Americanism (British Vs American English)

Americans are very keen to show that they are very much different from their British counterparts and interestingly they even hate to talk about their British origin. They hate the way in which words are spelled in British English. Americans have their own set of spellings with the alphabet “Z” replacing the alphabet “S” in many words and the alphabet “A” dropped in many words like “paediatrics.” The American spelling of a word will be more close to the phonetic pronunciation.

So if anyone from the erstwhile British colonies chooses medical transcription as his career, initially he may have to struggle a lot in understanding the American English and to establish himself as a medical transcriptionist though much of this will be taken care of in the training part. I’ve tried here to chart down a few words which have different meanings in British and American English. Read and enjoy.

British English		American English
A
aerial (radio/TV)		antenna
Alsatian		German shepherd/police dog
American football		football
anorak		parka
articulated lorry		trailer truck/semi trailer
aubergine		eggplant
autumn		fall
B
bank holiday		legal holiday
bank note		bill
bap		hamburger bun
bat (ping pong)		paddle
bath		bathtub
bath (v.)		bathe
bathroom		bathroom/restroom/washroom
big dipper		roller coaster
bill		check (restaurant)
bill/account		account
billion = million million		billion = thousand million
biscuit (sweet)		cookie
biscuit (unsweetened)		cracker
black or white?(coffee)		with or without?
blackleg/scab		scab
black treacle		molasses
blind (window)		shade
block of flats		apartment house
block of flats		apartment building
blue jeans		dungarees/jeans
bomb (success)		bomb (disaster)
bonnet (car)		hood
book (v.)		make reservation
boot (car)		trunk
bootlace/shoelace		shoestring
bottom drawer		hope chest
bowler/hard hat		derby
box room		lumber room
braces		suspenders
break (school)		recess
bridge roll		hotdog bun
briefs/underpants		shorts/jockey shorts
broad bean		lima bean
bureau de change		currency exchange
butter muslin/cheese cloth		cheese cloth
C
candyfloss		cotton candy
caravan		trailer
caretaker/porter		janitor
car park		parking lot
catapult		slingshot
cattle grid		Texas gate
centre (city/business)		downtown
central reservation		median strip/divider
chairman (business)		president
chemist		druggist
chemist’s shop		pharmacy/drugstore
chest of drawers		dresser/bureau
chicory		endive
chips		French fries
cinema		movie house/theater
class/form (school)		grade
cloakroom		check room
cloakroom attendant		hat check girl
clothes peg		clothes pin
collar stiffener		collar stay
collar stud		collar button
conscription		draft
contraceptive/condom		rubber
convoy		caravan
cooker		stove
corn flour		corn starch
corporation/local authority		city/municipal government
cot/crib		crib
cotton		thread
cotton reel		spool
cotton wool		cotton batting
courgette		zucchini
court shoe		pump
cow gum		rubber cement
cream cracker		soda cracker
crisps		chips/potato chips
cul-de-sac		dead end
cupboard		closet
curtains		drapes
D
desiccated (coconut)		shredded
diamante		rhinestone
director (company)		manager
directory enquiries		information assistance
directory enquiries		directory assistance
district		precinct
diversion		detour
drain (indoors)		sewer pipe
draper		drygoods store
draught excluder		weather stripping
draughts		checkers
drawing pin		thumb tack
dress circle		mezzanine/loge
dressing-gown		bathrobe
dual carriageway		divided highway
dummy		pacifier
dungarees		overalls
dustbin/bin		garbage can/trash can
dynamo		generator
E
earth wire/earth		ground wire/ground
eiderdown		comforter
Esq./Mr		Mr.
estate agent		realtor
estate car		station wagon
F
fair (fun)		carnival
filling station petrol station		gas station
film		movie
first floor		second floor
fish slice		spatula/egg lifter
fitted carpet		wall to wall carpet
flannel		wash cloth
flat		apartment
flex		electric cord/wire
fly-over		overpass
football/soccer		soccer
fortnight		two weeks
foyer		lobby/foyer
full stop (punctuation)		period
funny bone		crazy bone
G
gallery (theatre)		balcony
gangway		aisle
gaol		jail
garden		yard
gear lever		gear shift
geyser (gas)		water heater
giddy		dizzy
give a bell(to phone)		give a buzz
goods truck (railway)		freight truck
goose pimples		goose bumps
gramophone/record player		phonograph/record player
greenfingers		green thumb
green pepper/capsicum		bell pepper
green pepper/capsicum		sweet pepper
grill (v.)		broil
guard (railway)		conductor
gym shoes/plimsolls		sneakers/tennis shoes
tennis shoes/trainers		sneakers/tennis shoes
H
haberdashery		notions
hair grip/kirby grip		bobbie pin
handbag		purse/pocket book
hardware		housewares
headmaster/mistress		principal
hire purchase		installment plan
holiday		vacation
