Americanism (British Vs American 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 vs American English.
| 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 | motorcycle | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | |
Found this page useful? Tell your friends. Use the social share buttons below:
Tags: American English, Americanism Vs British, British English
6 Responses to “Americanism (British Vs American English)”
Lol, do you realise how many of these ‘translations’ are wrong? Where did you get them, some sort of Victorian dictionary? I’ve Lived in Britain my whole life and can honestly say I have never heard of a big dipper until now. We call them roller coasters too. Quays, wharfs and piers are all different things, not Americanism and proper English. And we also have hotdog rolls. Tags and labels are different words for the same thing, but neither is an Americanism. Sorry, but you need to do more research. And biscuits are only ever sweet, never savoury like cracker (which is what we call them here, not just Americans).
[Reply]
You are obviously quite young – I remember Big Dippers very cleary the prime one, being at Battersea FunFair – which crashed killing 5 kids in the early 70s.
[Reply]
Great list – English is never exactly the same to 2 native speakers – this list helps to clarify when we use different words for the same thing. I’d like to see a companion list for a different problem (more “dangerous”) where we use the same word for different meanings.
A colleague had a heated argument at a technical meeting because he thought his American counterpart was lying when he said he’d “tabled the report”, because it hadn’t been handed over at the meeting (as done in Westminster style Parliaments). The American had meant that they hadn’t finished the report yet, so had put it on a table to remember to deliver it next time. It was only after noticing that there was an apparent lack of logic that my colleague asked what was meant by “Tabled”.
See also the book “Separated by a common language”, which goes into more detailed description of classes of UK/US language difference.
[Reply]
You are incorrect in saying that Americans hate to talk of their British origin. Our nation was born from a British colony, and our system of government would not have been possible without the example of Britain. I don’t know what to tell you about the pervasiveness of “Americanisms”, other than we are loud, aggressive, and obssessed what is “next”. This seems to appeal to young people in other cultures. Add to that 300,000,000 in population and a lot of resources, and you’ve got a juggernaut. If it’s any consolation, when a British young person uses an American urban slang term, it sounds awkward to us, too.
[Reply]
This is woeful – full of inaccuracies, errors and language that is incredibly out of date. Strongly suggest you go and do more research before publishing this online. Wouldn’t recommend this as any kind of guide to differences between British English and American English. Unless you think it’s still 1920, maybe.
[Reply]
Raj replied:
June 23rd, 2011 at 3:59 am
I beg your pardon. Kindly rectify the mistakes so as to become useful for somebody in need of it.
[Reply]