The Differences Of Using British And American English

THE DIFFERENCES OF USING BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH

A PAPER

BY

ROY GUNAWAN REG. NO: 072202021

DIPLOMA III ENGLISH STUDY PROGRAM FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN

Approved by Supervisor

Drs. Syamir Marulafau,M.hum NIP. 195805171985031003

Submitted to Faculty of Letters University of Sumatera Utara In partial fullfilment

Approved by

Head of Diploma III English Study Program

Dra. Syahrar Hanum, DPFE. NIP. 195109071979022001

Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the D-III Examination of Diploma III English Study Program, Faculty of Letters,

University of Sumatera Utara

The Examination is held on the………

Faculty of Letters, University of Sumatera Utara. Dean,

Prof. Drs. Syaifuddin, M.A, Ph.D. NIP. 196509091994031004

Board of Examiner and Reader

Examiner : Drs. Siamir Marulafau, M.hum Reader : Dra. Hartisari, M.A.

AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

I am, ROY GUNAWAN, declare that I am the sole author of this paper. Except where reference is made in the text of this paper, this paper contains no materials published elsewhere or extracted in whole or part from a paper by which I have qualified for or awarded another degree.

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text of this paper. This paper has not been submitted for award of another degree in any tertiary education.

Signed :

COPYRIGHT DECLARATION

Name

: ROY GUNAWAN

Title of Paper

: The Differences of Using British and American

English

Qualification

: D-III / Ahli Madya

Study Program

: English

I am willing that my paper should be available for reproduction at the discretion of the librarian of the Diploma III English Study Program Faculty of Letters USU on the understanding the users are made aware of their obligation under the law of the Republic of Indonesia.

Signed : Date :

ABSTRAK

Bahasa inggris adalah bahasa internasional yang dipakai diseluruh dunia dan sangat penting untuk dipelajari, seperti hal nya dalam melamar pekerjaan pada suatu perusahaan. Perusahaan itu terlebih dahulu akan menseleksi para pelamar yang pandai berbahasa inggris. Dalam tulisan ini, penulis ingin mendeskripsikan tentang perbedaan penggunaan bahasa inggris di Inggris dan di Amerika. Perbedaan-perbedaan yang tampak ada seperti Perbedaan-perbedaan dalam lafal, tata bahasa dan pemakaiannya dalam kalimat, ungkapan kesopansantunan, istilah kepangkatan dalam angkatan bersenjata serta perbedaan dalam surat menyurat. Persaingan antara British English dan American English sangat membingungkan kita, dengan sistem ganda pengajaran bahasa inggris ini kita dibingungkan dan dipusingkan tujuh keliling dalam menentukan manakah yang benar dan manakah yang salah. Kita tidak tahu apabila kita bertemu dengan seorang turis mancanegara, dia menggunakan bahasa inggris dari negeri yang mana. Oleh karena itu, penulis ingin mendeskripsikan tentang perbedaan British English and American English mengingat minimnya tulisan tentang masalah ini.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks God for His mercy and goodness, and glory to the saviour, Jesus Christ, for His love and guidance in leading me during my study as well as the completion of this paper.

In this oppurtunity, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my beloved supervisor, Drs. Siamir Marulafau, M.Hum, for his support, advice, encouragement, patience welcome counsel and valuable constructive suggestion. And I would also like to thanks my reader Dra.Hartisari, M.A.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Dean of Faculty of Letters Drs. Syaifuddin, M.A, Ph.D and the Head of Diploma III English Study Program, Dra. Syahrar Hanum, DPFE, who had given me the great deal of knowledge from the time I entered the Faculty to the presence of this paper. And I would also like to say thanks all my lecturers for their valuable guidance, precious, thoughts and knowledge throughout my academic years.

My deepest gratitude is do to my parents, I do love you Mom and Dad, my beloved Brothers Ruvinus, Syafril, and my sisters Bonaria, Lenny and Sri. And all of my families for the endless love, cares, thoughts, advices, prayers, and material support during my study.

My special thanks are also expressed to my lovely girl, Nalasari, who always support and give me motivation, as long as my study and the process of my paper. I can do this paper because the spirit that you have given for me.

My warm thanks are also expressed to my close friend , Regina Tarigan, Evalya Sari Purba, Rafael Pardosi, Anna Maria Barus, Mariati and my junior in my Faculty, Hernida and Novita Sari who always support and give me advices to do my paper. Thanks for your cares and prayers.

Finally, I realize that this paper is still far from being perfect. Therefore, advice,constructive criticism and suggestion aimed at this paper will be warmly welcome and highly appreciated.

