A practical guide to american english

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AmE vs. BrE – Differences
Spelling;
Pronunciation;
Vocabulary;
Grammar.

Spelling
Regular differences: centre (BrE) – center (AmE), theatre – theater, colour - color, catalogue – catalog, honour – honor, favourite – favorite, cheque – check, prison – jail and others (to know more, go here).
Deviant spelling (deviation from the norm): 'They're finger-lickin' good'.
Accurate pronunciation of the word (formal and informal speech): night - nite, through – thru, right – rite (to know more, go here).

Pronunciation
AmE pronounces the final /r / - are you /a:r ju:/: are easy / a:r i:zi/;
BrE says the final /r/ before vowels (vocalization) – are easy / a:r i:zi/;
individual differences: ate - /eit/ AmE – /aet/ BrE, schedule – /`skedʒuәl/ - /‘∫edju:l/;
long and short pronunciation of the letter A: ask - /aesk/ AmE – /a: sk/ BrE
word stress in endings: -ary/-ory : secretary AmE – secretary BrE, laboratory – laboratory , inquiry – inquiry;
-et: ballet – ballet, cigarette – cigarette, valet – valet;
and other: magazine – magazine, moustache – moustache, premier – premier, princess – princess, weekend – weekend (to know more, go here).

Vocabulary
Some words are only in AmE, others - only in BrE (congress AmE - parliament BrE, apartment – flat, cub – taxi, candy – sweets, elevator – lift, fall – autumn, mail – post, canteen – cafeteria, vacation - holiday); some words are unambiguous (checking account - current account ) (to know more, go here).
Some words have one value from the WSE and more additional values​ (caravan «refers to a group of travelers in the desert" in both versions, in BrE it means vehicle, in AmE – trailer, van). Both variants have the word undertaker, but AmE has also the word mortician.
Lexical differences in the car terminology (gas (gasoline) AmE –petrol BrE; automobile – car; gas pedal – accelerator; hood – bonnet; tire – tyre; truck – lorry; trunk – boot; windshield - wind-screen) (to know more, go here);
Idioms have different meaning. ‘The play was a real bomb’ AmE =‘a total disaster' – BrE= ‘a huge success’.

Grammar
Irregular verbs – burned (AmE) - burnt (BrE), get, got, gotten - get, got, got;
Possession phrase - Do you have the time? - Have you got the time?; responses are different (I don't - I haven't);
AmE uses Past Simple where BrE uses Present Perfect (I just ate - I have just eaten);
In AmE will / won 't substitute shall / shan' t;
The word order in the noun phrase is different (Hudson River - River Thames, a half hour - half an hour);
AmE prefers was (I wish she was here - I wish she were here);
adverbs (I'll go momentarily - I'll go in a moment, real good - really good, backward - backwards);
Parallel excuses (They live on X street - they live in X street; I'll see you over the weekend - I'll see you at the weekend; Monday through Friday - Monday to Friday inclusive).

http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blbritam.htm;
http://esl.about.com/od/grammarlessons/a/chant17.htm
http://esl.about.com/od/grammarlessons/a/chant18.htm;
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/how/how-understand-differences-between-british-and-american-english.

Лалаянц И. – Приложение к газете «English», №20/1996, p.3;
Adopted from Babayantz, A.V. “50 Essentials to Know about American Lifestyle”, Мозаика, №3 – 2005, с. 14;
Bordman, Martha. In the USA. – Titul, Obninsk, Chancerel, London, 2000;
Crystal, David. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language. – CUP, Cambridge, 1995;
Kral, Thomas. Discover America. An Integrated Skills Text for Intermediate/Advanced Students of English as a Foreign Language. – USIA, Washington, D.C., 1996;
Heyck, Denis Lynn Daly. (1994). NY: Routledge;
Steinbeck, John. America and Americans, - from Americans at First Glance, Viking Penguin Inc., 1966;
Commager, Henry Steele. The Nineteenth-Century American. –from The American History: How the Past Helps Explain the Present and Future, 70-79;
Todd Vidamour ‘A Look at Hispanic Heritage in the United States of America’ – Presentation, U.S. Department of State/Georgetown University; U.S. Embassy, Moscow; Novosibirsk State Technical University, 2010;
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