1、1（20_届）本科毕业设计英语英美英语的词汇差异21INTRODUCTIONINMODERNTIMES,ENGLISHHASBECOMEONEOFTHEMOSTPOPULARGLOBALLANGUAGESINTHEWORLDASTHEMAINCOMMUNICATIVETOOLMANYCOUNTRIESEVENCONSIDERENGLISHASTHEOFFICIALLANGUAGELANGUAGEASPARTOFTHECULTUREISTHEFULLREFRACTIONANDREFLECTIONSOFCULTURESONECANJUSTIFYTHENATIONALCOLORFULCULTUREF
2、ORMTHROUGHANATIONSLANGUAGELEVELEVERTHEBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHWEREHOMOLOGOUSANDBELONGEDTOTHESAMESYSTEM,BUTTHEVARIATIONOFTHEGEOGRAPHY,CULTURE,POLITICS,ANDECONOMYHAVEMADETHEMCAUSEMANYDIFFERENCESFORAROUND400YEARSTHEYDEVELOPRESPECTIVELYINDIFFERENTDIRECTIONSTHEREFORE,THEREAPPEARGREATDIFFERENCESIN
3、VOCABULARY,INTONATION,ACCEPTATION,SEMANTICSANDPRONUNCIATIONASPECTSTHEPRONUNCIATIONOFBRITISHENGLISHISSOMEWHATMOREARTIFICIALTHANTHATOFTHEAMERICANENGLISHINADDITION,AMERICANANDBRITISHENGLISHMAYUSEDIFFERENTWORDSTOEXPRESSTHESAMETHINGFORINSTANCE,IFYOUWANTTOUSEAWORDTOREFERTOTHEPLACENEARTHEROADONLYFORPEOPLEW
4、ALKING,YOUCOULDUSEPAVEMENTINBRITISHENGLISHORSIDEWALKINAMERICANENGLISHMOREOVER,THEMEANINGORSPELLINGOFSOMEWORDSAREALSODIFFERENTINTHEABOVEMENTIONEDTWOENGLISHFORMS,SUCHAS“COLOUR”,WHICHISTHESTANDARDSPELLINGINBRITISHWHILE“COLOR”ISTHEWELLACCEPTEDSPELLINGINAMERICANENGLISHOFCOURSE,THERESTILLEXISTMANYSLIGHTDI
5、FFERENCES,BUTITSNEEDLESSTOLISTTHEMONEBYONEINANUTSHELL,THEREAREMANYDIFFERENCESBETWEENBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHNONETHELESS,THEFUTURETENDENCYISLIKELYTOBETHECOMBINATIONOFTHESETWOFORMS2THEDIFFERENCESANDSAMENESSOFCULTURESTHEANTHROPOLOGISTEDWARDTAYLOR1811FIRSTPUTFORWARDTHEDEFINITIONOFCULTUREASASCHOL
6、ARHECAMEUPWITHTHISIDEAINHISWORKSCALLEDTHEPRIMITIVECULTURESPUBLISHEDIN1871HEPUTFORWARDTHATTHESOCALLEDCULTUREANDCIVILIZATIONISAKINDOFUNITYTHATKNOWLEDGE,BELIEF,ART,MORALITY,CUSTOMSANDLAWSAREALLINCLUDEDATTHESAMETIME,APERSONOFACOMMUNITYMEMBERWITHANYOTHERABILITIESALSOBELONGSTOTHISUNITYINHISWORKS,HESTRESSE
7、DTHATTHECULTUREOFTHESPIRITANDTHEIDEOLOGICALFEELINGINTHISFIELDTHESINGLEBIGGESTDIFFERENCEISTHATBRITAINISAVERYOLDCOUNTRY,WHEREASTHEUSISAVERYNEWCOUNTRYAMERICANSAREPROBABLYMOREFORWARDINTHINKINGANDLOOKINGTHANTHEENGLISHMENARETHEREEXISTSUBTLEDIFFERENCESTHATAREDISTINCTBUTNOTASBLATANTASBEFORETHEDIFFERENCESARE
