British English
From RationalWiki
British English is the form of the English language used in the British Isles.
Contents |
[edit] Variations
Just as the English language varies from place to place worldwide, there are numerous dialects of English spoken in the United Kingdom.
The spoken language varies greatly within the U.K. - a few dialects of British English are unintelligible to other speakers. While the form of the language called "Received Pronunciation" (RP) that is learned in British public schools (termed private schools in the U.S.) would be understandable to all, the English spoken in such areas as the rural south-west (largely just the phrases "oo-arr" and "yarp"[1]) and parts of Glasgow (e.g. "Nawzatsatesnotook" and ""Geiswanoyerfagsahvranoot"[2]) is intelligible only to natives of those areas. Americans can get a taste of this in some of the Monty Python sketches.
Although there are now many types of English in the world, the two main written versions of the language are British and American English. British spellings, but not necessarily pronunciations, are generally used throughout the Empire Commonwealth of Nations.
[edit] Vocabulary
English is reputed to have the largest vocabulary of any language in the world - although this does rather depend on how you define a "word". This is largely due to the addition of many words based on Latin and French, to what was originally a Germanic language. It is also due to the fact that the English language became dominant at a time when technology was changing so rapidly that countless new words were first coined in the English language.
Historically, French began to exert a powerful influence on the English language when the Normans invaded Britain and began to rule the country. The influence of a ruling class that spoke French can still be seen in the fact that most words for domesticated animals (raised by the Saxon peasantry) are based on the Saxon language, while most words for the meat of these animals (served at the meals of the Norman lords) are derived from the French. For example, cow vs beef, pig vs pork, and chicken vs poultry.
[edit] Spelling
The spellings of all types of English are idiosyncratic and have to be learned - as the rules connecting the written and spoken words are dependent on the historical evolution of the language. It is possible that British English, being the "ancestral" form, is the least phonetic. As the spelling of English words had not yet been standardized at the time the American colonies were founded, it may at times be difficult to determine exactly which variation is actually older or more "archaic."
For example, in British English many words retain their archaic spelling which Noah Webster excised from the American version: 'colour', 'humour' etc. are representative of the retained 'u'. Although there are many other examples no version of English can really be regarded as phonetic.
There are some instances where American English has the more archaic version, for instance gage is a no longer used version of the British gauge. Whichever version of English the previous sentence was written in, it makes no sense.
There are few actual rules to speling English, but one that is always obeyed is "i before e except after c". The only trouble is: see the next section's header.
[edit] Weird examples of spelling and why you use "an"
The word apron actually derives from "napron" by way of "a napron" to "an apron" (and orange likewise comes from norange, as in the Spanish naranja). Indeed, before the British had the rather strange idea of using "an" to precede any word starting with a vowel, the word "an" meant "if". In the reverse direction, "nickname" is from "ekename", and even "tawdry" is from "Saint Audry".
[edit] Pronunciation
A pronunciation difference often noted is that RP British English officially drops the H in hotel (though British people usually pronounce it) and retains it in herb - the contrary being true in the US. Also, "you say tom-ahhh-toe, I say tom-ay-to, let's call the whole thing off". It wouldn't have worked anyway.
[edit] ough
The most absurd English letter pattern is "ough." Whilst its true phonetic rendition is a laboured caveman "uuggh," the English language accords it eight different sound-symbol relationships, each of which bears little or no phonetic resemblance to the letters themselves. For this reason, it is usually considered polite to offer a short apology before teaching this letter pattern to non-native speakers.
The madness in full:
- through = "oo"
- though = "oh"
- thought, ought = "aw"
- bough, plough = "ow"
- tough, enough = "uff"
- cough = "off"
- lough = "ock"
- hiccough = "up"
- Boughton = "Bore"-tun
- Boughton = "Bow" (as in "take a bow")-tun
Some (but not many) of these have been amended in America, for example, "plow" for "plough".
[edit] Z
A notable British/American difference is in the name of the last letter of the alphabet: the British letter "zed" is pronounced "zee" in the USA. Of course, "zed" is the correct pronunciation, since it is what the letter actually sounds like when used in words.
[edit] Rows
Consider the homophone "rose". If you couldn't speak English, how would you explain that that very same phonetic word has forty-three bazillion meanings. Viz:
Rows of houses; the rose is a pretty flower; the sun rose in the morning; she rows the boat; a watering can has a rose to make sprinkly water, and rhos are used frequently in Greek.
There is also the new European Union product safety standard, ROHS.
[edit] The best
Generally, any particular British English dialect sounds more pleasing to the ear of speakers of that dialect, and is much, much better than American English for communicating with speakers of that particular dialect. It is also the only form of English to feature correctly spelled words.[3]
Without a "u", how can one properly savour flavour?
