The English language in UK and USA, what are the differences?
England and the United States have been attempting to gain supremacy in their own continents as well as all over the world. White Britain was dominant for some time, entering into Africa and some parts of America, the influence of Britain is still evident. In recent times, the 2 countries have continued to dominate economic, technology and business matters. We will be looking at dominance in terms of the English language.
The English language in UK and USA
International English?
Are you based in Germany but have an English site or publish advertising stuff, folders, product catalogs or annual statements in the English language? Then you’ve probably had to study about whether to use American or British English. The difficulty is that in today’s global economy texts are read only by either the British or by Americans. And when it comes to the web content, e.g., sites, blogs or social media posts, people all around the globe have access.
The various ways of spelling terms in American and British English (aluminum vs. aluminium, color vs. colour, fulfill vs. fulfil) shows only a minor challenge for an international reader. Different word choice is already more of a barrier. What is difficult is the use of country or region-specific phrases or expressions which only certain groups of native English speakers understand.
The next time you need an English language translation job, consider that international English might not be exactly what you’re looking for.
US versus UK English
In Europe, British English is learned as a second language. This is due to the closeness or Britain, which is also located in Europe. Every continent have also been influenced by Britain, especially those that are part of Commonwealth (where there are more than 50 countries) including Hong Kong, Pakistan and India among others. Other countries including Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, South Africa, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand as well as Australia were also dominated by the British in the past.
American influence on the other hand, is majorly due to their position as a super power, linked to technological and economic achievements. They further have a strong media influence in terms of Hollywood and entertainment. American TV shows and movies are watched all over the world. Countries in Latin America are more influenced by US English when they want to learn the English language. This is also due to their closeness to each other. Apart from language, the culture of America has also influenced the way of life in Latin America. They all currently have the American dream desire. Overall, British English tends to be more dominant.
There are a lot of records about the differences between British and American English. If you want to learn more, BoredPanda has a really interesting article in regards to British vs American English.
What is the difference between English US and UK?
The varieties of English spoken in UK and US are mutually intelligible, but there are still many differences between the two. Pronunciation is the biggest difference between the two varieties. Both English UK and English US have different words for same things. There are plenty of spelling differences too like color and colour, center and centre, favorite and favourite, etc.
Is UK or US English better?
UK English and US English are two varieties of the same language. They have a few differences including spelling and pronunciation. But they are still mutually intelligible. One variety is not better than the other. But the one that is more popular everywhere in the world is the English spoken in the US.
Which English is used in India UK or US?
The people of the Indian subcontinent were introduced to English by British colonizers, as a result UK English was spoken in the country. But more and more Indians are leaning towards American English nowadays due to its worldwide popularity. The Indian English of today is a mixture of both UK and US English.
Which English is used in USA?
American English is the name of the set of varieties of English that are spoken in the USA. Although it was the British colonizers who brought their language to North America, the version of the vernacular spoken in the USA today is different from the one spoken in the UK. American English is the most popular variety of English worldwide.
What is the difference between English and English International?
English and International English are basically the same. But there are a few differences between the two. For instance, the International version of English is the one that is used in the UK, Australia, etc. So, in International English, you would spell color as colour. But in English, it will be spelled as color.
Why English is called an international language?
English is called an international language because it is spoken all over the world. You can go to any country on the planet and you will be able to find English speakers there. It allows the speakers of different languages to communicate with each other. It is also the most popular language in the business world.
What do you mean by global English?
Global English means that the language is popular around the globe and is the best way for the speakers of different languages to connect. Global English is pretty common in technical writing. It is the simplest, literal, and logical version of English that is easy to understand for nonnative speakers.
What is UK English called?
The vernacular spoken in the UK is called British English. It is interesting to note that the variety of English spoken in Scotland, Ireland, and North East English is different from the rest of the UK. However, there is a degree of uniformity in the spoken and written language within the UK, which is why it is called British English.
We as a translation company are more interested in another stringent question.
What English type to translate to?
William Shakespeare’s or Mark Twain’s English
Few years ago, the answer in regards to which English language to use would have being obvious. You would have wanted British English for British audience and American English for American audience.
Nowadays the question can only be answered by the client, although clients rarely want the variant for a region. With the popularity of the Internet, considering geography is fading away. You will want to target everybody who speak English even if they are not natives.
International English, Universal English or Standard English amongst other adjective is beginning to become common, since it is not directly linked to any region. The client will tend to agree with this logic.
Translators do not have any such English type dubbed Universal English. It will either be honour or honor. The translation company will have to look at certain factors and try to make a decision they deem the best.
As a matter of fact, the differences between Australian, British and the American English language are not up to the extent that they need to be translated for other English speakers to understand them. A choice must however be made. And when the client doesn’t want to make that choice, or can’t, then it is up to us to decide.
