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Compare and Contrast Essay Sample-Two Kinds of English

Despite many similarities, American and British English differ significantly in pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary. Pronunciation of words like "schedule" and "aluminum" differ, as do spellings like "color" versus "colour" and endings like "center" versus "centre." Vocabulary also varies, with words like "traffic circle" versus "mackintosh." While noticeable, these differences do not hinder communication between the two dominant forms of English.

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115 views2 pages

Compare and Contrast Essay Sample-Two Kinds of English

Despite many similarities, American and British English differ significantly in pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary. Pronunciation of words like "schedule" and "aluminum" differ, as do spellings like "color" versus "colour" and endings like "center" versus "centre." Vocabulary also varies, with words like "traffic circle" versus "mackintosh." While noticeable, these differences do not hinder communication between the two dominant forms of English.

Uploaded by

Chanthy Hun
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Comparison/Contrast: Two Kinds of English

Most of us are familiar with the song lyrics “You say poTAYto and I say poTAHto, you say
toMAYto and I say toMAHto.” These lyrics exemplify one of the differences between American and
British English, the two most widely spoken varieties of global English. Despite the seemingly endless
number of similarities between the two, significant differences between American and British
English in three specific linguistic areas make each one quite distinct from the other.
Pronunciation is perhaps the first difference that people notice between American and British
English. Some individual sounds are consistently different. For example, poTAYto in American English
comes out as poTAHto in British English. WateR in American English is pronounced as WateH in
British English. TUna in American English comes out as TYUna in British English. Furthermore, certain
words are pronounced quite differently. Schedule is pronounced with a “k” sound in American
English but with a “sh” sound, as schedule, in British English. The stress in the word aluminum in
American English is on the second syllable, so it is pronounced aLUminum by Americans. Stress in
this same word in British English in on the third syllable, so British English speakers pronounce it
aluMInum. These pronunciation differences, though noticeable, do not impede real communication.
In addition, neither American English nor British English has a better pronunciation than the other;
they are simply different.
A second difference is in spelling. One example of this is the spelling of the vowels preceding the
letter r in certain words. Americans write color and endeavor. In British English, however, these same
words would be written coloUr and endeavoUr. Another obvious spelling difference is in the final
syllable in words that finish in –er in American English and –re in British English. Example of this
include center in American English with centre in British English. Another common example is theater
versus theatre.
Finally, perhaps the most striking difference between American and British English is vocabulary.
For whatever reason, people tend to notice vocabulary much more than they do pronunciation or
spelling. Some words exist in American English but not in British English, and vice-versa. For
example, traffic circle and windshield are American English words while mackintosh (raincoat) and
queue (a line of people) are British English words. In addition, there are words that exist in both
varieties of English, but they have totally different meaning. For example, in British English biscuits
are sweet (American English translation: cookies), but biscuits in American English are small, salty
rounds of bread. In British English, a bonnet is the trunk of a car, while in American English, a bonnet
is a kind of women’s hat.
All languages have local dialects or regional variations, but for historical, geographical, and
perhaps political reasons, English has two influential varieties: American English and British English.
These varieties are different, yet they are similar enough that the differences that do exist in
pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary rarely hinder communication. With modern technology
making the world a smaller place, it is likely that these two varieties of English will gradually lose
most of their unique characteristics and therefore become more similar.

1. What is the thesis statement? Write it here.


Despite the seemingly endless number of similarities between the two, significant
differences between American and British English in three specific linguistic areas make each
one quite distinct from the other.
2. Is the topic being compared or contrasted? What is the method?
This topic is a contrasted , because this topic talk about the differences between American
and British English and there are three specific linguistic areas make each one quite distinct
from the other.
3. What are the points being compared/contrasted? List them down with one example.
the points being contrasted
1. the first difference that people notice between American and British English. Some
individual sounds are consistently different… they are simply different.
2. A second difference is in spelling…… Another common example is theater versus theatre.

4. Circle all contrast words/transitions.

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