Medan, The writer,

Roy gunawan Reg. No.072202021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AUTHOR’S DECLARATION COPYRIGHT DECLARATION

ABSTRACT………... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………. ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS………. iv

1. INTRODUCTION……… 1

1.1 The Background of Study ……… 1

1.2 The Objective of Study………. 2

1.3 The Scope of Writng………. 2

1.4 The Method of Writing………. 2

1.5 The Significance of Study………. 3

2. THE DIFFERENCES OF USING BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH………. 4

2.1 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE 2.1.1 Parts of Business Correspondence……….. 4

2.1.2 Business Letter in British……… 8

2.1.3 Form of Business Letter in British………. 12

2.1.5 Form of Business Letter in America……….. 16

2.2 GRAMMAR AND USE IN SENTENCE………. 17

2.2.1 List of Spellig in British and America………... 19

2.3 RANKS IN BRITISH AND UNITED STATE ARMED FORCES……… 21

2.3.1 Ranks in British Armed Forces……….. 21

2.3.2 Ranks in United State Armed Forces………. 22

2.4 LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES……… 23

2.4.1 Language Ideologies in British……….. 23

2.4.2 Language Ideologies in America………... 26

2.5 PUNCTUATION………. 28

3. STANDARD ENGLISH AND DIALECTS……… 30

3.1 STANDARD ENGLISH AND DIALECTS 3.1.1 Standard English and Dialects in British………... 30

3.1.2 Standard English and Dialects in America……… 32

4. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION……… 35

4.1 CONCLUSION……….... 35

4.2 SUGGESTION……… 35

ABSTRAK

Bahasa inggris adalah bahasa internasional yang dipakai diseluruh dunia dan sangat penting untuk dipelajari, seperti hal nya dalam melamar pekerjaan pada suatu perusahaan. Perusahaan itu terlebih dahulu akan menseleksi para pelamar yang pandai berbahasa inggris. Dalam tulisan ini, penulis ingin mendeskripsikan tentang perbedaan penggunaan bahasa inggris di Inggris dan di Amerika. Perbedaan-perbedaan yang tampak ada seperti Perbedaan-perbedaan dalam lafal, tata bahasa dan pemakaiannya dalam kalimat, ungkapan kesopansantunan, istilah kepangkatan dalam angkatan bersenjata serta perbedaan dalam surat menyurat. Persaingan antara British English dan American English sangat membingungkan kita, dengan sistem ganda pengajaran bahasa inggris ini kita dibingungkan dan dipusingkan tujuh keliling dalam menentukan manakah yang benar dan manakah yang salah. Kita tidak tahu apabila kita bertemu dengan seorang turis mancanegara, dia menggunakan bahasa inggris dari negeri yang mana. Oleh karena itu, penulis ingin mendeskripsikan tentang perbedaan British English and American English mengingat minimnya tulisan tentang masalah ini.

CHAPTER 1 ITRODUCTION 1.1 The Background of Study

English that have cared for and extended in England general called British English or knowable with received pronounciation. Whereas, English that have cared for and extended in United States of America general called American English or knowable with General American.

English, as inclusive language of group has knowable as the Indo-European group. The language group began from north India between European and Asian continent.

The Nation Kinsfolk that uses language moves to all holes and corners of European and India continent in thousand years lasting. The language actually realizes radical amendment sothat nearly impossible we believe that english has a good relation with French and Germany. However, it is a fact indeed this case obviously in such a manner.

1.2 The Objective of Study

By writing this paper, the writer wants to explain what is the difference between British and American English. The writer also helps the reader facing the difficulty to distinguish British and American english so they believe to select the pronounciation, spelling, gestures, and stucture between the both of this english.

1.3 The Scope of Writing

There are many things that can be discussed of British and American English. The differences of each other are too real especially in using of the words. The words are very different. For example, British uses lorry and American uses truck.

But in this case, the writer realize that he is far from perfect, so he limits this paper in order to know the distinction of using British and American English and “The Differences of Using British and American English” is the tittle of this paper.

1.4 The Method of writing

In writing this paper, the writer used some methods, such as library research, and browse in internet. All these methods are really helpful in giving him the

1.5 The Significance of Study

I expect this paper is signicicant because:

1. It can be very useful for everybody who reads this paper especially the writer him self and other english learners

2. It can be used as a references to understand and master to distinguish the differences of using British and American English.

CHAPTER 2

THE DIFFERENCES OF USING BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH

2.1 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE 2.1.1 Parts of Business Correspondence 1. Date

▪ In British: 25th

July 1985 In America: July 25, 1985

In British, date written in natural rotation: Day/ Month/Year like the example above. News paper and companies of America used form: Month/ Day/ Year. In that case, there is a semi colon beetwen date and year.

Example: July 25, 1985 ▪ All-Figure Dates

Many People used number as the substitute of month. January is one, February is two and so on.

In British, in this system: 3.5.85 is mean 3 May 1985( May the third or the third of May, nineteen eighty five).

In America, 3.5.85 is mean March the fifth or March fifth, nineteen eighty five(March 5,1985)

2. Greeting or Saluation

Here are some examples in greeting or salutation: ▪Dear Sir,

▪Dear Madam, ▪Dear Sirs, ▪Ladies

As the substitute of Dear Sir, in America repeatedly use Gentleman that followed by a colon. Likewise in gesture of Dear Sir, in British always followed by a semi colon. Whereas in America always followed by a colon.

The gesture used in trade correspondence, in correspondence we always used Dear Mr. Jones, Dear John, etc. The Gestures of Mr. Jones, Dear Mr.Hartanto may also used in trade correspondence if the person ever we met before.

