Translate the following word combinations. Make sentences with them.
to improve pronunciation, patterns of speech, differences in (of) vocabulary, English speaking countries, further spread, resources of vocabulary, complexity of language, language problems, under the influence, to undergo changes, all over the world, widely used language, a unique phenomenon in history, certain differences, local dialects, mainly preserved, to summon up patience.
Answer the following questions.
1. Is English one of the world’s most widely used languages? 2. Since what time has English become a world language? 3. How many people speak English? 4. In what countries is it spoken? 5. Where is Standard English taught and used? 6. How many main families of Standard English are there? 7. Does English present a great difficulty for a learner? Why? 8. Is English a single language? 9. What is the formal language?
Read and translate the following text. Write down new words and learn these words by heart. Make up questions to the text.
Some Specific Features of American English
Given the amount of places around the world that English is spoken, various differences are bound to emerge. Despite how much the USA and UK have in common, there are enough differences between their two versions of the English language that someone may not always understand exactly what someone from the other country is saying.
The pronunciation of American English and the pronunciation of British English are similar. The general impression of American English pronunciation is as follows:
- AE intonation does not rise or fall as much as that of BE, it sounds more monotonous.
- American voices usually have a higher pitch. That is why American English often seems too emphatic and American voices seem louder than those of British speakers.
- American pronunciation is more nasalized.
- There are certain differences in the pronunciation of vowels and consonants:
AE [æ] – BE [a:] in last, class, bath
the omission of [j] in AE – produce [prɔ'du:s], stupid ['stu:pid};
[r] is sounded in all words where this letter appears: farmer, hurt, bird, tear.
Though British and American spelling is the same in most cases, it differs in a few details, which sometimes leads an inexperienced student to failures in his attempts to find some unknown words in the dictionary.
If a student looks for the word “reflexion” in a small dictionary, he may be unable to identify the word, unless he recollects that there may be some difference in spelling, and that the American “exion” looks “ection” in the British usage.
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A few other examples of different spelling are as follows:
| BE | AE |
| programme | program |
| catalogue | catalog |
| honour | honor |
| colour | color |
| labour | labor |
| theatre | theater |
| centre | center |
| aeroplane | airplane |
| cheque | check |
| tyre | tire |
| odour | odor |
| pyjamas | pajamas |
| parlour | parlor |
| apologise | apologize |
| behaviour | behavior |
| neighbour | neighbor |
| favourite | favorite |
| humour | humor |
| rumour | rumor |
| kilometre | kilometer |
| letterbox, postbox | mailbox |
| litre | liter |
There are a few grammatical differences between the two varieties of English. Let’s start with collective nouns. We use collective nouns to refer to a group of individuals. In AE, collective nouns are singular. For example, staff refers to a group of employees; band refers to a group of musicians; team refers to a group of athletes. Americans would say, “The band is good.” But in BE, collective nouns can be singular or plural. You might hear someone from Britain say, “The team are playing tonight” or “The team is playing tonight.”
Another grammar difference between American and British English relates to auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are verbs that help form a grammatical function. They “help” the main verb by adding information about time, modality and voice. Let’s look at the auxiliary verb shall. Brits sometimes use shall to express the future. For example, “I shall go home now.” Americans know what shall means, but rarely use it in conversation. It seems very formal. Americans would probably use “I will go home now.” In question form, a Brit might say, “Shall we go now?” while an American would probably say, “Should we go now?” When Americans want to express a lack of obligation, they use the helping verb do with negative not followed by need. “You do not need to come to work today.” Brits drop the helping verb and contract not. “You needn’t come to work today.”
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You will also find some small differences with past forms of irregular verbs. The past tense of learn in American English is learned. British English has the option of learned or learnt. The same rule applies to dreamed and dreamt, burned and burnt, leaned and leant. Americans tend to use the -ed ending; Brits tend to use the -t ending. In the past participle form, Americans tend to use the -en ending for some irregular verbs. For example, an American might say, “I have never gotten caught” whereas a Brit would say, “I have never got caught.” Americans use both got and gotten in the past participle. Brits only use got. Don’t worry too much about these small differences in the past forms of irregular verbs. People in both countries can easily understand both ways, although Brits tend to think of the American way as incorrect.
A tag question is a grammatical form that turns a statement into a question. For example, “The whole situation is unfortunate, isn’t it?” or, “You don’t like him, do you?” The tag includes a pronoun and its matching form of the verb be, have or do. Tag questions encourage people to respond and agree with the speaker. Americans use tag questions, too, but less often than Brits.