homely (=pleasant)		homely (=ugly)
hoover (n.)		vacuum cleaner
hoover (v.)		vacuum
housing estate		sub-division
I
ice/sorbet		sherbet
iced lolly		popsicle
icing sugar		powdered sugar
icing sugar		confectioner’s sugar
identification parade		line-up
immersion heater(electric)		water heater
interval		intermission
ironmonger		hardware store
J
jab (injection)		shot
joint (meat)		roast
jug		pitcher
jumper/sweater/pullover		sweater/pullover
K
kiosk/box (telephone)		telephone booth
kipper		smoked herring
knickers (girl’s)		underwear/panties
knock up (tennis)		warm up
knock up (call from sleep)		in American slang this means to get a woman pregnant
L
label		tag
larder		pantry
lavatory/toilet/w.c./loo		john/bathroom/washroom
lay-by		pull-off
leader(leading article in newspaper)		editorial
leader(1st violin in orchestra)		concert master
left luggage office		baggage room
let		lease/rent
level crossing (railway)		grade crossing
lift		elevator
limited (company)		incorporated
liver sausage		liverwurst
lodger		roomer
lorry		truck
lost property		lost and found
lounge suit		business suit
M
mackintosh		raincoat
made to measure		custom made
managing director/MD		general manager
marrow		squash
methylated spirits		denatured alcohol
mileometer		odometer
mince		hamburger
meat mincer		meat grinder
moped		motorbike
motorway		freeway/throughway
motorway		super highway
N
nappy		diaper
neat (drink)		straight
net curtains		sheers/under drapes
newsagent		news dealer/news stand
nought		zero
noughts and crosses		tic-tac-toe
number plate		license plate
O
off license/wine merchant		liquor store
oven cloth/gloves		pot holder/oven mitt
overtake (vehicle)		pass
P
pack (of cards)		deck
packed lunch		sack lunch/bag lunch
panel beater		body shop
pants (boy’s underwear)		shorts/underwear
paraffin		kerosene
parcel		package
pavement/footpath		sidewalk
pelmet		valence
personal call		person-to-person call
petrol		gas/gasoline
pillar box/letter box		mail box
plus-fours		knickers
plaster/elastoplast		bandaid
point/power point/socket		outlet/socket
post		mail
postal code		zip code
postman		mailman/postman
postponement		raincheck
pram		baby carriage/baby buggy
press stud		snap
prison		penitentiary
prostitute		call girl/hooker
prostitute		street-walker/prostitute
public convenience		bathroom/restroom/washroom
public school		private school
pudding		dessert
purse		change purse
pushchair		stroller
put down/entered(goods)		bought/charged
put through (telephone)		connect
Q
quay		wharf/pier
queue (n.)		line
queue (v.)		stand in line/line up
R
rasher (bacon)		slice
reception (hotel)		front desk
receptionist		desk clerk
return ticket		round trip ticket
reverse charges		call collect
reversing lights		back up lights
ring up/phone		call/phone
roof/hood (car)		top
roundabout (road)		traffic circle
rubber		eraser
rubbish		garbage/trash
robin (small, red-breasted bird), symbol of Christmas		robin (large, red-breasted bird), first sign of Spring
S
saloon car		sedan
scribbling pad/block		scratch pad
sellotape		scotch tape
semi-detached		duplex
semolina		cream of wheat
service flats		apartment hotel
settee		love seat
shattered		exhausted
shop assistant		sales clerk/sales girl
shop walker		floorwalker
sideboard		buffet
sideboards (hair)		sideburns
silencer (car)		muffler
single ticket		one way ticket
sitting room		living room
living room		living room
lounge		living room
drawing room		living room
skipping rope		jump rope
skirting board		baseboard
sledge/toboggan		sled
sleeping car		pullman car/sleeper car
smalls (washing)		underwear
sofa		davenport/couch
solicitor		lawyer/attorney
sorbet		sherbet
spanner		monkey wrench
spirits (drink)		liquor
spring onion		scallion/green onion
staff (academic)		faculty
stalls (theatre)		orchestra seats
stand (for public office)		run
standard lamp		floor lamp
state school		public school
sellotape		adhesive tape
stone (fruit)		pit
sultana		raisin
sump (car)		oil pan
surgery(doctor’s/dentist’s)		office
surgical spirit		rubbing alcohol
suspender belt		garter belt
suspenders		garters
swede		turnip/rutabaga
sweet corn		corn
sweet shop/confectioner		candy store
sweets/chocolate		candy
Swiss roll		jelly roll
T
tadpole		pollywog
tap		faucet
teat (baby’s bottle)		nipple
tea trolley	tea cart
telegram	wire
telephone box	phone booth
term academic (3 in a year)	semester(2 in a year)
tights	pantyhose
time-table	schedule
tin	can
tip (n. and v.)	dump
torch	flashlight
traffic lights	stop lights
traffic lights	traffic signals
traffic lights	stop signals
trousers	pants/slacks
truncheon (police)	night stick
trunk call/long distance	long distance call
tube/underground	subway
turnover	sales/revenue
turn-ups (trousers)	cuffs (pants)
U
undergraduates:	undergraduates:
- 1st year	- freshman
- 2nd year	- sophomore
- 3rd year	- junior
- 4th year	- senior
unit trust	mutual fund