3. Messrs

Messrs is concise of French word” Messieurs” and used in front the name of a firm or trading. Messrs ought to use address the letter for partnership only, not for Consolidated Fiber Inc. We demand not use Messrs. For partnership if the company’s name begin with The or name of people who was surnamed.

Examples:

Messrs. Jones, Smith & Co Messrs. T. Horbart & Co The South Australia Import Co

Sir Joseph Bloggs & Company PT Eureka Aba

Consolidated Fiber Inc.

4. Ltd and Inc

Ltd is concise of Limited Liability Company. In America, Ltd called

corporation and then concised so Corp and Incorporated so Inc. Incorporated used in America as the substitute of Ltd’s Word that used in British.

Example:

In British: Turner & Sons Ltd In America: Consolidated Fiber Inc

5. Complimentary Close

In British, complimentary close in trade correspondence is” Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely” which followed by semi colon. Complimentary close must be pin with salutation. If you begin the letter “with Dear Sir”, end it with “Yours faithfully” and if you begin with “Dear Mr. Smith” end with use “Yours sincerely”. Use Yours sincerely when you ever met with the person that you have written on the letter, or if you hope to meet him immediatelly. The both of complimentary close will snatch almost of the business letter that you will write . It certain, there are many else of complimentary close as Cordially yours, Yours very truly,etc.

In your business job, sometimes you will write letter for people that you have believed. As manager in your own company or another company. In that case, you may send the letter that have typed as usual, with salutation that have written of your own hand and as the substitute of yours sincerely you may use with best regards.

In America, yours faithfully is seldom used. Sometimes, also used Trully yours, Yours very trully, and faithfully yours gestures.

6. Esq

Esq is concise of Esquire which shape an old title, it means that person is gentleman. Now, Esquire is seldom to use. We consider that all of people are gentleman, so we use expression”Mr” when we adressthe letter. If we write “Mr. John Smith, Esq” this form will be wrong. Use one of the word like John Smith, Esq or Mr. John Smith. In America, Esquire used in the end of gentleman full name and begin the colon first, if the letter will bewitch for consul of America or consul of foreign country.

2.1.2 Business Letter in British

The form of this letter typed on paper that has a letterhead. However, The company’s address is not printed right at the top of paper page or only plain paper that you used , typed sender’s address at the top of right corner. A letter that every row of the word typed begins from left line except the date, it is called blocked style and this model is very populer now because it is easy to type.

Any companies still used indented style for their letters. It means that the first row in every pharagraph begin more far from the left line than another rows or the other word, at the first row there is a space in every pharagraph.

In this business letter, there are several parts. They are: A. Refference Number

If you reply the letter that has refference number, write it down on the left like the form and usually two or three spaces at the bottom of letterhead of that company. Example:

Your refference: ST / 7-1 / VII / 95

This system will easy someone else to look for the letter in their archives and our refference number EA-SU-G/VII/85, typed two spaces at the bottom of their

refference. After letter number it is not necessary put on point. It is normally, when reply letter to write down the date in your own letter.

Example: Dear Sir,

B. Date

The date typed in two or three spaces at the bottom of letterhead, in a row with your refference. But do not type until outside the right line and the date is not necessary point.

C. Inside Address

Inside address is the same address in cover of letter because the cover of the letter perhaps will be throwed away by the letter receiver staff who opens the letter. If he or she does not write down inside address, so none of us will not know for whom the letter will be pointed. Inside address typed in one; two or three spaces at the bottom of refference number.

D. Salutation

Salutation is the same meaning with greeting that must be typed at the left line,two or three spaces at the bottom of inside address. For formal letter that we will send to government department, you may used: “Sir, Madam or Gentleman.”

E. Subject of Letter

Subject of letter is the same meaning with subject heading that typed at the left line, two or three spaces at the bottom of salutation. For the greater part of people, write subject heading in capital letter and it usually give underline. If the letter is long, continue the letter in another paper.

F. Signature

Signature is certainly done by hand. However when you sign the letter, typed your name at the bottom of signature. Thus, person who reads your letter is not necessary spend much time to guess your name out of your signature.

G. Body of The Letter

Body of business letter usually typed in one space, with double spaces among the pharagraphs. If the letter is short, you may used double spaces with extra space or among the pharagraphs. If the letter is long, you may continue the letter in another paper. The sheet of continuation paper must be numbered. Do not continue your letter in the back part of first page, because writing will visible behind the paper and destructive form letter. Beside that, reader, who receives the letter may guess that your company is unable to prepare an extra paper or not bonafide.

H. Enclosure

Enclosure is addition that sent in a same cover as business letter. It may in cheque, phamplet, sample and so on. Sometimes, enclosure more important than letter. If you send a ticket of exhibition show, you put into a short letter to indicate who sent the tiket. The kinds of letter called covering letter or way bill. In that case above, ticket is more important copies and way bill, it can not be put show together with the letter.

Several offices sent many phamplets, photos for human or companies of their demand. If we send the way bill, it will spend much time, energy and our lay out of money. The salutation send compliment slip, that is a little piece of paper that named and the companies address. When you enclose something together with the letter, probable enclosers will be lost when the letter opened. That is why you must type the enclosure. On the lowest left corner of your letter, two or three spaces at the bottom of name and profession or at the bottom of copies. If the enclosures is very important, you may write down the explanation.

