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MineralMan

(151,345 posts)

72. Not entirely. There are differences in British and American

Reply to Shrike47 (Reply #64)

Sat Jan 25, 2014, 12:54 PM

Jan 2014

written English as well. Most are simple spelling differences (e.g.: colour vs. color), but there are some grammatical differences, as well. For example, collective plural nouns, such as General Motors, are handled differently in verb conjugation. In the U.S. we would write "General Motors predicts higher sales in 2014." In England, it would be "General Motors predict higher sales in 2014."

There are also differences in word meanings for many words, which can make it difficult for U.S. writers trying to write for British publications.

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When Did Americans Lose Their British Accents? [View all] frogmarch Jan 2014 OP

Related question: 1000words Jan 2014 #1

Yes, why do they? frogmarch Jan 2014 #3

Just a guess, but it may be from trying to imitate the voices NoGOPZone Jan 2014 #38

Why did Jim Nabors not sound like a hillbilly when he sang? n/t Fumesucker Jan 2014 #10

So, it's not an Anglo-Saxon speech pathology ... 1000words Jan 2014 #18

His natural voice was not hillbilly. former9thward Jan 2014 #21

Or Mel Tillis doesn't stutter when he sings madokie Jan 2014 #23

Tillis didn't stammer when he sang because he knew the words ahead of time. House of Roberts Jan 2014 #28

Some of them don't Art_from_Ark Jan 2014 #29

Billy Bragg! 1000words Jan 2014 #33

I lived in Britain and it was always 50/50 OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #85

I'll have to admit that I was surprised to find out that Art_from_Ark Jan 2014 #87

Yeah sometimes they OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #88

They sure fooled me! Art_from_Ark Jan 2014 #89

I don't think they do unless they're trying to sound American starroute Jan 2014 #31

They don't. Codeine Jan 2014 #69

And now, some of 'em are starting to sound like US.... MADem Jan 2014 #2

And they do a great job, frogmarch Jan 2014 #5

That's because British actors usually have a background in theatre Spider Jerusalem Jan 2014 #11

Interesting! frogmarch Jan 2014 #22

Having lived in the UK, I saw people like OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #86

"Dags. D'ya like dags?" Codeine Jan 2014 #70

I was married to a Brit... Ino Jan 2014 #74

Mel Gibson used to do a decent Austrailian accent. Jenoch Jan 2014 #82

Only because he acquired it naturally (he still has faint traces of it). Spider Jerusalem Jan 2014 #84

The problem with Americans is that they don't realize that the way the Queen speaks is MADem Jan 2014 #17

I can hear the regional frogmarch Jan 2014 #25

I'm pretty good with accents--I can bullshit in several languages for brief periods, anyway. MADem Jan 2014 #61

I'm reminded of this: nyquil_man Jan 2014 #77

That is PRICELESS and thank you for posting it-I'd never seen it and it is a must-see!!! nt MADem Jan 2014 #80

I HATE it when those sneaky Brits trick me!!!! Hassin Bin Sober Jan 2014 #27

The southern accent didn't exist until after the Civil War. JaneyVee Jan 2014 #4

Really? Wow! frogmarch Jan 2014 #7

I read about it a few years back. Not sure of its accuracy though. JaneyVee Jan 2014 #12

Long before the Civil War. former9thward Jan 2014 #26

Southern English was non-rhotic early on. Igel Jan 2014 #34

Fascinating. As someone who speaks 4 languages I'm always interested in JaneyVee Jan 2014 #37

Southern English as in Southern US or the South of England, though? Spider Jerusalem Jan 2014 #54

Very interesting! Thanks for the info. JaneyVee Jan 2014 #35

But you posted it like it was a fact. GeorgeGist Jan 2014 #67

I don't usually have an accent but when high, I get a bit of a Basten accent Ohio Joe Jan 2014 #6

haha, well, do you frogmarch Jan 2014 #9

Ovuh heah deah - foah moah foaks. DamnYankeeInHouston Jan 2014 #49

Then there's people like me... Scootaloo Jan 2014 #53

Soon as we moved to Brooklyn!!! elleng Jan 2014 #8

Now, that is a frogmarch Jan 2014 #16

... ReRe Jan 2014 #51

Some of us never had a british accent. jwirr Jan 2014 #13

How very true! frogmarch Jan 2014 #15

Yes, mine came from Germany and today my family is primarily Native American and black. None of us jwirr Jan 2014 #19

Interesting article etherealtruth Jan 2014 #14

Actually, some researchers think it was the British accent that diverged in the 19th C markpkessinger Jan 2014 #20

The British "r" has always frogmarch Jan 2014 #32

Non-rhotic "r" is a feature that originated in London speech Spider Jerusalem Jan 2014 #48

old english r was trilled (rolled) tiny elvis Jan 2014 #57

It also makes sense because the Irish and spooky3 Jan 2014 #46

American accents sound like lazy english... HipChick Jan 2014 #24

Don't know how true this is, but... pipi_k Jan 2014 #30

That's because non-natives usually do it pretty shitty. hughee99 Jan 2014 #43

Yeah, I've noticed pipi_k Jan 2014 #65

True I lived on Worcester for half a year in the early 1970s LiberalEsto Jan 2014 #66

I agree. hughee99 Jan 2014 #73

I understand that certain American accents are far more like SheilaT Jan 2014 #36

I have heard . . . Brigid Jan 2014 #40

How I wish frogmarch Jan 2014 #41

Among the things I would do if I had a time machine SheilaT Jan 2014 #68

I like a British accent in movies, films... fadedrose Jan 2014 #39

I like some of the British accents I hear, frogmarch Jan 2014 #42

Same here fadedrose Jan 2014 #44

You can find that with english accents too. I worked in Ireland for a brief period of time hughee99 Jan 2014 #45

Well, in Bahstin, we still pronounce word in a similiar fashion fascisthunter Jan 2014 #47

Sort of how the exaggerated upperclass accent in the UK . . . MrModerate Jan 2014 #50

The only hint of British accent we have left is in... ReRe Jan 2014 #52

Just off the top of my head, it seems the British changed from mixing with other language, like us. freshwest Jan 2014 #55

I can do both accents Skittles Jan 2014 #56

OK, translate this... defacto7 Jan 2014 #60

swell pet of brushes? tiny elvis Jan 2014 #62

Literraly a "Swell pair of brushes you have here" dickthegrouch Jan 2014 #75

Yep... that's it. defacto7 Jan 2014 #78

sorry, I can do a fair English accent but not Cockney Skittles Jan 2014 #83

Not enough bangers n' mash? flamingdem Jan 2014 #58

Just remember what Sarah Palin says.... defacto7 Jan 2014 #59

Ha! I saw the parody thread of this. joshcryer Jan 2014 #63

The second generation after the ancestor got here. Shrike47 Jan 2014 #64

Not entirely. There are differences in British and American MineralMan Jan 2014 #72

Maybe the Brits lost their accent and we speak English correctly. B Calm Jan 2014 #71

How do you explain the Texas accent????? northoftheborder Jan 2014 #76

Profane but talented video at link: Loudly Jan 2014 #79

I've always been fascinated with the Mid-Atlantic accent, nyquil_man Jan 2014 #81

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