Ada beberapa perbedaan yang nampak jelas antara American English dan British English. Kadangkala antara American English dan British English berbeda dalam arti, tetapi kebanyakan antara keduanya bersamaan dalam arti, hanya segelintir saja yang berbeda arti.
Berikut beberapa kata yang berbeda namun sama artinya, yaitu:
| American English | British English |
|---|
| airplane | aeroplane |
| apartment | flat, apartment |
| area code | dialling code |
| attorney, lawyer | barrister, solicitor, lawyer |
| busy | engaged (phone) |
| can | tin, can |
| candy | sweets |
| check/bill | bill (in a restaurant) |
| coin-purse | purse |
| cookie, | cracker, biscuit |
| corn | sweet corn, maize |
| crib | cot |
| crazy | mad |
| crosswalk | pedestrian |
| cuffs | turns-up |
| diaper | nappy |
| doctor;s office | doctor's surgery |
| dumb, stupid | stupid |
| elevator | lift |
| eraser rubber, | eraser |
| fall, autumn | autumn |
| faucet, tap | tap |
| first floor, second floor | ground floor, first floor |
| flashlight | torch |
| flat (tire) | flat-tyre, puncture |
| french fries | chips |
| garbage, trash | rubbish |
| garbage, can. trashcan | dustbin, rubbish bin |
| gas/gasoline | petrol |
| gear shift | gear level (on a car) |
| highway, freeway | crossroad |
| hood | bonnet (on a car) |
| intersection | crossroad |
| mad | angry |
| mean | nasty |
| movie, film | film |
| one-way (ticket) | single )ticket) |
| pants, trousers | trousers |
| parking lot | car park |
| pavement | road surface |
| pitcher | jug |
| pocketbook, purse, handbag | handbag |
| (potato) chips | crispy |
| railroad | railway |
| raise | rise (salary) |
| rest room, bathroom | (public) toilet |
| resume | CV |
| round tip | return (journey/ticket) |
| schedule, timetable | timetable |
| sidewalk | pavement |
| sneakers | trainers |
| spigot, faucet | tap (outdoors) |
| stand in line | queue |
| stingy | mean (opposite of 'generous') |
| store, shop | shop |
| subway | underground |
| truck | van, lorry |
| trunk | boot (of a car) |
| two weeks | forthnight, two weeks |
| vacation | holiday(s) |
| windshield | windscreen (on a car) |
| zee | zee |
| zipper | zipper |
Dalam hal spelling pun juga demikian, ada beberapa perbedaan antara American English dengan British English. Berikut kita lihat perbedaan tersebut.
| American English | Brisitsh English |
|---|
| aluminum | aluminium |
| analyze | analyse |
| catalog(ue) | catalogue |
| center | centre |
| check | cheque |
| color | colour |
| defense | defence |
| enroll | enrol |
| fulfill | fulfil |
| honor | honour |
| jewelry | jewellery |
| labor | labour |
| liter | litre |
| meter | metre |
| neighbor | neighbour |
| organize | organize/organise |
| pajamas | pyjamas |
| paralyze | paralyse |
| practice, practise | practise (verb) |
| program | programme |
| realize | realize/realise |
| skillful | skilful |
| theater/theatre | theatre |
| tire | tyre |
| trave(l)ler | traveller |
Demikian sekelumit pembahasan tentang American English dan British English,
semoga bermanfaat.
Baca juga tentang Phrasal Verbs Part 1 From A To F
Referensi
1. Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, Third Edition, Oxford University
Link
