Introduction to

Introduction
English is today the dominant international
language in most parts of the world. It is
spoken by an estimated 300-400 million
people as a native language and by an
estimated two billion people as a second
language. It is by far the most widely taught
and understood language in the world.
It is important for Filipinos to learn
the British variety of English
alongside American English to avoid
confusion and misunderstanding.
Differences between
BrE and AmE

Phonology
Lexicon
Orthography
Morphology
Syntax
Activity 1

Select the word that

identifies the correct
BrE and AmE terms for
the images
 Activity 1

trousers pants
rubbish garbage
lift elevator
holiday vacation
autumn fall
chips french fries
tube subway
petrol gas
lavatory restroom
cinema movie
sweets candy
pavement sidewalk
biscuit cookie
car automobile
cab taxi
Filipino nurses working in
hospitals in Saudi Arabia, where
many senior nurses and doctors
are British, are bewildered when
they are instructed to get a torch.

Find out why.

Lexicon
• Tap
• Vest
• Pissed
• Brew
• Flat
• Lavatory
• Mate
• Coach
• Rubber
Some other British Terms
you ought to know

1. Bloke
2. Fag
3. Fancy
4. Mate
5. Quid
6. Reckon
7. Rubbish
8. Wicked
 Orthography

• Airplane • Aeroplane
• Aluminum • Aluminium
• Catalog • Catalogue
• Skillful • Skilful
• Check • Cheque
• Flavor • Flavour
• Mustache • Moustache
• Meter • Metre
• Organize • Organise
• Tire • Tyre
• Maneuver • Manoeuvre
Orthography
AmE words ending in “er” (center, fiber, theater)
are often written with “re” in British English (centre,
fibre, theatre).

center centre
luster lustre
Orthography
Some nouns that end with “og” in AmE
(dialog) end with “ogue” in BrE (dialogue).

catalog catalogue
analog analogue
Orthography
AmE words with “or” (color, humor) are usually
spelt with “our” in BrE (colour, humour).

clamor clamour
favor ite favourite
honorable honourable
Orthography
Verbs in AmE that end with “ze” (analyze) will
be spelt with “se” (analyse) in BrE.

criticize criticise
memorize memorise
authorize authorise
Orthography
In American spelling, verbs that end with a vowel
plus the consonant “l” (e.g. travel) would be spelt
with a double “l” when adding suffixes that begin
with a vowel (e.g. er, ed,).
Hence, “traveled” in AmE is spelt as “travelled” in
BrE.

dialed dialled
paralleled parallelled
signaling signalling
Orthography
On the contrary, some AmE words spelt with a
double “l” (enrollment) would be spelt with a single
“l” in BrE (enrolment).

fulfill fulfil
installment instalment
Orthography
AmE words that are spelt with a single “e”
(archeology, maneuver). will be spelt with the
double vowels “ae” or “oe” in BrE (archaeology,
manoeuvre).

encyclopedia encyclopaedia
pediatrician paediatrcian
esophagus oesophagus
 Orthography
Some nouns that end with “ense” in AmE (license,
defense) are spelt with “ence” in BrE (licence,
defence).

offense offence
pretense pretence

NOTE: BrE license is a verb, while licence is a noun

likewise with practise (v) and practice (n).
Orthography
Some AmE words that with a “ck” or “k” (check)
will be spelt with a “que” in BrE (cheque).

checkered chequered
bank banque
Other spelling peculiarities

ax axe
jewelry jewellery
draft draught
hiccup hiccough
pajamas pyjamas
plow plough
program programme
tire tyre
Inquire enquire
specialty speciality
Morphology
Morphology means the structure of words which
involves word formation. 

To determine morphemes, a word has to be cut up

into smaller portions considering this criterion. 
For example, 'boldest' can be cut up into two
meaningful portions:

         bold-    (ad.) brave

         -est      (suffix) superlative degree
 Morphology
Words change form when affixes are
added. Observe the following transformations:

Base word                                 
appropriate appropriateness appropriacy
                            inappropriateness inappropriacy

certify certified certificated  

orient/ed (dis)orient/ed (dis)orientated

(dis)orienting (dis)orientating
Morphology
In BrE some suffixes are directly added to the base
word form as opposed to AmE words in which some
vowels are omitted.

Base word + suffix

age aging ageing

argue argument arguement
judge judgment judgement
Morphology
In BrE, words that end in “l” preceded by a vowel
usually double the “l” when a suffix is added. While
in AmE the letter is not doubled.  The letter will
double in the stress is on the second syllable.

counsel counseling counselling

equal equaling equalling
quarrel quarreling quarrelling
model modeling modelling
Morphology
For the simple past and past participle, the general
rule is that AmE spells the verb form with –ed
(spelled), while BrE spells the verb with –t (spelt).

to dream dreamed dreamt

to leap leaped leapt
to learn learned learnt

However, these forms do not exist for every verb and there is variation. 
For example, both AmE and BrE would use the word 'worked', and in
AmE it is common to hear the word 'knelt' as the past tense of 'to kneel'.
Morphology
Another category of difference includes verbs that
use either the base form of the verb or the -ed ending
for the simple past.

to fit fit fitted

to forecast forecast forecasted
to wed wed wedded
Morphology
A third category of difference includes verbs that have
either an irregular spelling or the -ed ending for the
simple past

to knit knit knitted

to light lit lighted
to strive strove strived
Syntax

The structure of the sentence is what is referred

to as syntax. Two of the major difference
between BrE and AmE syntax are Grammar
Rules and Insertions.
Syntax

The structure of the sentence

is what is referred to as
syntax. Two of the major
difference between BrE and
AmE syntax are Grammar
Rules and Insertions.
Syntax
Insertion of a phrase into a sentence (where the
phrase is inserted differs):

 e.g. ”What are the advantages and disadvantages of being

old?”

What (do you think) are the advantages and

disadvantages of being old?

What are the advantages and disadvantages (do you

think) of being old?

This applies to other sentences where the phrase 'do you think' is inserted.
 Syntax
Grammar rules:
 Varying verbs and verb collocations are used
       
Do you have a pen?
        Have you got a pen?

  I'm going to take a bath.

       I'm going to have a bath.
 Syntax
Grammar rules:
    c) pronouns/referencing and substitution: In using
a pronoun as substitute for a noun, the British
are more gender fair than Americans, to the point of
using a plural form of pronoun that refers to a
singular noun.

Someone’s on the phone

     “What does he want?”

    “What do they want?”

Syntax

Somebody left the windows open yesterday,

didn't he?"                      

Somebody left the windows open yesterday,

didn't they?"                      
 We’ve
reached
the END

Thank you!