18. Local varieties of the English language

1. Local dialects on the British Isles

2. Local dialects in the USA

3. British and American English

1. Local dialects: Lowland, Northern, Western, Midland, Eastern, Southern.

Cockney: wery vell; «’eart» for «heart» and «hart» for «art»; day, house, now, don’t. «Tit for tat», «trouble and strife», «loaf of bread».

2. New York: bird, girl, learn; duty, tune.

3. British and American English. H.N. Menken «The American Language» (1919).

Thee beginning of the 17-th century: chipmuck, igloo, skunk, wigwam, squaw. Bureau, cache, depot, pumpkin; adobe, cockroach, lasso.

The 19-th century: pizza, spaghetti; delicatessen, hamburger, noodle, schnitzel. The United States of America, assembly, caucus, congress, Senate, congressman, President, senator, precinct, Vice-President; to antagonize, to demoralize, influential, department store, telegram, telephone.

There are some differences between British and American English. I start my holiday on Friday (BE); I start my vacation Friday (AE). By day, by night, at night» – days, nights. BE – AE: at home – home; a quarter to five – a quarter of five, in the street – on the street, to chat to somebody – to chat with somebody, different to something – different from something.

BE – AE: trousers – pants.

Places (BE – AE): passage – hall, cross-roads – intersection, pillar box – mail-box, the cinema – the movies, flyover – overpass, zebra – crossing, pavement – sidewalk, tram – streetcar, flat – apartment, surgery – doctor’s office, lift – elevator.

Useful objects (BE – AE): biro – ballpoint, rubber – eraser, tap – faucet, torch – flashlight, parcel – package, carrier bag – shopping bag.

Food (BE – AE): tin – can, sweets – candy, sweet biscuit – cookie, dry biscuit – crackers, sweet – dessert, chips – french fries, minced meat – ground beef.

Personal items (BE – AE): tights – pantyhose, mackintosh – raincoat, poloneck – turtleneck, waistcoat – vest.

People (BE – AE): staff – faculty, caretaker – janitor, constable – patrolman, shopassistant – shopperson, bobby – cop.

Cars (BE – AE): boot – trunk, bumpers – fenders, a car – an auto, to hire a car – to rent a car.

Public school, elementary school – grade school, secondary school – high school, a pupil leaves a secondary school – a student graduates from a high school. The first, the second and the third years – freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years; main and subsidiary subjects – majors and electives.

Differences of spelling: a) honor, favor; b) traveler, wagon; c) theater, center; d) catalog, program; e) defense, offense; d) thro.

Differences in pronunciation: class, dance. Stress (BE – AE): add`ress – address, la`boratory – `laboratory, re`cess – `recess, re`search – `research, in`quiry – `inquiry, ex`cess – `excess. Clerk, schedule, lieutenant.

Changes in pronunciation: a) see, keep; b) big, good, come, jam; bad, sad, glad, mad; с) necessary, interesting; d) resume, music, news, enthusiasm; e) car, heart; f) the idea of; g) Asia, Persia; h) duke, tube, issue; i) often, forehead; j) half past five, old man.