毕业论文-英式英语和美式英语的不同TheDifferencesBetweenBritishEnglishandAmericanEnglish.doc

The Differences Between British English and American EnglishContentsAbstractBritish 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 therere 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 dont 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 Language2.1.1 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 LanguageThe 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 LanguageBy 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 America2.2.1 The varieties of EnglishWith 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 EnglishAt 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 EnglishConservation 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 ones 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 differencesWhy 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.3.1 Differences in pronunciation 603.1.1 Differences in individual sounds1) 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 / / (Websters 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 AmEwhich 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 AmEadvance after ask dance fast half 6) Diphthongs in British English are replaced by long vowels in American English./ / by / / by / / by / / by BrE AmEclose gave hero parent 7) In British English four-syllabled words ending in -ary or -ery are pronounced as three syllables. BrE AmEcemetery ordinary secretary 8)/ / in British English is pronounced as in American English. BrE AmEcup dull one 9) Note the striking differences in pronounciation of certain words as lieutenant, schedule, etc. BrE AmEclerk 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 AmEsecretary factory decorative dictionary 2) Different stresses on the same words: BrE AmEadult advertisement laboratory necessarily ordinary 3.2 Differences in spellingThere 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/fetusen- 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/dramatize-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/amongmiscellaneous cheque/check draught/draft gaol/jail kerb/curb tyre/tire hyphenated separate book-keeper/bookkeeper flower-pot/flowerpot3.3 Differences in vocabulary 3.3.1 Different words with the same meaningFrom 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 meaningsQuite 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 meanin