‘’You say tomato, I say tomato…’’
Do you want to know the main difference between British and American English - Read on
This post could be useful for non-native speakers
English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and it is spoken with different accents and pronunciations in different regions. Two of the most prominent variations are American English and British English, which differ not only in their vocabulary and grammar but also in their pronunciation.
One of the most noticeable differences between American and British English is in the pronunciation of vowels. For example, the vowel sound in the word “dance” is pronounced as “æ” as in the ‘a’ in apple in American English, but in British English, it is pronounced as “a:” as in the beginning of the word ‘army’. Similarly, the vowel sound in the word “bath” is pronounced as “æ” in American English, but in British English, it is pronounced as “a:”. Another example is the word “route,” which is pronounced as “rout” in American English but as “root” in British English.
Another difference is in the pronunciation of certain consonants. For example, in American English, the letter “r” is pronounced more prominently than in British English. Therefore, words like “hard” and “card” have a stronger “r” sound in American English. In British English, on the other hand, the “r” sound is often dropped or softened. This is known as the historical ‘r.’ The brits have dropped the ‘r’ sound at the end of syllables and words: So a Brit would say the word teacher as /tiːtʃə/ not /tiːtʃər
In addition, there are differences in the pronunciation of certain words. For example, the word “schedule” is pronounced with a “sk” sound in American English but with a “sh” sound in British English. Another example is the word “tomato,” which is pronounced with a long “ei” as in the word ‘day’ sound in American English but with a “a:” sound in British English. As in the famous song ‘’You say /təˈmeɪtoʊ/, I say /təˈmɑːtəʊ/’’
Furthermore, American English often emphasises stress on the first syllable of a word, while British English emphasises stress on the second syllable. For example, the word “address” is pronounced with stress on the first syllable in American English but with stress on the second syllable in British English.
Finally, there are also differences in the intonation and rhythm of the two languages. American English tends to have a more rising intonation, and speakers often use a rising inflection at the end of a sentence to indicate a question. British English, on the other hand, has a more falling intonation, and speakers often use a falling inflection at the end of a sentence to indicate a statement.
In conclusion, the differences between American and British English pronunciation are numerous and can be attributed to the historical, cultural, and geographical factors that have influenced the development of the two dialects. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective communication between speakers of the two dialects, and it can also help individuals improve their language skills and adapt to new social and cultural environments.