8、PRIMARILYINATTITUDESTHERESMUCHMOREOFAREMNANTOFACLASSSYSTEMINUKCLASSESEXISTEDINUSBUTTHEYREPRIMARILYMORESOCIOECONOMICASOPPOSEDTOCLASSESINTHEUKABOUTHISTORY,NATIONALITYORBACKGROUND21CULTURALDIFFERENCESDIFFERENTCOUNTRIESHAVEDIFFERENTCULTURESANDDIFFERENTCUSTOMSTHEUNITEDSTATESASANATIONOFIMMIGRANTSHASBEENKN
9、OWNASTHE“NATIONOFNATIONS“,BUTITSMAINSTREAMCULTUREIS3STILLTHEANGLOSAXONCULTUREANYNEWIMMIGRANTHASTOACCEPTORADAPTTOTHEMAINSTREAMCULTUREINORDERTOLIVEINTHENEWWORLDMEANWHILE,AMERICANPEOPLESTRUGGLEFORTHEIROWNLITERATUREANDLANGUAGEINDEPENDENCEANDFORMATIONS,WHICHISACTUALLYACONTINUATIONANDDEVELOPMENTOFPOLITICA
10、LSTRUGGLETHEPROCESSOFTHEFORMATIONOFAMERICANENGLISHISLONGANDTORTUOUSTHEPERIODBEFOREANDAFTERWORLDWARIWASTHETURNINGPOINTOFTHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENAMERICANENGLISHANDBRITISHENGLISHAMERICANSLIKETOCREATENEWWORDSWHICHENRICHTHEVOCABULARYINAMERICANENGLISHENGLISHLANGUAGEHASALONGHISTORYITBEGANTOHAVEDOCUMENTEDFROM
11、THE7THCENTURYDUETOTHEREASONSOFPOLITICAL,ECONOMICANDCULTURALASPECTS,THELONDONDIALECTINVARIOUSKINDSOFTONGUESOCCUPIEDTHEADVANTAGEABOVEOTHERLANGUAGESANDBECAMEABRITISHSTANDARDLANGUAGEWITHTHEEXPANSIONOFTHEBRITISHEMPIRE,THECOLONISTSCONQUEREDTHENEWTERRITORYANDOFFICIALSTOOKENGLISHASTHENATIVELANGUAGEWHICHWASB
12、ROUGHTTONEWPLACESBUTDUETOTHEGEOGRAPHICALENVIRONMENT,POLITICAL,ECONOMICANDCULTURALDIFFERENCESINTHEBRITISHEMPIRE,THEFORMERCOLONIESOFTHEUNITEDSTATES,CANADA,AUSTRALIA,NEWZEALAND,SOUTHAFRICAANDINDIAETCCOUNTRIESUSEENGLISHASNATIVEENGLISHTOAGREATEXTENT,AMERICANENGLISHISASEPARATEBRANCHONTHEBASISOFTHEAMERICAN
13、ENGLISHJUSTLIKESOMELINGUISTSONCESAID,AMERICANENGLISHISALWAYSENGLISHWHICHWASORIGINATEDONTHELANDOFAMERICAITSALSOCALLEDTANSPLANTEDLANGUAGETHOUGHTHEMAINBODIESOFBRITISHANDAMERICANENGLISHARETHESAME,AMERICANENGLISHWASINFLUENCEDBYITSOWNUNIQUEHISTORY,CULTUREANDOTHERVARIOUSFACTORSSUCHASNATIONALGEOGRAPHY,WHICH
14、MAKESAMERICANENGLISHFORMITSOWNCHARACTERISTICSANDISQUITEDIFFERENTFROMTHEBRITISHENGLISHASMARKTWAIN1882ONCESAID,“THEBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHARETWOSEPARATELANGUAGESWHENISPEAKMYNATIVETONGUEINITSUTMOSTPURITY,ANENGLISHMANCANTUNDERSTANDMEATALL“DIFFERENTEDUCATIONSTYLESALSOMAKEDIFFERENTNOTIONSINPEOPLE
