7.1 Differences in Vocabulary

In the sphere of word-building, the difference between British and American English lies in the intensity of the process. American English is more open to neologisms. Among the most productive ways of word-formation one must mention conversion. Nouns are easily formed from verbs: frame-up (n) from frame up (v), verbs from nouns: bus (v) from bus (n), nouns from adjectives: husky (n) from husky (adj), and so on. Back-formation is also very productive: edit (v) is formed from editor (n), laze (v) from lazy (adj), commute (v) from commuter (n), fax (v) from fax (n), and so on. All kinds of shortenings and portmanteau words are very popular with Americans: ad (advertisement), copter (helicopter), motel (motor + hotel), and auditoria (auditorium + cafeteria).

The distance in which BE and AE have traveled in their separation can be measured by vocabulary. There are several differentiations of vocabulary in AE and BE: common ideas expressed by different words, the same words having different meanings, and words expressing reality with no counterparts in the other variant. Since the American legal system is based on the English legal system, the legal terms are similar, e.g., jury, juvenile and justice of peace. However, the definitions of these terms are slightly different. Common ideas expressed by different words and the same words having different meanings are closely connected and produce inconvenience in understanding AE and BE. This part of the word-stock provides the material for most of the confusions and popular jokes. British cars run on petrol, whereas American cars run on gas(oline). In America, one rents a car, but in Britain, one hires a car. In an American high school, students graduate. In a British school, a pupil (never a student) leaves school. The Americans put coal on a grate, while the British use coals for the same reason. In BE and AE the same words may have different meanings. British chips are American French fries; however, American chips are British crisps. In America an employer hires an employee, but in Britain, one hires a car.

AEBEAEBEsuspenders (for holding up men’s trousers)

garter belt

(for holding up women’s stockings)

pants

underpants, shorts

truckbraces

suspenders

trousers

pants

lorryvest

undershirt (or T-shirt)

public school

private school

faculty

(university) department

closetwaistcoat

vest

state school

public school

teachers (teaching staff)

faculty

storeroom

The third type of the word-stock is based on the pioneers and later immigrants from different countries, and they all brought or bring a new vocabulary with them: trapper, frontiersman, pitcher, rum, sequoia, canyon, guacamole, pico de gallo, and others.

Crystal contends that in the lexicon of BE and AE, there are three distinctions which have to be made: some words are found only in AE; some are found only in BE, and some came from either source, thus establishing World Standard English (WSE) (p. 308). He points out that the remaining words represent different kinds of semantic contrast in AE and BE. His classification of semantic contrast is based on M. Benson, E. Benson, and R. Ilson’s (1986b) categories:

• Some words reflect cultural differences but are not a part of World Standard English (WSE): AE Ivy League, Groundhog, revenue sharing and BE A-levels, giro, VAT, and others.

• Some words have a single sense, and they have synonyms in the other variety: BE current account and AE checking account.

• Some words have one meaning in WSE and one or more additional meanings which are specific to BE or AE: caravan (a group of travelers) is common to both BE and AE, but only BE has an additional meaning a vehicle towed by a car, whereas AE uses in this sense the word trailer.

• Some words have one meaning in WSE and a synonym in one or both AE and BE, e.g., both have pharmacy, but AE has drugstore, and BE has chemist’s.

• Some words have no WSE meaning but have different meanings in BE and AE: AE flyover = BE flypast; however, BE flyover = AE overpass.

• Some words are used in AE and BE, but in one of them they are more common, e.g., flat is more common in BE, but apartment is used more often in AE. Other examples are post (BE) vs. mail (AE) and shop (BE) vs. (AE) store (Crystal, p.308).

As we commented earlier, the difference between American and British vocabulary is lessened because many American words made their way into British use, and their number is increasing. Some words, such as advocate, placate, and antagonize, had to overcome a long opposition during most of the nineteenth century. The American traveling to Great Britain and the Englishman traveling to America are amused by differences, but they are not puzzled because these words are still recognizable. The BE word for railroad is railway, the engineer is a driver, and the conductor is a guard. The baggage car is a van, and the baggage carried is a luggage. Regarding the automobile, the English speak of a lorry (truck), windscreen (windshield), bonnet (hood), sparking plugs (spark plugs), gear lever (gearshift), gearbox (transmission), dynamo (generator), silencer (muffler), boot (trunk), and petrol (gasoline or gas) (Baugh & Cable, 1978, p. 387).

Such differences can be found in every part of the vocabulary: BE ironmongery = AE hardware, BE lift = AE elevator, BE post = AE mail, BE underground = AE subway, and others. Baugh and Cable observe that some words have a deceptive nature. BE lumber is AE timber, but in BE timber is discarded furniture. Laundry in America is the place where clothing and linen is washed, along with the articles washed as well. A lobbyist in England is a parliamentary reporter, while in America he or she is the one who attempts to influence legislation, and a pressman is a reporter in England, while in America the word means the one who works in the pressroom where a newspaper is printed (Baugh & Cable, p. 387). The American sidewalk is an old British word which was cited in the New English Dictionary (1739). However, this word has fallen out of favor in BE and has become a common word in America. The British replaced it with footway or pavement.

American English is rich in fantastically coined or combined words. Some examples are bodacious (blend of bold and audacious) and slantindicular (blend of slanting and perpendicular), and some others. Some other Americanisms are bogus, cantankerous, catawampus, cohogle, rambunctious, to name a few.

The difference in the two nations’ vocabularies is very difficult to trace because a great number of Americanisms are borrowed into British English, so they lose their specific American character. Nevertheless, as the examples above show, there are a considerable number of words which betray a speaker’s nationality. For example, if a British girl and an American girl were out shopping together, the British girl, pointing to a shop window, might say, “I’d like to go into that shop and look at that frock,” while her American friend would more likely say, “I’d like to go into that store and look at that dress.”