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British English vs. American English

© Barb Alexander

Back in 1997, as word of my upcoming marriage and consequent relocation began to spread around the middle school where I was teaching, one of my seventh graders eagerly approached me after class.

"Miss Conn, I heard you're moving to England!" she exclaimed, "Like, Paris, England?"

"No, no," I corrected her, "Paris is in France. London is in England. I'll be in England."

She continued to beam, "Oh, that's so cool! So, do you speak the language?"

I was momentarily stunned, but then was able to reply calmly, "Sophia, it's England. They speak English."

You would just have to know this particularly sweet, enthusiastic young lady to fully appreciate the story. However, it turned out that she may have unknowingly had a point after all

There exists, in fact, American English and British English. But it was not always this way. Many of the language differences date only from the late 1700s and early 1800s. After America declared its freedom from England, the Motherland took great pains to ensure that visitors from the United States would encounter a slight language barrier as the price to pay for independence.

You may know some British English already -- "bobby" for policeman, "chips" for French-fried potatoes, "bloke" for guy, and "flat" for apartment. You may have heard that they call the first floor of a building "the ground floor" and the second floor "the first floor." They refer to the bathroom as "the loo," the drugstore as "the chemist," and a trial lawyer as "a barrister." But are you ready to raise your chin high, grab your passport, and attempt to hold your own on that tiny but proud isle? Are you ready to take on some regionalisms, lesser-known to non-Brits?

Try this short quiz:

* Your "dustman" is:

(A) the man who cleans your flat
(B) the man who cleans the street
(C) the gardener
(D) the garbage man

The answer is (D) the garbage man. Actually, the formal term is now "sanitation officer," but in conversation, "dustman" is still common.

* A "lollipop man/woman" is:

(A) a restaurant server
(B) a successful politician
(C) a candy store owner
(D) a crossing guard

The correct answer is (D) a crossing guard. The term comes from the type of stick carried; there's a disk on top which reads "Stop -- Children Crossing."

* The phrase "Bob's your uncle" means:

(A) Presto, there you have it
(B) You're nothing but a liar
(C) Your uncle is a British policeman