15、SMINDINENGLANDANDWALES,THESUBJECTSTAUGHTINSCHOOLSARELAIDDOWNBYTHENATIONALCURRICULUM,WHICHWASINTRODUCEDIN1988ANDSETSOUTINDETAILTHESUBJECTSTHATCHILDRENSHOULDSTUDYANDTHELEVELSOFACHIEVEMENTTHEYSHOULDREACHBYTHEAGESOF7,11,14AND16,WHENTHEYARETESTEDTHENATIONALCURRICULUMDOESNOTAPPLYINSCOTLAND,WHEREEACHSCHOOL
16、DECIDESWHATSUBJECTSITWILLTEACHINTHEUSTHESUBJECTSTAUGHTAREDECIDEDBYNATIONALANDLOCALGOVERNMENTSWHEREASBRITISHSCHOOLSUSUALLYHAVEPRAYERSANDRELIGIOUSINSTRUCTION,AMERICANSCHOOLSARENOTALLOWEDTOINCLUDEPRAYERSORTOTEACHPARTICULARRELIGIOUSBELIEFS22CULTURALSAMENESSBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHAREBOTHORIGINAT
17、EDFROMENGLISHTHEYBELONGTOTHESAMELANGUAGEANGLOAMERICANCULTURALIDENTITYISUNDENIABLE,BUTTHATDOESNTMEANTHATAMERICANCULTURESHOULDBEADHERINGTOALOTOFBRITISHCULTUREBRITISHCULTUREISTHEROOTAND4SOURCEOFAMERICANCULTURETHISISBECAUSEOFTHEBRITISHINFLUENCEINAMERICANHISTORYFIRSTOFALL,THEEARLYIMMIGRANTSINTHEUNITEDSTA
18、TESACCOUNTEDFORALARGEPROPORTIONOFTHEBRITISHITISQUITENATURALTHATBRITISHCULTURE,THEBRITISHCHARACTERANDTHEBRITISHWAYSOFTHINKINGWEREALLBROUGHTTOTHENEWWORLD,WHICHAREAMOSTPROSPEROUSINMODERNTIMESSECONDLY,INTHE17THCENTURY,THEBRITAINTOOKTHEINITIATIVETORUNTHEBOURGEOISREVOLUTIONINALLCOUNTRIES,WHICHMADEITBECOME
19、THEFIRSTTOENTERTHERANKSOFTHECAPITALISTCOUNTRIESASFORTHIS,THEUKECONOMYGOTMUCHMORERAPIDDEVELOPMENTSOON,ITWASTHEWORLDSLEADINGINDUSTRIALREVOLUTIONBRITISHFORCESINLEAPSANDBOUNDSDOMINATEDTHEWHOLEWORLDWHILEASFORTHEUS,ITHASBECOMEAFORCEANDIMPORTANTREGIONALCULTURALINVASIVEPLACEFORTHEAMERICANPEOPLETHISRESULTEDI
20、NCULTURALIDENTITYINTHEHISTORYOFANGLOAMERICAN,WHICHHASCAUSEDTHECULTURALSIMILARITIESBETWEENTHETWOCOUNTRIESHOMOLOGOUSCULTUREMAKESTHESETWOCOUNTRIESSHOWMANYTHINGSINCOMMONTHEIRSAMENESSISEXISTENTINTHESEASPECTSFIRSTOFALL,BRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHAREBOTHENGLISHLANGUAGESSECONDLY,THEIRRELIGIONSAREBOTHON
21、THEBASISOFTHEPROTESTANTRELIGIONNEXTTOTHIS,THEREEXISTTHESAMENESSINSOMEOFTHEDETAILSOFSOCIALCOMMUNICATIONSSUCHASLADIESFIRST,BEHAVIORCIVILIZEDLYANDPOLITELY,THEPROTECTIONOFPRIVACY,THETABOOONFRIDAYANDTHEFIGUREOF13LASTBUTNOTTHELEAST,SOMEFESTIVALSARETHESAMEBETWEENTHESETWOCOUNTRIESSUCHASTHEHALLOWEEN,THEEASTE