Excample:

Enclosure: Insurance of Policy No. LB 1250429

If the enclosure is smaller than letter, you may use stapler and stap on the upper left corner.

I. Margins

Bussines letter must have space in every edge. Margins make the letter more neat and let to make note for the reader and if the letter holed with punch before archived, none of the writing will be fault or lose because holes include in margins. Left margins is very important. The distance must three centimeters, content large read the letter without bring out side it from the archive. Right margins a half wide of left margins. Right corner is not straight, because every typing row length is different all. You can not obtain straight right margins by ordinary typing machine.

2.1.3 Form of Business Letter in British Letterhead

Your ref : Our ref : Inside address Salutation Subject of letter

Complimentary close Signature

Job title cc:

Encl.

date

2.1.4 Business Letter in America

In the form that more extreme, every unit of the letter like heading, inside address, body pharagraph typed on the left. But this formation inclining give a letter is too heavy on the left will be interested. That is why most of companies use a change of block style, that allow decided indentation. If we write letter on a paper without heading, the only sender address typed on the right corner above and devoted in order to straight with right margins.

Inside address and several of salutations belong to title whatever it. That has by receiver of the letter. If the receiver has no another title, use Mr, Mrs or Miss. Mr and Miss always used and concise of Dr allowed fullfil. Many doctors prefer to use Mr in salutation, thus many of Proffesor and the person in academic enclose. If we know they prefer to the system, it certain ought to follow it. If we do not know they prefer or not, we better use their title. Many companies and proffessional bodies may be used Dear Sir or Mr. Johnson salutation in their opening letter and take on inside address complete two to five rows at the bottom of signature straight or equal with left margin.

Kinds of this letter may use as a formal personal letter, depend on all information that needed for carbon copy in business letter. If basic cases that worked in the letter concerning special part of company, it is necessary to know that attention typed two rows at the bottom of inside address and two rows at the bottom of

Example: John L. Jones, Inc. 1782 west 48th Street New York 38, New York

Attention: Personnel Department Gentleman:

Two form of complimentary close in business correspondent nowadays which often used in United States of America are Sincerely yours and Yours truly where both of them may be changed like Very truly yours and Yours sincerely. Formal correspondence or correspondent together with appointed prominent people may use respectfully. Only the first letter of first word written with capital letter and gesture as the whole always followed by a semi colon. Signature for business correspondence, always written at the top of name that typed. Title or position of people who signed the letter often shown at the top of name that typed.

Example:

Sincerely yours, Sincerely yours,

J.L. Jones, Inc

John Smith John Smith

The main purpose of business letters is give the information to the receiver. But business correspondent also fill up by carbon copy or copies, a note of cases or trade occupation which done and decision that invented, by name and address of the letter receiver. Date, name and proffession who writes the letter,it had been a

common to show initial of the writer and type written on the left margin, two rows at the bottom of the writter proffession. Initial of writter replaced for the first( for example, the writer of letter is john Smith and typewritten is Linda Bancroft). JS/LB

JS:LB JS/lb

2.1.5 Form of Business Letter in America Letterhead (heading of the letter)

Attention: Subject: Salutation

Complimentary close

Signature title or position Writer’s and

Typist’s initials

dateline

body paragraphs Inside address

2.2. GRAMMAR AND USE IN SENTENCE

Grammar is the rules in a language for changing the form of words and joining them into sentences.

Here are some examples usage in sentences: (B) British English

(A) American English

1. (B) The children were playing in the street (A) The children were playing on the street 2. (B) It is twenty miles trip

(A) It is a twenty mile trip

3. (B) He did not come back straight away (A) He did not come back right away 4. (B) I can not come, as I have to work

(A) I can not come, because I have to work 5. Is it going to rain?

(B) I expect not (A) I guess not

6. (B) I have not gone to work now (A) I do not have to work now

7. (B) John suggested that she should come (A) John suggested that she come

8. (B) Have you finished your home work? (A) Are you through with your home work?

9. (B) He finished his studies at the SMA Remaja in 1984 (A) He graduated from the SMA Remaja in 1984 10. (B) I learnt Japanese for two years

(A) I studied Japanese for two years 11. (B) Mind the dog

2.2.1 Lists of Spelling in British and America

As we know, British English is soo different with American English. The difference can be seen in pronounciation, spelling, and gestures. In this part, I will be mentioned several words that different between British and American English. British English American English

By post By mail

Air srew Propeller

Lorry Truck

Wind cone Wind sleeve

Angry Mad

Chest of drawers Bureau

Timber Lumber

Visiting card Calling card

Wallet Bill fold

Water tap Faucet

Straight away Right away School fellow Schoolmate

Wind screen Wind shield

Break one’s journey Stop over Stop the night Stay over

English that be pronounced in America is different from English that be pronounced in England that the language has been developed in the different place. It is a characteristic of language that sure will get a change. Because of that, we can not say English that be pronounced in one place is better than English in the other places.

