Differences between American & British English

Yes, the Americans took it upon themselves way back when to call themselves "Americans" because this is much easier than saying "United Statians" or whatever. Plus, our official name is "the United States of 'America'." So, since every other country in North, Central and South America do not have a name like we do, we were able to take "America" and claim it as ours.

chris, the guy using "unitedstatish" was some idiot from overseas who is not representative of, well, anybody. nobody uses it.

To Tabisora: In everyday life, I would use British terms rather than American terms. Influence from the media cannot destroy an entire childhood of British upbringing and education.

To Boy: Americans don't spell 'colour' instead of 'color', but just the other way. In addition, all of you who spell the word 'intonation' as 'entonation', please if you choose to use words you are not quite familiar with, first look them up in the dictionary.

"Entonation"? That's surely a peculiar spelling of intonation.

Doesn't Britain refer to the island with England, Scotland and Wales on it and the UK to Britain + Northern Ireland?

I've heard that in Japan, they consider it stuck up of people from the US to call it the United States 'of America'. Japanese people don't call Japan "Japan of Asia".

All I can say is that the people of the United States are Americans. That is that!

Chris,

I haven't heard that. I would say that it is not at all true that "in Japan, they consider it stuck up of people from the US to call it the United States 'of America'." In Japanese the USA is usually simply called "America".

Tremmert,

I believe you're spot on about the Britian/UK thing. "The UK" is short for "The United Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland" so obviously Northern Ireland can't be part of Britian.

However, what about the Shetland Islands? They are part of Scotland and therefore part of Great Britian I'd assume. So I think there is more to Great Britian than the main Island. Note that the Isle of Mann and the Channel Islands are neither part of Great Britian nor the UK.

I's simple. Britain is England, Scotland and Wales. The UK is Britain and Northern Ireland.

And the Japanese are not really correct about the United States of America. "America" isn't a country. America is the continent that also includes Canada, Mexico and Greenland. I suppose if Americans call their country "America" then they are being stuck-up because America is just another name for the continent of North America. Therefore American have a right to call their country the United States of America because they are a Union of 50 states all united together on the continent of America. So they are the United States of America- "The United States of the continent of America."

To Mark Herrien

Better this way.
The fact that English differs from one country to another is one of its interesting side to me.
And anyway, better keep your original language which is a great part of your identity, of course.

The biggest difference between american and british english is definitely the slang.

I remember one time when a english guy I knew asked an american friend if he had any fags, i.e. cigarettes. You should have seen the americans guys face. He looked insulted to say the least.

As I'm from New Zealand (where I guess we're familiar with both types of slang thanks to TV from England and the USA) I had to quickly step in and translate. This wasn't the only time I had to do this, just the most memorable. After observing a couple of conversations between these two people, I was actually quite surprised just how many words are different between these two dialects.

I also had a few problems with my own accent and words while visiting the states, especially with the words beer/bear, which we pronounce the same, without the american 'aghrrr' at the end. I also found I say 'my one' a lot in place of 'mine' which I've noticed a lot of people do in NZ, (it also happens with your/her/our/their one etc). I was told this is not grammatically correct!

*******MM
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***I don't feel I'm being stuck-up calling the people of USA "Americans." I figure it as a short way to call the people of this country. I never saw it as stuck up. I grew up saying "American" and so did many people before me obviously.*****
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*** I don't see why people complain saying that the name should be "United States of the 'continent of' America" because that is basically the same as the given name. And that is exactly what it is. 'Fifty United States of the Continent of North America.' Stupid people, specific people, and lost people would love to hear that long name that *some* people here like! (Not naming names but it's obvious who I'm talking about if you read above.) I don't see any other country with a name like that!***
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******Canadians are lucky to have their own name to use and so does Mexico. No other country uses America when talking of the people of their own country, so why not? Besides it really isn't hurting anyone, is it? People make a big deal over America too much. If we were a 3rd would country and did nothing, this topic wouldn't have came up. People always talk about the popular. (In no way was that last sentance snobby, just making a point.)*****
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*****If you really want Americans to call them selves something else you could either:
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(1)Convince the whole population and the other countries that call us Americans. (Seriously)
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or (2) Go back in time (which is very simple to do) and ask the people to not call themselves Americans and make up a new name for the country, like Yanks or something if it makes you happy.
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******So, I say don't argue over words that don't hurt (insult) anybody, and case closed if you let it be. I hope you people would see eye to eye with me. I may not have explained myself clearly enough or got out exactly what I wanted to say but I hope you got the point.********
*I wish I didn't have to explain all of this.***
******Btw, it's 'Amerika-jin' in Japanese (amereekajeen, the "r" is pronounced like an L sometimes)*****
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<<<<<Side note, I'm not talking about *all* of you, just the people who have this problem.>>>>>
***Now, talk about the differences between American and British English**

I write too much...

Yesterday I watched an English film which was located in Edinburg.

Some of the actors and actresses(I think only 3 of them) had posh accent(or some sort alike), but the rest had some kind of weird accent which I had never heard until then, I think it was Scottish accent.

It was quite funny because instead of the english 'friends' with a slight 'r' (not loud), they said 'frrriends' , and the word shit like 'shaiit.'

I think it was quite funny and interesting at the same time, actually I got that accent stuck in my mind for the rest of the evening.