22、RDAY,THECHRISTMASDAYANDSOONTHESAMENESSINBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHMAKESENGLISHBECOMETHEREALCOREOFASTANDARDPOPULARLANGUAGEINTHEWORLD3PRONUNCIATIONANDINTONATIONDIFFERENCESONEWITHCERTAINENGLISHFOUNDATIONCANEASILYIDENTIFYTHEDIFFERENCESBETWEENAMERICANACCENTANDBRITISHACCENTINPRONUNCIATIONSFROMTHEPER
23、SPECTIVEOFHEARING,THEAMERICANPRONUNCIATIONSSOUNDMOREFRUITFULITSMAINREASONISTHATAMERICANSAREUSEDTOMAKINGVOWELSPRONOUNCEMOREAPPARENTLYANDEVENCHANGINGSOMEVOWELSBYRULESINADDITION,THEAMERICANSOUNDAPPEARSMOREINATTENTIVETHANTHEBRITISHSOUND,WHICHREFLECTSTHATAMERICANSHAVETHEPERSONALTRAITSOFOPENNESS,HEROICNES
24、SANDGENEROSITYWHILETHEBRITISHSOUNDISRELATIVELYTIGHT,ESPECIALLYINTHEBACKENDONEXPRESSIONISMOREPROMINENTAMERICANSAREUSEDTOMAKETHESILENTCONSONANTSPRONOUNCEASRELATIVETURBIDITYCONSONANTS,WHICHISEASYTOMAKEPEOPLEPRODUCESOMEILLUSIONABOUTITROUGHLYSPEAKING,THEDIFFERENCESINCULTUREANDHISTORICALBACKGROUNDAREDOOME
25、DTOTHEDIFFERENCESBETWEENTHEAMERICANPRONUNCIATIONSANDTHEBRITISHPRONUNCIATIONS31THEPRONUNCIATIONOFVOWELLETTERSASISKNOWNTOALL,THEREARE5VOWELLETTERSINENGLISHLETTERSTHEYARETHELETTER“A,O,E,IANDU”THEREEXISTMANYDIFFERENCESINPRONOUNCINGTHEMINDIFFERENTWORDS5THEVOWELLETTER“A”HASDIFFERENTPRONUNCIATIONSINSOMEWOR
26、DSBRITISHENGLISHPRONOUNCEITASA,WHILEAMERICANENGLISHPRONOUNCESITASTAKETHEWORDS“LAST”AND“CHANCE”FOREXAMPLE,BRITISHENGLISHPRONOUNCESTHEWORD“LAST”ASLAST,WHILEAMERICANSPRONOUNCEITASLSTTHEWORD“CHANCE”ISPRONOUNCEDASTANSBYENGLISHMEN,WHILEAMERICANSPRONOUNCEITASTNSINSOMECASES,THEVOWELLETTER“A”ISPRONOUNCEDASOR
27、EITHEENGLISHMENPRONOUNCETHEWORD“VACATION”ASVKEINWHILEAMERICANSPRONOUNCEITASVEIKEINTHEWORD“COMMUNICATIVE”ISPRONOUNCEDASKMJUNIKTIVINBRITISHENGLISH,BUTPRONOUNCEDASKMJUNIKEITIVINAMERICANENGLISHTHEVOWELLETTER“E”INSOMEWORDSISPRONOUNCEDASIINBRITISHENGLISHANDSOUNDEDINAMERICANENGLISHFORINSTANCE,THEWORD“ELEVA
28、TE”ISPRONOUNCEASELIVEITINTHEBRITISHENGLISHWHILEINAMERICANENGLISHITPRONOUNCESASELVEITTHEWORD“SEMESTER”ISPRONOUNCEDASSIMESTINBRITISHENGLISHBUTSMESTRINAMERICANENGLISHSOMETIMESTHEVOWELLETTER“E”CANBEPRONOUNCEDASIANDETAKETHEWORDS“ENLIGHTEN”AND“ENTHUSIAST”FOREXAMPLE,AMERICANSPRONOUNCETHEMASENLAITNANDENUZIS