There are several words will be explained below, They are:

♦ Draught: Draught is a flow of cool air in a room or other enclosed space. In British spells ‘Draught’ but in America is ‘Draft’.

♦ Draft: Draft is a system in which proffessional teams in some sport choose players each year from among college students. In British spells ‘Draft’ but in America is

‘Checkers’

Ground Floor: Ground Floor is the floor of a building that is at the same level as the ground outside. In British Spells’ Ground Floor’ but in America is’ First Floor’ Lawyer: Lawyer in British called ‘Solliciator’ or ‘Barrister’. In America, Lawyer has a perfectly mean than Solliciator or Barrister. America was called’ Councillor’

2.3. RANKS IN BRIRISH AND UNITED STATE ARMED FORCES 2.3.1 Ranks in British Armed Forces

Army Air Force Navy Marine Corps

1. Field Marshal 2. General 3. Lieutenant 4. Major General 5. Brigadier 6. Colonel 7. Lieutenant Colonel 8. Major 9. Captain 10. Lieutenant 11. Second Lieutenant 12. Warrant Officer(Class I) 13. Warrant Officer(Class II)

14. Staff Sergeant 15. Sergeant 16. Corporal 17. Lance Corporal 18. Private 19. Recruit

Marshal of The Royal Force Air Chief Marshal Air Marshal Air Vice Marshal Air Commodore Group Captain Wing Commander Squadron Leader Flight Lieutenant Flying Officer Pilot Officer Warrant Officer(Class I) Warrant Officer(Class II) Flight Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Senior Aircraftman Leading Aircraftman Air Craftman

Admiral of The Fleet Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral Commodore Captain Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Sublieutenant Acting Sublieutenant Warrant Officer(Class I) Warrant Officer(Class II) Chief Petty Officer Petty Officer First Class Petty Officer Second Class Leading Seaman Able Seaman Ordinary Seam - General Lieutenant Major General Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant Major Captain Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Warrant Officer(Class I) Warrant Officer(Class II) Colour Sergeant Sergeant Corporal

Marine First Class Marine Second Class

2.3.2 Ranks in United States Armed Forces

Army Air Force Navy Marine Corps

1. General of the Army

2. General 3. Lieutenant

General

4. Major General 5. Brigadier General 6. Colonel 7. Lieutenant Colonel 8. Major 9. Captain 10.First Lieutenant 11.Second Lieutenant 12. Chief Warrant

Officer 13. Warrant Officer Junior Grade 14. Master Sergeant 15. Sergeant First

Class 16. Sergeant 17. Corporal

18. Private First Class 19. Private 20. Basic Private

General of the Air Force General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Chief Warrant Officer Warrant Officer Junior Grade Master Sergeant Technical Sergeant Staff Sergeant -

Airman First Class Airman Second Class Airman Third Class Fleet Admiral Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral Commodore Captain Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Lieutenant Junior Grade Ensign Commissioned Warrant Officer Warrant Officer

Chief Petty Officer Petty Officer First Class

Petty Officer Second Class

Petty Officer Third Class

Seaman First Class Seaman Second Class Apprentice Seaman - General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Commissioned Warrant Officer Warrant Officer Master Sergeant Technical Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Private First Class Private -

2.4 LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES 2.4.1 Language Ideologies in British

`The research reviewed by Woolard and Schieffelin(1994) focuses over whelmingly not on differences, but on commonalities underlying language ideologies in Britain, France, Canada, and United States and elsewhere, thus allowing different practices in speech communities of various types to be interpreted within a more general theoretical framework. Against this back drop, my purpose here is to explore differences in the way language ideologies manifest themselves in public life and in the beliefs of individuals about language in two English speaking countries: Britain and United States. While we need to acknowledge similarities in People’s belief in the standard language ideology or in the passion with which issues of correctness are debated. It is also clear that there are differences, as axemplified above. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a long running moral panic in the United States with all the ingredients of the great grammar debate discussed by Cameron(1995). Equally, it is hard to imagine the British press focusing over many years on an English Only movement or reacting quite as savegely as their American counterparts to the idea that Black English should have a role in classroom, as in the Ebonics affair. Later in this chapter I consider the sociohistorical underpinning of current language ideologies in each nation.

Woolard(1989) has commented on the strong and ‘visceral’ nature of language attitudes. In Britain the strongest gut reactions emerge in response to social class or class related stereotypes, while in the United States they emerge in response to race and ethnicity, as illustrated above. In making the distinction, however, we need to acknowledge that the focus on race and ethnicity in the United States is mediated by class; Affrican-American Vernacular English is essentially a working class black variety.

‘Foreign accents’ also seem to more subject to negative evaluation than in Britain, unless associated with prestigious groups-generally north Europeans, as pointed out by Lippi Green(1994) among others. For example, to the bemusement of many non-Americans in the University community, the ‘unintelligibility’ of overseas Graduate student Instructors is a regular source of undergraduate grievance In 1996 objections were vociferous enough to impel a senior administrator of the University of Michigan to react in a fashion which bears the hallmark of an ideologically driven response.

