Module 1 British and American English

Module 1 British and American English

Introduction

A joke A: Let’s play football. We can take one by ourselves. B: OK. [The Next Day] A: I’ve told you to bring football. Why do you bring rugby? B: We called rugby “soccer”. A: Oh, no!

From these we can see there are differences between British and American English. It’s important to have a good knowledge of English.

First, let’s listen to a radio program selected from China Radio International. Discuss what’s the difference between American and British English.

Read some quotations and answer the question. “We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except of course, language.” Oscar Wilde, 19th century writer

“Within a century British and American English speakers will not be able to understand each other.” Henry Sweet, 19th century linguist

“America and England are two countries divided by a common language.” George Bernard Shaw, 20th century writer

“It doesn’t make much of a difference whether a teacher speaks British or American English.” Dave Sperling, founder of Dave’s ESL Cafe

What is the topic of the quotations? The difference between British and American English.

There are some differences between American English and British English. American English & British English

American English British English colour, favourite, color, favorite, spelling theatre, centre, theater, center, meter travelled, metre traveled, ask dance pronunciation wheel box not mail movie film post words shop I guess store I think

words British English American English lift elevator petrol gas apartment flat fall autumn subway underground university college garbage rubbish trash can dustbin holiday vacation fortnight two weeks

There are two e-mails in the textbook. Read the e-mails and decide which writer is American.

The second writer is American. Some of the reasons we know are:

What do you expect British • and American English to be like? • Are you optimistic or pessimistic • about the British and American • English?

Cultural Corner

Have you ever used this dictionary before? Do you know who writes it?

Noah Webster a teacher who graduated from Yale University in 1778

Read the passage and answer the questions. 1. What reasons did Webster have for writing an American dictionary? He wanted to simplify the spelling of English and make it look different from British English.

2. Can you see any similarities between Webster’s work and attempts to simplify Chinese? The work of simplifying Chinese has made it convenient for people to read, understand and use the Chinese language. So has Webster’s work for American people.

Language points • We have really everything in common with America nowadays. • have … in common 有…共同之处 • I have nothing in common with Jane. • They have something in common in this connection.

It doesn’t make much of a difference whether a teacher speaks British or American English. • make a difference 有影响，起(重要)作用 • The sea air has made a difference to her health. • If you do so, it will make a great difference.

make no difference 没有关系，没有重要性 It makes no difference to me whether you go or not. Whether he is here or not will make no difference to our work.

For Americans things are a little bit easier, thanks to the work of Noah Webster, a teacher who graduated from Yale University in 1778. • thanks to 多亏, 幸亏 • Thanks to his help, or I can’ t make a progress. • It was thanks to your timely help that we accomplished the task on time.

As a young man he had fought against the British in the American War of Independence, … • fight against 和…作斗争 • We must all fight against cruelty and unfairness.

Module 1 British and American English