10. Other usages

10. Other usages

Most of the differences we have mentioned are small and easily understandable in context, even if they sound amusing or quaint, as shan't and ought do in the US, or as gotten and in back of do in GB. Many usages, it is true, occur in only one variety of the language and are not generally understood in the other. To visit with, for example, is used in the US meaning to visit, but it has the additional meaning of being with another person virtually, so that it is possible to visit with someone by phone. This usage is unknown in Britain. (Many similar examples are discussed in the dictionary section of this book.) But the usages that give American and British English their peculiar characters belong to the first category. Only an American would say 'I sure could use a drink' or 'I need to use the bathroom'. A Briton would find some equivalent but subtly different linguistic formula, such as 'I'm dying of thirst' or 'I have to go to the loo'. If, as Shaw said, Britain and America are divided by a common language, perhaps the main element of division lies precisely in such subtle distinctions as these.

7. Miscellaneous

7. Miscellaneous

Important spelling differences not already noted are listed below. Click here to see the full text.

AE	BE
airplane	aeroplane
analyze	analyse
artifact	artefact
ass	arse
ax, axe	axe
balk	baulk
bisulfate	bisulphate
caliper	calliper
catalog, catalogue	catalogue
catalyze	catalyse
chili, chile, chilli	chilli, chili
connection	connection, connexion
cozy, cosy	cosy
crayfish, crawfish	crayfish
curb (at edge of road)	kerb
czar, tsar, tzar	tzar, czar
defense	defence
dependent, dependant (n.)	dependant (n.)
dialogue, dialog	dialogue
dialyze	dialyse
disk	disc (except in Computing, where 'disk' is also employed)
disulfide	disulphide
doughnut, donut	doughnut
draft	draught (air current, liquids)
draftsman	draughtsman, draftsman
font	fount, font
furor	furore
gray, grey	grey
jeweler, jeweller	jeweller
jewelry	jewellery
judgment, judgement	judgement
karat	carat

AE	BE
ketchup, catsup	ketchup
license, licence	license (v.)
license, licence	licence (n.)
licorice	liquorice
matinee, matinee	matinee
mold, mould	mould (rot)
molt, moult	moult
mustache, moustache	moustache
naive, naive	naive, naive
naught, nought	nought
night, nite	night
offense, offence	offence
pajamas	pyjamas
panelist	panellist
paralyze	paralyse
peddler, pedlar	pedlar
persnickety	pernickety
pickaninny, picaninny	picaninny
plow	plough
practice, practise	practice (n.)
practice, practise	practise (v.)
pretense, pretence	pretence
program, programme	programme (v.)
program	programme (n.) (except in computing, where 'program' is also used)
reflection	reflection, reflexion
scalawag	scallywag
skeptic	sceptic
skeptical	sceptical
smolder, smoulder	smoulder
snowplow	snowplough
sulfate	sulphate
sulfur	sulphur
through, thru	through
tire (on a vehicle)	tyre
tonight, tonite	tonight
vise	vice (tool)
whiskey, whisky	whisky (as a generic name)

6. Pronunciation of particular words

6. Pronunciation of particular words

Other differences in pronunciation are less important, since they concern only individual words or small groups of words. For example, in Britain been has the same sound as bean, but in America it is like bin. In Britain, the last syllable of words like fertile, sterile and missile rhymes with aisle. In the US, the vowel is much shorter, or a mere vocalic I - fert-il, ster-il, miss-il or miss'l. Americans do not suppress the final t of trait, as Britons do, or pronounce an f in lieutenant. The following table shows examples of such minor differences, but it should be borne in mind that relatively few words are pronounced so differently as to cause any but the most fugitive confusion. Nor are these examples restrictive: in the US leisure is pronounced both with a long vowel (leezhure) and to rhyme with pleasure (lezhure), but the former is more common. Click here to see the full text.

Word	AE	BE
address	ah-dress	a-dress
advertisement	ad-ver-tize-ment	ad-vert-tis-ment
agile	a-jil	a-jile
alternate (adj.)	ault-er-n't	aul-tern-et
apricot	a-pri-cot	ay-pri-cot
aristocrat	a-ris-to-crat	ar-is-to-crat
asphalt	as-fault	as-felt
ate	ate	et
ballet	bal-ay	bal-ay
bitumen	bi-too-men	bich-er-men
buoy	boo-ee	boy
Byzantine	biz-an-teen	bi-zan-tine
Caribbean	k'-rib-ean	kari-bee-an
charade	sha-raid	sha-rahd
chassis	oha-see	sha-see
chimpanzee	chim-pan-zee	chimp-'n-zee
cigarette	sig-a-ret	sig-a-ret
clerk	klerk	klark
composite	k'm-pos-it	kom-p'-zit
cordial	cor-jil	oor-dee-al
cremate	cree-mate	cr'-mate
croquet	cro-kay	cro-kay
debris	d'-bree	deb-ree
detail	dee-tail	dee-tail
dislocate	dis-lo-cate	dis-lo-cate
dynasty	die-nas-tee	din-as-tee
figure	fig-yer	fig-ger
frustrate	frus-trate	frus-trate
garage	ga-rahzh	gar-ij
inquiry	in-kwi-ree	in-kwir-ee
interesting	in-ter-est-ing	in-trest-ing
jaguar	jag-wah	jag-u-ahr
laboratory	lab-ra-tor-ee	la-bor'-tree
lever	lev-er	lee-ver
lieutenant	loo-ten-ant	lef-ten-ant
literally	lit-er-al-ee	lit-ral-ee
marquis	mar-kee	mar-kwis
migraine	my-grain	mee-grane
omega	o-may-g'	o-m'-g'
perfume	per-fume	per-fume
premature	pree-m'-toor	pre-m'-tyoor
premier	pr'-meer	prem-e
privacy	pry-va-see	priv-a-see
process	praw-cess	pro-cess
produce (n.)	pro-doos	praw-dyoos
progress (v.)	pro-gres*	praw-gress
recluse	rec-loos	re-cloos
renaissance	ren-a-sens	re-nay-sens
route	rout	root
schedule	sked-ule	shed-ule
semistatus	sem-eye	sem-ee
strychnine	stat-us	state- US
tomato	strik-nine	strik-neen
trait	tom-ay-doe	tom-ah-toe
trauma	trayt	tray
vase	trah-ma	trau-ma
vitamin	vayz	vahz
Z	vy-ta-min	vit-a-min
lever	zee	zed

6. One letter differences

6. One letter differences

An interesting group is comprised of words which are spelt with a single different or additional letter. The difference affects pronunciation. Click here to see the full text.

AE	BE
aluminium (a-loom-in-um)	aluminium (a-lyoo-min-yum)
behoove	behove
carburettor (kar-boor-ate-er)	carburettor (kar-boor-et-ah)
check (in banking)	cheque
divorce/divorcee (di-vor-say)	divorcee (di-vor-see)
doodad	doodah
mom	mum
plunk	plonk
putter	potter
specialty (spesh-al-tee)	speciality (spesh-ee-al-it-tee)
tidbit	titbit

5. The fulfill / fulfil group (2)

5. The fulfill / fulfil group (2)

In American spelling, when you add a suffix like -ing, -ed, or -er to a word, you double the final consonant only if the stress falls on the second syllable of the root word. Thus, as in British English, the verb 'pat-rol' gives 'patrolling' and 'patrolled'. On the other hand, the verb 'trav-el' becomes 'traveling', 'traveled', 'traveler' (GB 'travelling', 'travelled', 'traveller'). Some further examples: Click here to see the full text.

AE	BE
canceled, cancelled	cancelled
counseled, counselled	counselled
equaled, equalled	equalled
fueled, fuelled	fuelled
groveling, grovelling	grovelling
leveled, levelled	levelled
modeling, modelling	modelling
quarreling, quarrelling	quarrelling
worshiper, worshipper	worshipper