29、TBUTTHEENGLISHMANPRONOUNCESTHEMASINLAITNANDINUZISTTHEVOWELLETTER“I”INSOMEWORDSPRONOUNCESIANDTHEWORDDOMINATEPRONOUNCESASDOMINEITINBRITISHENGLISHANDDOMNEITINAMERICANENGLISHONSOMESPECIALOCCASIONS,THEVOWELLETTER“I”INSOMEWORDSKEEPSSILENCEINBRITISHENGLISHANDPRONOUNCESINAMERICANENGLISHFORINSTANCE,THEWORDS“
30、DEVIL”AND“EVIL”AREPRONOUNCEDDIFFERENTLYINAMERICANENGLISHANDBRITISHENGLISHTHEYAREPRONOUNCEDASDEVLANDIVLINAMERICANENGLISHANDTHEYAREPRONOUNCEDASIVLANDDEVLINBRITISHENGLISHTHEVOWELLETTER“O”INSOMEWORDSISPRONOUNCEDASOINBRITISHENGLISHANDINAMERICANENGLISHTHEWORDS“BODY”AND“CROP”AREPRONOUNCEDASBODIANDKROPINBRI
31、TISHENGLISH,WHILEBDIANDKRPINAMERICANENGLISHATTHESAMETIME,THEVOWELLETTER“O”INSOMEWORDS,CANBEPRONOUNCEDASANDTAKETHEWORD“WORRY”FORINSTANCE,ITPRONOUNCESWRIINBRITISHENGLISHANDWRIINAMERICANENGLISHTHEVOWELLETTER“U”INSOMEWORDSISPRONOUNCEDASJUINBRITISHENGLISHANDUINAMERICANENGLISHTHEWORD“ASSUME”ISPRONOUNCEDAS
32、SJUMINBRITISHENGLISHANDSUMINAMERICANENGLISH32THEPRONUNCIATIONOFTHECONSONANTALLETTERS“R”AND“T”THELETTER“R”SYLLABLEINBRITISHENGLISHDOESNOTCONTAINTHECURLINGSOUNDRONSOMERAREOCCASIONS,ONLYWHENTHEENDOFTHEWORDLETTERISR,ITCANBEPRONOUNCEDASRIFLINKINGWITHTHELETTER“R”SUCHASTHEWORDS“FOREVER”AND“FARAWAY”BUTTHELE
33、TTER“R”SYLLABLEINAMERICANENGLISHCONTAINSTHECURLINGSOUNDRSUCHASTHEWORDS“WORKER”AND“FATHER”IFAWORDCONTAINSTHELETTER“T”,AMERICANSUSUALLYSENDITSRELATIVETURBIDITYCONSONANTSD,IN6BRITISHENGLISH,HOWEVER,ITREMAINSUNCHANGEDSUCHASINTHEWORDS“PETER”AND“ABOUT”,WHICHAREPRONOUNCEDPITANDBAUTINBRITISHENGLISHWHILEPIDR
34、ANDBAUDINAMERICANENGLISHTHEWORDS“THEATER”AND“METER”ALSODOTHESAMEAFEWWORDSWITHDOUBLELETTER“T”AREPRONOUNCEDASITSRELATIVETURBIDITYCONSONANTSDINAMERICANENGLISHTHEBRITISHSOUNDREMAINSUNCHANGEDTAKETHEWORDS“PRETTY”AND“BUTTER”FOREXAMPLE,AMERICANSOFTENPRONOUNCETHEMASPRIDIANDBDRWHILETHEENGLISHMANOFTENPRONOUNCE
35、STHEMASPRITIANDBTRESPECTIVELY33THEPRONUNCIATIONOFLETTERCOMBINATIONSINENGLISH,DIFFERENTLETTERCOMBINATIONSCANBEPRONOUNCEDDIFFERENTLYASFORTHELETTERS“WH”INTHEBEGINNINGOFWORDS,BRITISHENGLISHREADSITASWWHILEAMERICANSREADITASHWTAKETHEWORDS“WHITE”,“WHILE”AND“WHAT”FOREXAMPLE,AMERICANSOFTENREADTHEMLIKEHWAIL,HW