Specifically, British GSIs were not thought to be in need of special assessment and remedial instruction, while monolingual English speaking Irish students were. A major instantiation of American language ideology thus presents itself overwhelmingly as a negative and sometimes demonstrably irrational attitude to languages other than English, and by association to English spoken with a foreign accent. Spanish and Spanish-accent English and viewed with particular disfavour. Such hostile public discourse both underpins and is supported by a fierce and

longstanding political conflict, most clearly visible in the so called ‘English Only’ movement.

The lobbying effort known as US English emerged in the early 1980s and is currently in 1997 particularly active, although its precise objectives are not clear. Broadly speaking, it opposes the use at all official levels of languages other than English. Although it originated as and remains essentially an anti-Hispanic, anti- immigrant coalition, it is hostile also to official educational provision for the needs of AAVE-speaking children, as shown by its interventions in the ebonics debate which became particularly acrimonious in January 1997. Associated with right wing political groups, US English has an extremely high public profile, characteristically eliciting and expressing intemperately strong, irrational and polarised reactions. For example, Cardenas presents a moderate and carefully argued case for initial instruction in Spanish for Texas children who are monolingual when they start school. Citing a somewhat geographically and historically challanged but supposedly religious objection.

2.4.2 Language Ideologies in America

American social and linguistic history and linguistic historiography presents even to the casual reader a very different picture from the dominant one in Britain. In the early twentieth century we find both a parallel and a contrast to the British situation. The parallel lies in the widespread but intemperately expressed fear of engulfment. However, the groups which are seen to threaten the social fabric are not an urban proletariat speaking varieties of English rooted in historically established dialects, but immigrants who are speakers of languages other than english.

While the United States is inherently a multiculturaland multilingual nation, the historical roots of an ideological focus on monolingualism and assimilation run as deep as the corresponding British focus on class and rank. In this section, I will attempt to pull together several different starnds of relevant sociohistorical information, referring freely to Crawford’s (1992) comprehensive collection of readings on the official English controversy. I shall consider later the issue of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), which seems to be underpinned by a rather different but sometimes interacting set of sociohistorical developments.

Before the nineteenth century, national multilingualism and personal bilingualism were generally accepted in the United States as a fact of life, for several compelling reasons. First, there are two colonial languages other than English in the United States: Spanish has been spoken in the South West and Florida for more than 400 years, and antedates English speaking settlements in these areas; French was spoken in the eastern areas formerly held and populated by the French and is still

spoken in parts of the North East (particularly Maine) and the South. Second, a large number of indigenous American languages were spoken. Finally, the large Cerman population of the United States has a particularly long history of effective mother-tongue maintenance.

2 .5 Punctuation Quotation

The most obvious punctuation difference between the two versions in the way quotations are marked. The original American version uses quotation marks (“xx”), while the British version employs inverted commas (‘x’). American and British English also uses inverted commas and quotation marks differently, respectively, when marking a quotation within another quotation.

For example:

• U.S’’Oh, is that your suit?’’ I said. ‘This is the first I ever heard about it’ • U.K’ Oh, is that your suit?’ I said. ‘This is the first I ever heard about it’

Commas

In general, the British version had more commas than the American one, as can be seen in the table below

The British Version The American Version

1.Broke off, ceasing to compel my attention

2. Days, under sun and rain 3. afternoon, and when

4. went toward the little office, mingling immediately

1.Broke off ceasing to compel my attention

2.Days under sun and rain 3. Afternoon and when

4. went toward the little office mingling immediately

5. Discussing, in impassioned voices, whether

6. The evening too would be over

5. Discussing in impassioned voices whether

6. The evening, too, would be over

Hypens

Another noticeable difference is the use of hypens

The British Version The American Version

1. Anti-climax 2. Upstairs 3. Weather-proof 4. downstairs 5. To-morrow 6. Countryside 7. Rough-neck 8. To-night 9. Good-bye

10. A seventeen year-old boy

1. Anticlimax 2. Up-stairs 3. Weatherproof 4. Down-stairs 5. Tomorrow 6. Country-side 7. Roughneck 8. Tonight 9. Good-by

CHAPTER 3

STANDARD ENGLISH AND DIALECTS

3.1 Standard English and Dialects in British

Dialects and accents vary between the four countries of the United Kingdom, and also within the countries themselves. There are also differences in the English spoken by different socio-economic groups in any particular region. The Major divisions are normally classified as English which comprises Southern English dialects, Midlands English dialects and Northern English dialects, Welsh English and Scottish English.

The various British dialects also differ in the words that they have borrowed from other languages. The Scottish and Northern English dialects include many words originally borrowed from Old Norse and a few borrowed from Gaelic, though most of the structure and common words are conservative Anglo-Saxon. Following its last major survey of English Dialects (1949-1950), the University of Leeds has started work on a new Project. In May 2007 the Arts and Humanities Research Council awarded a grant to a team led by sally Johnson, Professor of Linguistic and Phonetics at Leeds University, to study British regional dialects.

Johnson’s team are sifting through a large collection of examples of regional slang words and phrases turned up by the “Voices project” run by the BBC, in which they invited the public to send in examples of English still spoken throughout the country.

