distance call

tube/underground

subway

turnover

sales/revenue

turn-ups (trousers)

cuffs (pants)

U

 

undergraduates:

undergraduates:

- 1st year

- freshman

- 2nd year

- sophomore

- 3rd year

- junior

- 4th year

- senior

unit trust

mutual fund