Categories of lexical differences

between BrEng and AmEng

Content
The main categories:
1. Americanisms
2. Briticisms
3. Same word, different meaning
4. Same word, additional meaning in one variety
5. Same word, difference in style, connotation,
frequency of use
6. Same concept or item, different word
The Dictionaries of Americanisms
1816, the first Dictionary of Americanisms by John
Pickering: A Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and
Phrases which have been supposed to be Peculiar to
the United States of America;
1848, Xhon R. Bartlet: Dictionary of Americanisms
1859, Elwyn: Glossary of Supposed Americanisms
1889, Farmer: Americanisms, Old and New
1890, Norton: Political Americanisms
1902, Clapin: New Dictionary of Americanisms
1912, Thornton: American Glossary
1. Americanisms
Words established in the United States
Americanisms from the Indian: skunk, hickory, squash, caribou, pecan, raçoon,
chinkapin, porgy, chipmunk, terrapin

The borrowings from the nonspeaking English colonizers: portage, chowder,

voyageur, bureau,  batteau, prairie, caboose, waffle, hook, boss, Santa
Claus, creole, barbecue

Americanisms incorporated in BrEng:

Backwoods, beeline, belittle, blizzard, bunkum, caucus, cloudburst, prairie, swamp,
cafeteria, cocktail, egghead, electrocute, fan, filling station, highbrow,
lowbrow, radio

Americanisms established in standard BrEng:

Ballyhoo, to build up, disk jockey, double talk, get sth across, natural, to put sth over,
show business, star, stooge

From the speeches of VIP:

Alibi, allergy, angle, blurb, breakdown, crash, know-how, maybe, quit, to go back on,
to slip up, to stand up to, selectmen, senate, congress, court, dhe assembly
2. Briticisms
The term Briticisms is rarely used, only to make the
differences with Americanisms.
Words created in Britain, without corresponding word
in American English
Used for the first time in New English Dictionary,
1883
Easily accepted in USA
Examples of Briticisms entering USA
Shop: gift-shops, tea-shops, haberdashery-shops,
book-shops, luggage-shops, hat-shops, print-shops
 boots, bootmakers, bootshops
At the end of the 19-th century many Briticisms started
to be used side by side with the AmEng words, even
ore more: to Let” instead of “For Rent”, railway for
railroad, drawing-room for parlor, whip for driver,
stick for cane, to tub for to bathe, guard for
conductor. 
Briticisms used in the railway: luggage-van,
permanent-way, goods-waggon, guard, carrier,
booking-office, railway-rug, etc.
Church: headmaster, varsity, chapel, house-master, old
boy, monitor, honors, prefect
Many Briticisms used for a short period of time in
USA and then came out of use: preceptor, quad,
removes, evensong, matins
3. Same word, different meaning
Homely
BrEng down to earth
AmEng ugly (of people)

Nervy
BrEng nervous
AmEng bold, cheeky

Pavement
BrEng footpath
AmEng road surface

Tick off
BrEng scold
AmEng make angry
4. Same word, additional meaning in one
variety
Meaning in common Additional meaning in AmEng

Dumb - mute - stupid

Good - nice -valid (ticket, special offers)
Regular- habitual - average

Additional meaning in BrEng

Frontier - a wild open space -border between
countries
Leader - one who commands - editorial
Mind - obey - look after

Smart - intelligent - well-groomed

SurgerRry- mefical operation - an office of any doctor
5. Same word, difference in style,
connotation, frequency of use
BrEng AmEng
Autumn- common, all styles - poetic, formal

Clever - positive - usu.negative

Fancy - common, informal - uncommon

Fortnight - common, all styles - poetic

Perhaps - all styles - formal

Quite - negative or neutral - positive

Row (quarrel) – common - uncommon

6. Same concept or item, different word
AmEng BrEng

cookie biscuit
faucet tap
washcloth face flannel
to call to ring
game match
gas patrol
stove cooker
dessert pudding
undershirt vest
diaper nappy
living room sitting room
yard garden