States and United Kingdom are "two countries divided by a common language" The main topic
Overview of the historical, social,
technological, cultural and linguistic factors that led to the differences in vocabulary between the two main and most widespread varieties of the English language, British English and American English. Main factors of the differences
New objects and experiences
Cultural and technological developments Institutional developments Influence of other languages Independent linguistic change within each variety New objects and experiences
Need to speak about and name unfamiliar features of the
landscape, flora, and fauna, concepts, ideas, activities of the New World: - using Indian words: moose, raccoon, skunk, opossum, terrapin, wigwam, canoe, moccasin, wampum, squaw, papoose - adapting Br.Engl vocabulary: robin to a red-breasted thrush, turkey to a distinctive American bird, corn to an entirely new cereal, lumber to discarded furniture - creating new words by a descriptive process: mud hen, garter snake, bullfrog, potato bug, ground hog, reed bird Cultural and technological developments The same concepts were coined differently in the USEngl and BrEngl because of: a considerable distance slow means of communication automobile terminology: USEngl: windshields, hoods, antennas Br. Engl: windscreens, bonnets, aerials railroads terminology USEngl: cowcatcher, engine, engineer , fireman, baggage car, baggage, freight, conductor; Br. Engl: pilot, locomotive, locomotive-driver, stoker, van, luggage, goods, guard,
USEngl: baseball terminology: pitcher, first base, strikeout,
Br. Engl: cricket terminology: bowler, sticky wicket, pitch. Institutional developments New terminology on new institutons and practices of the new political and administrative system characteristic of USA: cabinet is used differently in the two countries. The members of the American cabinet are secretaries and the British homologues are ministres in the ministries. Ex: congressional, presidential, gubernatorial, congressman, mass meeting, statehouse, land office selectmen, senate, congress, court, assembly, presidential, congressional, gubernatorial; Education: USA “private school” - “public school” UK USA “public school” -“a state (funded) school” UK. USA “high school” - “secondary school” UK. Influence of other languages Indian languages: many geographical names, names of rivers, mountains, and lakes, objects, plants, animals, food: opossum, moose, skunk, raccoon, chipmunk, hickory, squash, moose, raçoon, caribou; African languages: goober, jazz, voodoo, mumbo jumbo; French: butte, brioche, leve, prairie, rapids, armoire, bureau, depot, bateau, voyageur; Spanish: rodeo, mesa, savannah tortilla; German: beer soup, bock beer, delicatessen, lager beer, hamburger, schnitzel, milk, semestër, seminar; Dutch: cruller, cookie, stoop, boss, scow; Yiddish: bagel, tsouris, chutzpah, nudnik, blintz; Scandinavian languages:steka, knife, law, dirt, fellow, leg, seat, sister, trust, fant, window, till, both, husband, ugly; Italian: pizza, spaghetti, lasagne, espresso, cannelloni, minestrone, pasta, tortellini, macaroni, broccoli, zucchini, ravioli. Independent linguistic change within each variety Archaic words no longer in use: USeng: retains the term druggist, BReng: chemist New meaning for the old words: guess meaning “think” ose “asses” is known now as Americanism cabin in England means “cabin in a ship”, in USA means “a poor house” Change of the grammatical class: nouns to verbs: an author-to author, a book-to book; verbs to nouns: to cook out-a cook out, to know how-the know-how, to stop over-a stop over; Abbreviation of the words: telephone to phone, cablegram to cable; Conclusions The vocabulary of the English language in America has always been in the main the same as the vocabulary of the English language in England. Both American English and British English are constituent elements of the English language. The two varieties are more similar than different, especially with "educated" or "scientific" English. The vocabulary differences are most obvious at the level of the spoken language, everyday speech than at the level of the written language. The differences can be ascribed to differing national histories, demographics, and cultural development, and the way in which national language has developed differently in parallel with the differing national needs. American English represents the cultural history, political and institutional development, physical environment characteristic of the English speaking people in the North America, tradition, the evolution of the language itself as a result of a number of political, economic, monetary, social factors.