{"id":381,"date":"2022-07-20T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/poet521956851.wordpress.com\/?p=381"},"modified":"2023-02-09T16:01:31","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T15:01:31","slug":"amerikansk-eller-britisk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/proof-og-edit.dk\/en\/amerikansk-eller-britisk\/","title":{"rendered":"American English or British English?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Your English dictionary<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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American English or British English?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vidste du, at der er forskel p\u00e5 amerikansk-engelsk og britisk-engelsk, alts\u00e5 udover deres meget forskellige accenter? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If not - or if you just need a little refresher - I've put together a quick overview, which you can use when you're next writing content to your English-speaking customers. Then you're sure not to mix the two dialects and end up with a text that doesn't hit your target audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But - let me start by answering the question that we're all pondering: how on Earth can the Americans and Brits, who all speak English, not agree on how to spell...<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meet Noah Webster <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The US celebrates their independence from the UK in the 1700s, but that's not enough - Noah Webster wants more. He wants the US to be completely rid of the Brits and first step is to make the English language look more American. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And how does he got about that? He starts working on a new dictionary, and instead of all the unnecessary u's and c's and s's (you'll see what I mean in the guide below), Webster wanted all words to be spelled how they were pronounced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So instead of leather<\/em>, mould<\/em>, wonder<\/em>, worship<\/em>, and thirst<\/em>, he suggested they were spelled lether<\/em>, mold<\/em>, wundor<\/em>, wurthscipe<\/em>, and thurst<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank goodness he failed (as awful as that sounds). And then again - he didn't completely. Yes, we don't write wimmen<\/em> instead of women<\/em>, but US English is its own dialect so kudos, Webster!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini-guiden til amerikansk og britisk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are heaps and heaps of differences between the two dialects, many more than what I have listed below. Like I said, they can't even agree on trousers<\/em>\/pants<\/em>. But I don't want to bombard you with info, so let's start small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your quick-guide to US English and UK English:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With or without u<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As in favour<\/em> or favor<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Brits spell those words with -ou<\/em> whilst the Americans have gotten rid of the u<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

behaviour
neighbour
labour<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

behavior
neighbor
labor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

-ise<\/em> or -ize <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As in specialise <\/em>or specialize<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically, you'll see -ize<\/em> used in US English and -ise<\/em> in UK English. But - a word to the wise - you can't just throw on a -ize<\/em> ending because you're writing US English; compromize<\/em> is not a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

organise
apologise
advertise<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

organize
apologize
advertize<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The same rules more or less go for -yse<\/em> and -yze<\/em> -yse<\/em> og -yze<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Brits prefer to use s<\/em> and the Americans z<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

analyse
catalyse
paralyse<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

analyze
catalyze
paralyze<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

-re <\/em>or -er<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As in metre <\/em>or meter<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Americans swap the r<\/em> and e<\/em> - just like Webster would have wanted it - to spell the words as they're pronounced. The Brits, on the other hand, use -re<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

litre
theatre
centre<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

liter
theater
center<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Nouns that end in -ence <\/em>or -ense<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As in defence <\/em>or defense.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Britisk-engelsk bruger endelsen -ence<\/em>, og amerikansk-engelsk endelsen -ense<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

offence
pretence
licence<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

offense
pretense
license<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

ll<\/em> or just l<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Brits add an extra l<\/em> to words that already end on l<\/em> when conjugated, whilst the Americans keep it simpel and just add the ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

shovel
shovelled
shovelling<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

shovel
shoveled
shoveling<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Nouns that end in -ogue<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like analogue<\/em> or analog.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Brits use the ending -ogue<\/em>, which the Americans have shortened to -og<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

dialogue
catalogue
monologue<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

dialog
catalog
monolog<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

ae<\/em>, oe<\/em> or just e<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As in archaeology <\/em>or archeology.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Brits can't get enough of vowels so there are lots of them in some words, whilst the Americans are more strict (and maybe straight-forward) and keep it to a simple e<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

paediatric
manoeuvre
oestrogen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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US English<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

pediatric
maneuver
estrogen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Feeling ready to write your next English newsletter? Of course, you are. But if it gets overwhelming, get in touch. I'm here to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See how here!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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References<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aeon Ideas, Noah Webster’s civil war of words over American English (2019)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Babbel, What Are The Differences Between American And British English? (2020)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lexico.com, British and American spelling<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noah Webster, A compendious dictionary of the English language (1806)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oxford International English Schools, The differences in British and American spelling<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick and Dirty Tips, Why Are British English and American English Different? (2009)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ikke helt f\u00e6rdig med at n\u00f8rde?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I’ve got you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hvorn\u00e5r hedder det If I were?<\/a><\/h4>

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Har du ogs\u00e5 undret dig over, hvorfor folk siger "If I were"? S\u00e5 f\u00e5 svaret her og tre huskeregler, s\u00e5\u2026<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Bindestreger p\u00e5 engelsk<\/a><\/h4>

Posted on

Og hvorn\u00e5r skal du bruge de dersens bindestreger p\u00e5 engelsk, for du har b\u00e5de set spellcheck, spell c\u2026<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Maskinovers\u00e6ttelser<\/a><\/h4>

Posted on

Det kan virke fristende at smide din danske (eller engelske, tyske, franske, hvad ved jeg) tekst en \u2026<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The difference between speak and talk<\/a><\/h4>

Posted on

M\u00e5ske den st\u00f8rste forskel p\u00e5 speak og talk er, at talk oftest bliver brugt, n\u00e5r vi taler om<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

How to: English proofreading<\/a><\/h4>

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En lille gave fra mig til dig, som kan g\u00f8re korrekturl\u00e6sningen af din engelske tekst lidt nemmere<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Comma before \"with\"<\/a><\/h4>

Posted on

…skal alts\u00e5 v\u00e6re et komma foran nogle for at undg\u00e5, at din chef f\u00e5r fire arme, og din kat seks ben<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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