Assignment: Difference between American and British English

1.The “shape” of British and American English

British is english is much more frontal. It uses the lips a lot more. Whereas American English
speakers move their lips less, the lips are more relaxed and the mouth is generally wider. In
American English, sounds generally come from further back in the mouth, closer to the
throat.
The British English is a lot ‘tenser’ and most of the sounds are produced at the front of the
mouth. Vowel sounds in British English are often shorter than in the American English,
meaning that one needs to move between the sounds faster. This means that one needs to use
the muscles of the lips and cheeks more.
Let’s take the example of the word “water”
→ When water is pronounced in American English, the first vowel is much more relaxed and
lips are not used to produce the sound at all. The vowel sound is often longer than the British
English and then, the rest of the sounds come from further back of the mouth.
→ When water is pronounced in British English, the vowel sound is much tenser. Muscles of
the cheeks are used and lips are pushed into a small round shape. Then, the rest of the sounds
are produced near the front of the mouth, without relaxing back much.
2.Difference in vowel sounds
a. Diphthongs
→ In British English the diphthongs (double vowel sounds) are pronounced with smaller
mouth movements and the sounds are shorter and faster.
→ In American English, the vowels are pronounced with the mouth more relaxed. The
mouth moves more and the sounds are more longer and more separated.
b. Other vowels
Some other vowels are different in American and British pronunciation
For example: /æ/ sound in the word “cat /kæt/”
→ In American English, /æ/ sound is a diphthong. One has to move his/her tongue through
the sound, so the vowel sound changes as it is pronounced.
→ In British English, /æ/ sound is not a diphthong. It’s a monophthong (a single sound). To
pronounce the sound with a British accent, one needs to use more tension. This is because
one has to hold the sound until one pronounces the following consonant. One cannot relax
into the consonant like in American English. 
c. Same words are pronounced with a different vowel sound
Some vowel sounds are just different, in that words are pronounced with different vowel
sounds in British and American English. Sometimes, words which have one sound in British
English will have the other sound in American English. For example:
I. /æ/ ↔ /ɑː/ 

Words  American English British English

Banana  /bənænə/ /bənɑːnə/

Sultana  /sʌltænə/ /sʌltɑːnə/

 Kebab  /kəbɑːb/ /kɪbæb/

Lasagne  /ləzænjə/ /ləzɑːnjə/

II. /æ/ or /ɑː/↔ /eɪ/ 

Words  American English British English

Tomato  /təmeɪtəʊ/ /təmɑːtəʊ/

Basil  /beɪz(ə)l/ /bæz(ə)l/

apparatus /æpərætəs/ /æpəreɪtəs/

Apricot  /æprɪkɒt/ /eɪprɪkɒt/

Comrade  /kɒmræd/ /kɒmreɪd/

Key points: American vowel sounds are often longer and more relaxed than British vowel
sounds. Also, many words are produced with different vowel sounds in British and American
English. 
 
3. Differences in consonant sounds 
Like vowels, there are many differences between consonant sounds in British and American
English pronunciation. The two most important differences are related to “r” sounds and “t”
sounds.
I. Rules for “r” sound
a. → In British English, words written with a vowel + “r” sound, the “r” is normally
not pronounced. Whereas in American English these ‘r’ sounds are pronounced. For
example: 

Words  American English British English

Car  /kɑr/ /kɑː/

Nurse  /nɜrs/ /nɜːs/

Horse  hɔrs/ /hɔːs/

b. → In american english the “r” sounds at the end of a word are pronounced. e.g.
 Are there any more people over there? 

American english Are  there any  more people over There

  /ɑr/ /ðer/ /eni/ /mɔr/ /pipəl/  /oʊvər/   /ðer/

NOTE: except for ‘any’ and ‘people’, every word has an “r” sound at the end.
→ In the UK, “r” is only pronounced at the end of the word only if the next word starts with
the vowel.
e.g. Are there any more people over there? 

British english Are  there any  more people over there

  /ɑ:/ /ðeər/ /eni:/ /mɔː/ /piːpl/  /əʊvə/ /ðeə/

The “r” sound is pronounced only in the first “there” because the word next to it is “any”
which starts with a vowel sound. In the rest of the words with the letter “r” (are, more, over
and there), the “r” sound is not pronounced.
II. Rules for “t” sound
In American English when you have a “t” sound between two vowel sounds, the “t” sound
changes to more like a “d” sound. e.g.
Betty’s daughter’s butter is better than Tamara’s or Matt’s.

American Betty’ s daughter’s butter is better tha Tamara’s or Matt’s

English n

Be/d/y’s daugh/d/er’ bu/d/er is be/d/er  tha /t/amara's  or  Ma/t/’s.

s n
In words betty, daughter, butter and better, the “t” sound is changed to a “d” sound. But in
words “Tamara and Matt” the “t” sound remains the same and is pronounced normally. This
is because the “t” sound only changes when is occurs between two vowel sounds.

But in British English this is not the case, all the “t” sounds are pronounced normally.

British Betty’ s daughter’s Butter is better tha Tamara’s or Matt’s

English n

Be/d/y’ daugh/t/er’s bu/t/e is be/t/er  tha /t/amara's  or  Ma/t/’s.

s r n

III. American /u:/, British /juː/

Words American English British English

Tuesday /ˈtu:zdi/  /ˈtjuːzdeɪ/
Tutor /ˈtu:tər/  /ˈtjuːtə/
Duty /ˈdu:ti/  /ˈdjuːti/ 
News /nu:z/ /njuːz/

In American English the pronunciation is closer to the spellings. Hence all these words
have a consonant plus an /u:/ sound.
In British English, after certain consonant sounds (like “t”, “d” and “n’’ sounds) when
there is an /u:/ sound, a /j/ sound is added before it.

4. Differences in Word Stress

As with usual word stress, there are not really any rules. However, it is useful to know that
words stress can be different is American and British English. For example:

Words American English British English

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Inquiry ˈinquiry inˈquiry
Moustache ˈmoustache mousˈtache
Adult aˈdult ˈadult
Translate Transˈlate ˈtranslate

5. Differences in Vowel Reduction

/ə/(schwa) sound is common in both British and American English.

In British English, other vowel sounds reduce to a schwa sound much more often than in
American English in which the vowel sound in pronounced with its full sound.

Words American English British English

Strawberry /ˈstrɔberi/ /ˈstrɔːbəri/
Ordinary /ˈɔrdəneəri/ /ˈɔːdnəri/
Innovative /ˈɪnəveɪtɪv/ /ɪnˈnɒvətɪv/
Category /ˈkætəgɔri/ /ˈkætɪgəri/ 
Ceremony /ˈsɛrəməʊni/  /ˈserɪməni/ 

The above sound reduction is more common in British English but sometimes, it can go the
other way too. If a word ends in “-ile” the the “i” vowel will have its full pronunciation in
British English, whereas in American English the “i” vowel is reduced to a schwa sound as
shown below.

Words American English British English

Fragile /ˈfræʤəl/ /ˈfræʤaɪl/
Mobile /ˈmoʊbəl/ /ˈməʊbaɪl/
Hostile /ˈhɑstəl/ /ˈhɒstaɪl/
volatile /ˈvɑlətəl/ /ˈvɒlətaɪl/