![]() ![]() Webster wanted to make American English more distinct, in order to take control of the language from the British. How did this change occur? It was all thanks to a man whose name you’ve almost definitely heard: Noah Webster. One of the most common and noticeable spelling differences between American and British English is the use (or lack of use) of the letter “u” in words like “colour” and “honour.” To Americans, the “u” seems unnecessary and a bit old fashioned. ![]() The Brits used “soccer” and “football” interchangeably to describe the game between 19, but then switched almost exclusively to “football” due to the American connotations associated with “soccer,” ironically enough. When the game was brought over to America, it was still called “soccer” and that name stuck. One of these versions of the game was called “association football,” which Brits called “soccer” for short. In the 1800s, British universities began playing different variations of the medieval game known as football. Believe it or not, the word “soccer” actually originated in Great Britain. While it’s probably obvious why other parts of the world call the sport “football” (what with all the kicking of balls), you may wonder why the United States calls it “soccer” instead. The indicators of this accent include a clear pronunciation of the “H” at the beginning of words, an inaudible “r” sound within words (like “heart”), and long vowels (making “darling” sound like “dahhhhhling”). Historically, this accent has been a signal of superior social status. You may also enjoy a more proper or “posh” English accent - what’s known as Received Pronunciation or the Queen’s English. The Cockney way of speaking also used an elaborate rhyming slang. Some key features are pronouncing “TH” sounds as “F” sounds and dropping the “H” at the beginning of words (i.e. It depends which British accent you want there are “loads” to choose from! A common accent in pop culture you’ve probably heard is the Cockney accent, which is primarily spoken by working class people in London. Here we’ll answer them with a bit more detail, with sources for you to dive even deeper. In the video above, we had an American and Brit attempt to answer some of the most commonly Googled questions about the differences between American and British English. How did the same language diverge in such a distinct way? Why do we spell things differently? And what’s the deal with “soccer” versus “football”? But we also have a lot of questions about the differences between American and British English. The slight variations in spelling, the delightfully silly words used for common objects, and of course, accents. Americans often find the way people from the United Kingdom speak and write amusing, and vice versa. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |