British English, as the name suggests, is the variety of English language written and spoken predominantly in the United Kingdom. It is also called the UK English or Anglo English in many places. It is an umbrella term that includes many variations of English spoken in different regions of the United Kingdom.
In this write-up, we are discussing the definition of British English and how is it different from other variations of English, especially the American English.
What is British English?
British English is one of the most popular varieties of the English language. It has a narrow definition and a wider definition. If we go by the narrow definition, British English will only constitute the English language used in England. However, the broader definition includes the English language used throughout the British Isles, including Scottish English, Welsh English, and Northern Irish English.
There is definitely a certain degree of uniformity in the English language used throughout the British Isles but there are some differences too. So, while talking specifically about dialects, there are a number of dialects in the entire region but on a broader level, all those dialects are collectively called the British English.
Is British English Used Only in the British Isles?
Certainly not! British English i.e. the English that originated in England is the mother of all the variations of English.
In the previous section, we talked about the broader definition of the British English but there is an even much wider definition of the term. According to this definition, British English is used globally by almost all the countries that were once part of the British Empire.
When we go by this global definition, there are two broad varieties of English – British English and American English.
Members of the Commonwealth tend to use British English. India. For example, has a variation called Indian English but in a wider perspective it said that India follows British English because the textbook English in India is British English. China teaches both, British English and American English.
What Makes British English Different from Other Varieties of English?
The distinctions between any two varieties of English, be it British and American or different dialects of British English depend on almost the same factors.
Pronunciation – The most obvious difference that can be noticed in any two varieties of a language is the pronunciation. The same word can be pronounced differently in different regions. Some letters can be silent in one variety but not in another. Different rules of pronunciation of vowels and consonants, stress, and intonations create all the differences.
Examples –
- ‘A’ sound – In words like ‘bath’ and ‘dance’ British English uses the /ɑː/ sound while American English uses the /æ/ sound.
- ‘R’ sound – In words like ‘car’ and ‘water’, where R comes at the end, the letter R isn’t pronounced in British English while it is pronounced in American.
- ‘H’ sound – In words like ‘herb’ and ‘schedule’, letter H is silent in British English but not in American English.
- In words like ‘controversy,’ the stress is on the first syllable in British English while on the second syllable in American English.
Vocabulary – Another differentiating factor for different varieties of English is vocabulary. Some words are considered more appropriate in certain situations than others and they can be totally different from other varieties of English. When it comes to British English and American English, there’s a huge list of vocabulary differences.
Examples –
- Br – Toilet/Bathroom; Am – Restroom
- Br – Pharmacy; Am – Drugstore
- Br – Realtor; Am – Real Estate Agent
- Br – Rubber; Am – Eraser
- Br – Trousers; Am – Pants
- Br – Torch; Am – Flashlight
- Br – Biscuit; Am – Cookie
Spelling – The way of writing or spelling a word is also a differentiating factor between different varieties of English. Generally speaking, British English and the closer versions follow a more traditional approach to spelling.
Examples –
- Br – Colour; Am – Color
- Br – Centre; Am – Center
- Br – Travelling; Am – Traveling
- Br – Organisation; Am – Organization
- Br – Cheque; Am – Check
- Br – Programme; Am – Program
- Br – Pyjamas; Am – Pajamas
Idiomatic Expressions – Just like differences in words, differences in idiomatic expressions are distinguishing factors between British English and American English.
Examples –
- Br – Chuffed to bits; Am – On cloud nine
- Br – Taking the mickey; Am – Pulling your leg
- Br – Full of beans; Am – Full of pep
- Br – Raining cats and dogs; Am – Raining buckets
- Br – Blow one’s own trumpet; Am – Toot one’s own horn
- Br – In the doghouse; Am – In hot water
Formatting of Date and Numbers – Another factor of distinction between British English and other forms of English is based on the way or formatting dates, times, and numbers.
Examples –
- Date – The format in British English is DD-MM-YYYY while in American English it is MM-DD-YYYY
- Decimals –5 in British English will be read as Two Point Five while in American English it will be Two and a Half
- Time – British English typically uses a 24-hour time format while in American English 12-hour pattern is used with AM and PM to signify day or night.