The school curriculum includes the study of traditional British English. However, this is not always enough for travel and professional activities, as there is also American English with its own characteristics. They will be the subject of our article.
The history of the formation of American English
Indigenous peoples of North America are Native American peoples who were carriers of several varieties of indigenous languages. In addition, several enclaves of Roman-speaking peoples (mainly Spaniards and French) have formed on the continent. From the 17th to the 18th centuries, a large-scale campaign was conducted on British colonization and resettlement of migration groups, which were joined by minor groups of Germanic peoples.
Of course, given the fact that the majority of the population was still British, English quickly became the main language on the continent. Nevertheless, the languages of other nations had a rather big influence on him, thanks to which American English acquired some characteristic features.
The influence of other languages on the American vocabulary
Colonial life in the United States had a huge impact on American English. So, truly British words were rethought and received a fundamentally new meaning, and vice versa - English archaisms, which have long been obsolete, are still actively used in the USA (for example, fall - autumn). It is worth noting that some Americanisms are also gradually entering the British everyday life.
Due to the multinational state, American English has acquired certain lexical features:
- Spanishism is common in the southwestern United States. So, for example, such famous words as rancho, tacos, guacamole and others came to the Americans precisely from the Spaniards and Hispanic Indians.
- Gallicisms (derived from French and other related languages) are mainly clericalism. Their distinctive features are the suffixes -ey and -er. Examples are words such as employee, employer.
- The presence of Germanism is a consequence of the influence of the German language (albeit non-essential). These are basically transformed words (dumb -dumn).
American and English Pronunciation Differences
It is worth noting that residents of the United States and Foggy Albion often can not understand each other. This is due to the fact that different phonetic features characterize American and British English. Their differences are as follows:
- pronouncing the diphthong "ou", Americans round their lips more strongly than the British, due to which the sound is drawn out;
- in the USA, “e” is pronounced with a wide open mouth;
- in the American version of the pronunciation of the sound "ju:" its first part practically disappears, and therefore the speech becomes softer;
- in the USA, in most cases, instead of the sound "a", the wider "æ" is pronounced;
- Americans pronounce vowels as if "in the nose";
- if in the British version the sound “r” is omitted in oral speech, then in the USA it is spoken, due to which the language seems more rude.
American accent
British and American English differ significantly in accent. If a resident of Misty Albion hears the speech of a resident of the United States, then most likely he will not understand a word. And vice versa - measured British speech may seem completely incoherent to the American. This is due to the nuances of pronunciation. So, the American accent is characterized by the following features:
- Serious semantic load carries intonation. Sometimes the meaning of a sentence changes depending on which word is emphasized. Sentences always highlight the most important words.
- The American language is characterized by a reduction in vowels in places where intonation is reduced. If the word is at the end of the sentence, then it is pronounced completely, regardless of whether it is stressed or not.
- Special attention should be paid to the pronunciation of double vowels. In the event that after a long sound there is a voiced consonant, it is singled out intonationally.
It is worth noting that it is not necessary to memorize the features of American pronunciation. Having been among native speakers, you will quickly begin to understand speech and learn to speak in the same way as residents of the United States. If you do not plan a trip, then often watch American films and shows in the original.
Myths about American English
For many people who have begun to learn English, it comes as a surprise that there is not only the classic British, but also the American version of the language. The second, by the way, is associated with many misconceptions and myths, namely:
- Many people think the American language is wrong. But if we talk about the British, then they are more likely to be outraged by the peculiarities of pronunciation in Scotland than in the United States.
- It is believed that the American language arose as a result of a distortion of British. In fact, in the United States, it is precisely the classical language that Shakespeare wrote in (unless, of course, the pronunciation is taken into account). But in England, many words and rules passed into the category of archaisms and went out of use.
- If you think that American pronunciation is too complicated, then you are mistaken. A feature of the emphasis can be considered that the ligaments are strained much less than the British. This is due to the fact that until a certain moment white-skinned children were brought up by illiterate black women who had a special way of speaking (simply, as if in a chant). That's what the Americans took over from her.
- It is not true that the United States has a simplified grammar. In fact, it is the same as in the UK. But many people get acquainted with the American version through songs, series and television shows, where the rules are often neglected.
- It is a mistake to assume that there are any significant differences between American and British English. Of course, there are certain features both in spelling and pronunciation, but this does not mean at all that the inhabitants of London and, for example, New York will not be able to understand each other.
Which option to learn?
If you decide to closely study the English language, then the first thing is to decide which option you will study. The American version of English is most often needed by those who decide to travel to the United States. He is also often taught for business purposes. Learning American is best with its native speaker. If you are new to this business, then start with the classic British version. Having mastered it, you will quickly understand the specifics and features of the language spoken in America.
Pimsler American English
In school and student years, everyone learned English or another foreign language. Many even try to do this on their own through books and audio recordings, but quite rarely it brings success. This does not mean that you do not have abilities, you just need to be able to find the right approach. So, it is best to learn American English using the Pimsler method.
This patented technique is a kind of memory training. You are invited to text and sound materials in which dialogs are presented on the most necessary topics for everyday and business communication. You do not have to memorize boring rules. You just need to listen carefully and repeat. You will quickly learn speech constructions, pronunciation, as well as the intonation of the American language. In total, the project consists of 90 lessons with a total duration of 15 hours, but, having already mastered the first 30, you can freely communicate with Americans at an elementary level.
conclusions
The school and university curriculum most often includes classic British English. Nevertheless, there is its American version, which is no less widespread throughout the world. It differs both in terms of pronunciation, and in some lexical and grammatical features.
Of course, if you do not plan to move to permanent residence in the United States, then it is better to start with the British version. If you want to master American English, it is best to resort to Dr. Pimsler's technique.