[edit] Muffins
In Britain "English muffins" are known as "American muffins", because they are. Well, they were English, but "the Muffin Man" hasn't "lived down Drury Lane" for a century or two. In England, muffins are rather plain and unpleasant thick pancakes that nobody ever eats, because they have been replaced with American muffins. Of course, in "America" (the US, at least), a "muffin" is more like a single-serving cake, usually enjoyed at breakfast time.
[edit] City, town and village name pronunciation
Some visitors from the US to the UK are completely unable to pronounce British names for various cities, towns and villages. Of particular note are the following:
- Towcester
- Bicester
- Cirencester
- Worcester (or even better, Worcestershire)
- In fact, any name ending in -cester.
- Berkeley
- Edinburgh
- Warwick
- Birmingham
- Cholmondeley
- Cogenhoe
- Culross
- Hull
- Kilconquhar
- Rhondda
- Rhymney
- Cwm Bargoed
- Woolfardisworthy
- Ystradgunlais
- Ynysybwl
- Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
- Wymondham
- Cambois
- Shrewsbury (actually, even the locals can't agree on how to pronounce this)
Enjoy trying to figure them out.
[edit] Also see
[edit] Excretoria
These are various terms and euphemisms used in different regions for the rooms in which we excrete bodily wastes, what we call the act of excreting, and so on.
[edit] USA
- Bathroom, derivative of the washing function also performed in the room.
- Restroom - usually the word on the sign in public places.
- The sittingly deposition appliance is called a "closet" in some plumbing and architectural circles.
- Toilet - derivative of other functions performed in bathrooms.
- Washroom.
- Privy, outhouse - before indoor plumbing, so not so relevant.
- Crapper - an early name for the appliance also known as a "flush toilet"
- Commode - one more euphemism for a toilet bowl.
- Facilities
- Conservapedia - for the room, the appliances, the act, and the results of diarhhea excretion.
- The Mens' Room
- The Ladies' Room
In order to excuse oneself to use the above, a less-than-gentleman might say "I have to go see a man about a horse". Lord only knows what a less-than-lady might be shopping for.
[edit] Britain
- Lavatory; lav. derivative of the washing function also performed in the room.
- Lavvie/lavvy (from above)
- Loo (this is one that Anglophilic Americans like to adopt)(apparently from the French for water)
- Privy (derived from "private")
- W.C. (standing for "water closet")
- The smallest room
- The facilities as in "Would you like to use the facilities?"
- Bog (not polite)
- Cludgy (not polite)
- Craphouse (not polite)
- Nettie (northeast England)
- Out back (from former times when the facility was in a shed in the yard (not to be confused with the Australian "outback")
- Shitter (not polite)
To use the above device, a lady powders her nose and a gentleman turns his bike round or sees a man about a dog.
[edit] Oz
[edit] Au Canada
[edit] Dick Van Dyke
Dick van Dyke's spirited rendition of a cockney accent in the film Mary Poppins marked the lowest point in Anglo-American relations since the War of 1812.
[edit] Some vocabulary differences between British English and American English
This is a small and incomplete list.
| British | American |
|---|---|
| automotive | |
| bonnet | hood |
| boot | trunk |
| windscreen | windshield |
| tyre | tire |
| indicator | signal |
| petrol (petrolium) | gas (gasoline) |
| car | |
| saloon | sedan |
| lorry | truck |
| motorway | highway, freeway |
| food and drink | |
| biscuit | cookie |
| budgie (budgerigar) | parakeet |
| crisps | chips |
| chips | fries; french fries |
| lager | |
| other | |
| lift | elevator |
| underground | subway |
| braces | |
| braces | suspenders |
| suspenders | garter belt |
| pram (perambulator) | baby carriage, buggy |
| aeroplane | airplane |
| aluminium | aluminum |
| road surface | pavement |
| pavement | sidewalk |
| football | soccer |
| American football | football |
| kit | gear |
| "gear" | "groovy" |
| "groovy" | old fart |
| trousers | pants |
| pants | rapid breathing, underwear |
| slut | slut, tramp |
| tramp | bum |
| bum | fanny |
| fanny | cunt |
| cunt | Bush |
| condom, johnny, French letter, Durex® | rubber, condom, Trojan® |
| rubber | eraser |
| snog | French kiss |
| metres and litres | meters and liters, or, er... yards and quarts |
| nought | zero |
| conservative | liberal[5] |
[edit] Cockney rhyming slang
Despite US perception, not all English people communicate using rhyming slang, preferring instead to take a walnut whip down the wormwood scrub with our china plates for a few pints of nelson and a ruby.
[edit] External links
Here is a page explaining British/American language differences.
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ Hot Fuzz
- ↑ http://www.clyde-valley.com/glasgow/dialect.htm
- ↑ This is true: see "English language"
- ↑ http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/revocation.asp
- ↑ Well, more Conservapedian than American