The BBC Voices project also collected hundreds of news articles about how the British speak English speak English from swearing through to items on language schools. This information will also be collated and analysed by Johnson’s team both for content and for where it was reported. Perhaps the most remarkable finding in the voices study is that the English language is as diverse as ever, despite our incresed mobility and constant exposure to other accents and dialects through TV and radio. Work by the team on this project is not expected to end before 2010. When covering the awarded of the grant on 1 June 2007, the independent started:

Mr. Upton, who is Professor of English at Leeds University, said that they were very pleased and indeed,”well chuffed” at receiving their generous grant. He could, of course, have been “bostin” if he had come from the Black Country, or if he was a Scouser he would have been well made up over so many spondoolicks.

3.2 Standard English and Dialects in America

Recall that standard languages in colonial settings are something very different from standard languages in Europe, where aristocratic models and deeply entrenched social class differences favour the development of institutionally prescribed standards and the emergence of class rather than ethnicity as the chief basis of social and political cleavage. How than does this affect the relation between language and class and class oriented discrimination in the United States? Labov’s description of New York as a sink of negative prestige (Labov 1996) suggest that we need to address this question.

Preston (1996) makes some relevant comments and the popular belief in a neutral variety of spoken American English which can be identified as the best English. Demonstrating the lact of agreement amongst professional linguists on the locus of such a variety, he notes that even influential textbook writers do little more than present their personal beliefs as linguistic fact. Certainly there does not exist in America a focused and identifiable class accent corresponding to Received Pronunciation in Britain, although some might argue that network American and the famous Brahmin accent of Boston are candidate varieties (Wolfram 1991). As noted earlier, network American differs from RP in a number of respects, chiefly in being an unmarked, mainstream accent, from which localized features have been eradicated, and ( despite its name) in its lack of institutional support. Boston’s Brahmin accent on the other hand has a sharp class distribution, but has never had the institutional

support accorded to RP, or its nationwide geographical distribution.Nor has it been associated with the operation of a nationwide ‘accent bar’.

Preston (1996) tackles the question of where the best English is spoken by examining Americans perceptions of distinctive speech areas in the US and of the ‘pleasantness and correctness’ of the varieties thus identified. An important and very general perception of all Preston’s informants is the unique status of the American South as a distinct linguistic and cultural area. Revealingly, one Carolina informant represented linguistic divisions in terms of the Civil War: south of a diagonal line running across the United States from North East to south West southerners are to be found; elsewhere reside ‘damn yankees’. A michigan informant identified much the same area, but labelled it as southern with the pejorative description ‘hill billy’ in parentheses. The Great Lakes area was marked off with the legend ‘midwestern English’ described parenthetically as normal.

While judgements such as this provide evidence of widely held perceptions of a neutral, levelled variety in the Northern Midwest, there was little agreement on a single locus of the most correct variety. For example, Southerners identified the Boston area of New England while Michigan speakers identified their own variety as the most correct. However, agreement on the least correct variety was much more striking; judges from he South, Michigan and Indiana all agreed that this might be found in an area of the South and New York City. We have seen that the sociohistorical scaffolding which supports such beliefs is extremely culture specific and that British and American beliefs about language are consequently very different.

It seems reasonable to suggest that the beliefs reported to Preston derive from the major historical divisions outline, notably the Civil War conflict between an urban,progressive north and a rural, conservative, slave owning south. The status of New York City as the first destination of the poorest immigrants may well be the source of its negative image.

The judgements of Preston’s informants reveal beliefs quite different from those current in Britain. In America the urban dialects of industrial cities generally do not seem to be as stigmatized as the speech of the South, which is associated not only with an historic and divisive conflict but with rural poverty. As we have seen, British attitudes to urban industrial accents are particularly negative and are rooted in class consciousness.

CHAPTER 4

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

4.1 Conclusion

Based on this study, the writer comes to conclusion as follows:

♦ British and American English are very important for people as an international language be use everywhere they go in the world.

♦ British and American English have many differences like, the differences in spelling, structure, ranks in armed forces, business correspondence, dialects and punctuation.

♦ Spelling is the act of forming words correctly from individual letters.

♦ Stucture is a thing that is made of several parts, especially a building: a stone, brick, wooden structure.

♦ Dialects is the the characteristic of a group of people spoken a language in one area. ♦ Punctuation is the marks used in writing that divide sentence and phrases

4.2 Suggestion

By completing this paper, the writer him self suggest the reader of this paper to pay attention to study British and American English because both of them are very different language. I expect this paper will be useful, especially for english learners, because without a good knowledge about British and American English, they will be confused to differentiate the language.

REFERENCES

Gowers, Ernest. The Complete Plain words. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1986.

Gandart, Hyacinth & Hughes, Richard & Michael, Jessie. Towards Better English Grammar. London: Fajar Bakti Sdn, 1984.

http//th 2010).