36、AITANDHWOT,WHILETHEENGLISHMENREADTHEMASWAIL,WAITANDWOTINBRITISHENGLISH,LETTERCOMBINATIONSOF“UE”ORTHESINGLELETTER“U”AREOFTENPRONOUNCEDASTHELONGVOWELJUHOWEVERAMERICANSPRONOUNCETHEMASUTAKETHEWORDS“DUE”,“TUBE”AND“DUTY”FORINSTANCE,THEENGLISHMENOFTENPRONOUNCETHEMLIKEDJU,TJUBANDDJUTI,WHILEAMERICANSPRONOUNC
37、ETHEMLIKEDU,TUBANDDUTIINADDITION,THEPOSITIONOFPREPOSITIONUSAGEISDIFFERENTBETWEENBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHFOREXAMPLE,“ONTHEWEEKEND”ISEXPRESSEDINAMERICANENGLISHAND“ATTHEWEEKEND”INBRITISHENGLISH34THESTRESSDIFFERENCESTHEREEXISTMANYDIFFERENCESINWORDSTRESSOFTHESAMEWORDINAMERICANENGLISH,MOSTWORDSSTR
38、ESSAPPEARSINTHEFIRSTPOSITIONOFTHEWHOLEWORDPRONUNCIATIONSONTHECONTRARY,ITALWAYSFALLSITSSTRESSONTHESECONDORLASTPOSITIONOFTHEWHOLEWORDPRONUNCIATIONSINBRITISHENGLISHTAKETHEFOLLOWINGWORDSFOREXAMPLEWORDSBRITISHENGLISHAMERICANENGLISHDONATE/DUNEIT/DUNEIT/MIGRATE/MAIREIT/MAIREIT/COMMENTARY/KMNTRI/KMN,TRI/SEC
39、RETARY/SEKRTRI/SEKR,TRI/35THEINTONATIONDIFFERENCESIFSPEECHISTHEFOUNDATIONOFLANGUAGE,TONEISTHESOULOFLANGUAGETHEANGLOAMERICANDIFFERENCESININTONATIONOFTENMAKEPEOPLEFEELSURPRISEDWHENTHEYMEETFORTHEFIRSTTIMEAMERICANSSPEAKINASLOWPACEANDLACKOFUPSANDDOWNS,BUTTHENASALVOICEISEVIDENTWHILETHEENGLISHMANISQUITEDIF
40、FERENT,THEIRINTONATIONSSOUNDVERYMELODIOUS,RICHFAIRSOUNDINGANDAPPEALINGTHEENGLISHMANSPEAKSENGLISHWITHALMOSTNOPUREASCENDING7ORDESCENDINGTONEBESIDESTHEFALLINGTONE,THEFALLINGANDRISINGTONESAREMOSTLYUSED,WHICHEMPHASIZESONRISINGFIRSTANDTHENFALLINGINAMERICANENGLISH,PEOPLECOMMONLYUSETHESTRAIGHTFORWARDFALLING
41、TONEORHIGHRISINGTONEWITHNODESIREFORSTRAIGHTFIRSTANDTHENDROPTACTFULLYANDELEGANT4SPELLINGDIFFERENCESTHESPELLINGDIFFERENCESBETWEENBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHAREMAINLYSHOWNINTHESETWOASPECTSCHANGINGONEOFTHELETTERSOFAWORDISQUITECOMMONINAMERICANENGLISHTHELETTERS“ISE”INBRITISHENGLISHOFTENAPPEARAS“IZE”T
42、HEYMOSTLYAPPEARATTHEENDOFAVERBTAKETHEWORDS“ORGANISE”,“REALISE”AND“ACTUALISE”FOREXAMPLE,AMERICANSOFTENCHANGETHEMAS“ORGANIZE”,“REALIZE”AND“ACTUALIZE”THEVOCABULARIESDERIVEDFROMFRENCHANDLATINEXISTGREATLYAMONGENGLISHWORDSTHEOTHERSPELLINGDIFFERENCEBETWEENBRITISHENGLISHANDAMERICANENGLISHISTHATWORDSAREOFTEN
43、PROPERLYOMITTEDINAMERICANENGLISHWHILENOTINBRITISHENGLISH41VOCABULARIESDERIVEDFROMFRENCHANDLATINTHEENGLISHMENARESOCONSERVATIVETHATTHEYCONTINUEANDINHERITTHEOLDTRADITIONSINSPELLINGWORDSTHEYSTILLRETAINMANYORIGINALSPELLINGSINWORDSINCONTRAST,THEAMERICANPEOPLEHAVETHEMINDOFADVOCATINGFREEDOMANDPURSUINGCHANGE
