Talk:North American English/Archive 1

Old

Removed from page: The version of English spoken in Ireland is often called Hiberno-English. Though largely the same as that British English it remains some expressions and grammatical structures originally part of Irish gaelic. Its greater range of expression due to this makes broadcasters from Ireland particularly popular on British radio and television.

This has nothinig to due with the topic of North American English, if such a thing exists. Do we have an article on Anzac English, surely they are more similar than Canadian and American English? Rmhermen 13:55, Nov 14, 2003 (UTC)

Removed from page:

"Although there are a considerable number of different accents within the regions of both the United States and Canada, the accent family of North America derives from the strong West Country English accent that the Pilgrim Fathers (and the many who followed) would have had as they travelled to the New World. If one compares English West Country accents to Northeastern United States there is a close resemblance. The variations in accent across the USA developed as immigration in to the country brought other accents from, particularly, Europe - e.g. Italian."

This is not right. What about the Newfies, the Scots and Scots-Irish of Appalachia, the Virginia gentry, etc. Rmhermen 13:54, August 11, 2005 (UTC)

At the time of the Revolutionary War the accents in North America were indistinguishable from British accents as they hadn't evolved on their own long enough yet. The current accents of the USA evolved through the mixing & development of accents from all over Europe, although that isn't to say that there might not be a close resembelance between West country & North Eastern USA accents (haven't noticed it myself but I'm not an accent expert), there certainly is a connection between some Scottish accents & the accents of some of the Southern states (though southern accents sound harsher). I've put back the paragraph with amendments. AllanHainey 14:17, 11 August 2005 (UTC)

At the time of the Rev War the accents were indistinguishable. Accents plural, not singular. From several different English and Scottish regions corresponding to settlement patterns in the colonies. Why would the gentry farmers of Virginia change accent to that of the Pilgrims who arrived years after them. And the Pilgrims had virtually no influence on Canadian accents, especially not the maritimes ones. There is a close resembelance between West country & North Eastern USA accents but that is all. I am searching for the book references but my house is a mess. Rmhermen 14:36, August 11, 2005 (UTC)

The main book I was thinking of was David Hackett Fischer's Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America Rmhermen 15:00, August 11, 2005 (UTC)

I don't see that there is any conflict between what you've said & what I said, you may have misunderstood me though - I didn't mean to imply that the Virginians changed their accent to match the accent of the Pilgrims, rather that their accent changed as successive waves of immigrants arrived in Virginia, or wherever else, eg as Irish immigration replaced Lowland Scots replaced Highland Scots, etc (Incidentally I see that the original settlers of Jamestown Virginia were Poles and English, so I would think that accents have developed in this way). This would have occurred throughout what is now the USA & Canada. Maybe I didn't make this clear in the article but that doesn't mean that you should delete it - it means that you should expand upon & correct it, especially if you have access to published work on the subject (I don't). I will revert the article & try to clarify my meaning, if you still disagree then please edit rather than delete, thanks. AllanHainey 07:29, 12 August 2005 (UTC)

Comparisons

Removed this section:

Differences

Below is a list of some of the most common differences between American English and British English. You can help by adding to this list.

The American spellings or words are listed on the left, with their British English counterparts on the right.

Differences in spelling

Most words ending in 'ize' in the US spelling end in 'ise' in the British spellings:

• Generalize = generalise
• Globalization = globalisation
• Supervize = supervise
• Universalize = universalise
• Urbanization = urbainsation

Some American English words with an 'er' are replaced by an 're' in the British spelling:

• Center = centre
• Meter = metre (the distance, not a device like a parking meter)
• Theater = theatre

Some British English words have an 'our' whereas their North American spellings have no such letter 'u':

• Favorite = favourite
• Color = colour
• Humor = humour

Also, some British spellings have retained the ancient 'æ' (a merging of 'a' and 'e' - sometimes written as 'ae') whereas the North American spellings have simply an 'e'. (However, many British English writers are now favouring the American spellings now):

• Encyclopedia = encyclopaedia
• Medieval = mediaeval
• Pedophile = paedophile
• Feces = faeces

Similarly with many 'oe' prefixes:

• Fetus = foetus
• Estrogen = oestrogen

Different words

There are many words which are peculiar to their specific dialects, though usually, an American English speaker and a British English speaker would still understand exactly what the other meant.

• Airplane = aeroplane
• Anti-clockwise = counter-clockwise
• Bathing suit = swimming suit / swimming costume
• Cookie = biscuit
• Diaper = nappy
• Elevator = lift
• Felony = serious crime
• Gas / gasoline (as fuel) = petrol / diesel
• Line = queue
• Liquor store = off licence
• Purse / Pocketbook = handbag
• Railroad = railway
• Recess = break (time)
• Restroom = toilet(s)
• School = college / university (the word 'school' only applies to children's education)
• Wallet = purse (belonging to a woman)

We already have several pages which discuss the differences in American and British English, this is not an appropriate or necessary place to do this. If a list could be made of the differences shared by American and Canadian English contrasted with British, that might be useful. Rmhermen 13:49, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

You did the right thing. And by the way check out what I'm thinking of, I put it down in writing right here -- JackLumber 12:32, 7 March 2006 (UTC)