Bex, Tony & Watts, Richard. Standard English. London and New York: Routledge, 1999.

http//th 2010)

Hartanto, John S & Koentjoro & Seputro Manaf Asmoro. Accurate, Brief and Clear English Grammar. Surabaya: Indah

The BBC Voices project also collected hundreds of news articles about how the British speak English speak English from swearing through to items on language schools. This information will also be collated and analysed by Johnson’s team both for content and for where it was reported. Perhaps the most remarkable finding in the voices study is that the English language is as diverse as ever, despite our incresed mobility and constant exposure to other accents and dialects through TV and radio. Work by the team on this project is not expected to end before 2010. When covering the awarded of the grant on 1 June 2007, the independent started:

Mr. Upton, who is Professor of English at Leeds University, said that they were very pleased and indeed,”well chuffed” at receiving their generous grant. He could, of course, have been “bostin” if he had come from the Black Country, or if he was a Scouser he would have been well made up over so many spondoolicks.

3.2 Standard English and Dialects in America

Recall that standard languages in colonial settings are something very different from standard languages in Europe, where aristocratic models and deeply entrenched social class differences favour the development of institutionally prescribed standards and the emergence of class rather than ethnicity as the chief basis of social and political cleavage. How than does this affect the relation between language and class and class oriented discrimination in the United States? Labov’s description of New York as a sink of negative prestige (Labov 1996) suggest that we need to address this question.

Preston (1996) makes some relevant comments and the popular belief in a neutral variety of spoken American English which can be identified as the best English. Demonstrating the lact of agreement amongst professional linguists on the locus of such a variety, he notes that even influential textbook writers do little more than present their personal beliefs as linguistic fact. Certainly there does not exist in America a focused and identifiable class accent corresponding to Received Pronunciation in Britain, although some might argue that network American and the famous Brahmin accent of Boston are candidate varieties (Wolfram 1991). As noted earlier, network American differs from RP in a number of respects, chiefly in being an unmarked, mainstream accent, from which localized features have been eradicated, and ( despite its name) in its lack of institutional support. Boston’s Brahmin accent on the other hand has a sharp class distribution, but has never had the institutional

support accorded to RP, or its nationwide geographical distribution.Nor has it been associated with the operation of a nationwide ‘accent bar’.

Preston (1996) tackles the question of where the best English is spoken by examining Americans perceptions of distinctive speech areas in the US and of the ‘pleasantness and correctness’ of the varieties thus identified. An important and very general perception of all Preston’s informants is the unique status of the American South as a distinct linguistic and cultural area. Revealingly, one Carolina informant represented linguistic divisions in terms of the Civil War: south of a diagonal line running across the United States from North East to south West southerners are to be found; elsewhere reside ‘damn yankees’. A michigan informant identified much the same area, but labelled it as southern with the pejorative description ‘hill billy’ in parentheses. The Great Lakes area was marked off with the legend ‘midwestern English’ described parenthetically as normal.

While judgements such as this provide evidence of widely held perceptions of a neutral, levelled variety in the Northern Midwest, there was little agreement on a single locus of the most correct variety. For example, Southerners identified the Boston area of New England while Michigan speakers identified their own variety as the most correct. However, agreement on the least correct variety was much more striking; judges from he South, Michigan and Indiana all agreed that this might be found in an area of the South and New York City. We have seen that the sociohistorical scaffolding which supports such beliefs is extremely culture specific and that British and American beliefs about language are consequently very different.

It seems reasonable to suggest that the beliefs reported to Preston derive from the major historical divisions outline, notably the Civil War conflict between an urban,progressive north and a rural, conservative, slave owning south. The status of New York City as the first destination of the poorest immigrants may well be the source of its negative image.

The judgements of Preston’s informants reveal beliefs quite different from those current in Britain. In America the urban dialects of industrial cities generally do not seem to be as stigmatized as the speech of the South, which is associated not only with an historic and divisive conflict but with rural poverty. As we have seen, British attitudes to urban industrial accents are particularly negative and are rooted in class consciousness.

CHAPTER 4

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

4.1 Conclusion

Based on this study, the writer comes to conclusion as follows:

♦ British and American English are very important for people as an international

language be use everywhere they go in the world.

♦ British and American English have many differences like, the differences in

spelling, structure, ranks in armed forces, business correspondence, dialects and punctuation.

♦ Spelling is the act of forming words correctly from individual letters.

♦ Stucture is a thing that is made of several parts, especially a building: a stone, brick,

wooden structure.

♦ Dialects is the the characteristic of a group of people spoken a language in one area.

♦ Punctuation is the marks used in writing that divide sentence and phrases

4.2 Suggestion

By completing this paper, the writer him self suggest the reader of this paper to pay attention to study British and American English because both of them are very different language. I expect this paper will be useful, especially for english learners, because without a good knowledge about British and American English, they will be confused to differentiate the language.

REFERENCES

Gowers, Ernest. The Complete Plain words. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1986.

Gandart, Hyacinth & Hughes, Richard & Michael, Jessie. Towards Better English Grammar. London: Fajar Bakti Sdn, 1984.

http//th 2010).

Bex, Tony & Watts, Richard. Standard English. London and New York: Routledge, 1999.

http//th 2010)

Hartanto, John S & Koentjoro & Seputro Manaf Asmoro. Accurate, Brief and Clear English Grammar. Surabaya: Indah