44、SINTHECULTURALPSYCHOLOGYOFINDIVIDUALISM,WHICHAREDOOMEDTOPRODUCEENGLISHNEWWORDSTHATISSIMPLYUNIQUECEASELESSLYWORDSINLETTERSQUANTITYBASICALLYREMAINUNCHANGED,BUTINDIVIDUALLETTERSAREMOTIVATEDANDPRONOUNCINGTHESAMEORSIMILARALOTOFWORDSENDINGUPWITHLETTERS“RE”AREDERIVEDFROMFRENCHANDPRONOUNCEDFORINAMERICANENGL
45、ISH,ITHASTHESAMESOUNDAFTERCHANGINGLETTERS“RE”INTO“ER”TAKETHEWORDSCENTERANDSABERFOREXAMPLE,THEENGLISHMENSPELLTHEMAS“CENTER”AND“SABER”,WHILEAMERICANSSPELLTHEMAS“CENTER”AND“SABER”INADDITION,WORDSENDINGUPWITH“ENCE”AREOFTENCHANGEDINTO“ENSE”INAMERICANENGLISH,SUCHASTHEWORDS“DEFENCE”AND“OFFENCE”THEYAREOFTEN
46、CHANGEDINTO“DEFENSE”AND“OFFENSE”INAMERICANENGLISHWHILETHEIRPRONUNCIATIONSREMAINUNCHANGED42WORDSPROPEROMITSINAMERICANENGLISHAMERICANENGLISHMADEPROPEROMITSONTHEBASISOFSOMESPELLINGSINENGLISHBUTTHEIRMEANINGSWEREUNCHANGED,WHICHMAKESTHESPELLINGGREATLYSIMPLIFIEDTHISSIMPLIFICATIONALSOMAKESSPELLINGAPPEARMORE
47、REASONABLEANDFULLYEMBODIESTHATTHECONTEMPORARYAMERICANENGLISHNOTONLYKEEPSTHEOLDTRADITIONSBUTALSOHASINNOVATIVEFEATURESSOMEENGLISHWORDSWITHTHESILENTPRONUNCIATIONSOFLETTERS“ME”AND“UE”AREOFTENDELETEDINAMERICANENGLISHSPELLINGFOREXAMPLE,THEWORD“KILOGRAMME”INBRITISHENGLISHISOFTENCHANGEDINTO“KILOGRAM”INAMERI
48、CANENGLISHTHEWORD“ANALOGUE”INBRITISHENGLISHISCHANGEDINTO“ANALOG”SOMEWORDSWITHLETTERS“OUR”ATTHEENDOFTHEWORDSARE8OFTENDELETEDTHESILENTLETTER“U”FOREXAMPLE,THEWORDS“BEHAVIOUR”AND“COLOUR”ARECHANGEDINTO“BEHAVIOR”AND“COLOR”INAMERICANENGLISHSOMEWORDSENDINGUPWITHTHELETTER“E”CANDIRECTLYADD“ING”INBRITISHENGLIS
49、H,WHILEINAMERICANENGLISHITISSUPPOSEDTOREMOVETHELETTER“E”FIRSTANDTHENADD“ING”FORINSTANCE,THEWORDSAGEANDROUTEAREOFTENCHANGEDINTO“AGING”AND“ROUTING”INAMERICANENGLISH,AND“AGEING”AND“ROUTEING”INBRITISHENGLISHWHENSOMEWORDSENDINGUPWITHTHELETTER“L”ARECHANGEDINTOVERBALNOUNSORPASTPARTICIPLE,THEYSHOULDBEDOUBLEDTHELETTER“L”ANDTHENADD“ING”INBRITISHENGLISHWHILEITISQUITEDIFFERENTFROMAMERICANENGLISH,ITDIRECTLYADDS“ING”TAKETHEWORDS“TRAVEL”,“FUEL”AND“COUNSELOR”FOREXAMPLE,THEYARECHANGEDINTO“TRAVELING”,”FUELING”AND“COUNSELOR”INAM