The changes introduced into the American variety of English are to be found in grammar and structure as well, but they are especially evident in the vocabulary. Some English words have developed new meanings, and many of these are traceable to the development of American institutions and American ways of life. Yet the striking feature of AE innovations is their close correspondence to characteristics of the temperament and the ways of life of the people who developed them.
| BE | AE |
| wash your hands | wash up |
| wash up | do the dishes |
| minister | secretary |
| car | automobile |
| secondary school | high school |
| flat | apartment |
| block of flats | apartment building |
| biscuits | cookies |
| form (school) | grade |
| post | |
| lift | elevator |
| pavement | sidewalk |
| lorry | truck |
| tram | street-car |
| petrol | gasoline (gas) |
| bonnet | hood |
| go on holidays | go on vacation |
| trainers | sneakers |
| jumper, pullover | sweater |
| waistcoat | vest |
| braces | suspenders |
| chips | French fries |
| crisps | potato chips |
| peckish | hungry |
| courgette | zucchini |
| aubergine | eggplant |
| underground | subway |
| chemist’s | drugstore, pharmacy |
| phone box | phone booth |
| queue | line |
| boot | trunk |
| windscreen | windshield |
| indicator | blinker (turn signal) |
| takeaway | takeout |
| timetable | schedule |
| rubber | eraser |
| autumn | fall, autumn |
| high street | main street |
| estate car | station wagon |
| nappy | diaper |
| dummy | pacifier |
| loo | restroom (bathroom) |
| telly | TV (television) |
| sweets | candy |
| candy floss | cotton candy |
| ice lolly | popsicle |
| torch | flashlight |
| mobile phone | cell phone |
| rubbish | garbage (trash) |
| bin | trash can |
| American Indian | Native American |
| at the weekend | on the weekend |
| bill | check |
| city centre | downtown, city center |
| driving licence | driver’s license |
| engaged | busy |
| Father Christmas | Santa Claus |
| film | film, movie |
| football | soccer |
| fortnight | two weeks |
| garden | yard |
| to hire | to rent |
| mackintosh | raincoat |
| match | game |
| motorbike | motorcycle |
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There are many lists of equivalent British and American words, but they must not be taken too seriously. On the American side of the page will be many words and phrases perfectly well understood, many of them in use, in Britain. Thus, most of them would not cause any serious confusion on either side.
Americans do not usually say “first floor” for “second floor”, they do not call a “trillion” a “billion” (in BE a billion is a million millions, whereas in AE it is what the British call a “milliard” – a mere thousand millions). But most educated Americans are quite aware of the British equivalents. Valid differences in the use of words are not really very numerous or very significant.
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British and American English have far more similarities than differences. We think the difference between American and British English is often exaggerated. If you can understand one style, you should be able to understand the other style. With the exception of some regional dialects, most Brits and Americans can understand each other without too much difficulty. They watch each other’s TV shows, sing each other’s songs, and read each other’s books.
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/six-difference-between-britsh-and-american-english/3063743.html
British and American people speak the same language. They both speak English. But there are an increasing number of differences between the two varieties of English. Trudy and Eileen recently spent a very similar day. They describe the day’s events. Read the following texts. Who is from the USA and who is from Great Britain? How many differences between the BE and AE can you spot?
Trudy:
I got up at seven-thirty. I put on my bath robe, went into the bathroom and turned on the bath-tub faucets. After my bath I ate breakfast with my parents on the deck. Our apartment’s on the fifteenth floor, so the view’s terrific. At eight o’clock my mom and I took the elevator to the parking lot underneath our apartment block. First we stopped for gas, and then she drove me to school. The freeway was really busy – automobiles everywhere. When I got to school it was raining. Luckily I’d brought my goloshes and an umbrella, so I didn’t get wet.
School was OK except that we had a math test before recess. I think I flunked it. Anyway, after school I took a bus downtown to meet my sister, Susan. She became a grade school teacher after she left college last year. We ate out at a Chinese restaurant. Personally I don’t like rice, so I ordered French-fries instead. Susan disapproved. After dessert and coffee we paid the check and left. It had stopped raining, but the sidewalks were still wet. Susan gave me a ride home, then I did a history assignment for the next day, watched a movie on TV and went to bed around 11.30. I was pooped!
Eileen:
I got up at half past seven. I put on my dressing gown, went into the bathroom and turned on the bath taps. After my bath I had breakfast with my parents on the terrace. Our flat’s on the fifteenth floor, so the view’s terrific. At eight o’clock my mum and I took the lift to the car park under our block of flats. First we stopped for petrol, and then she drove me to school. The motorway was really busy – cars everywhere. When I got to school it was raining. Luckily I’d brought my wellington boots and an umbrella, so I didn’t get wet.
School was OK, except that we had a maths exam before break. I think I failed it. Anyway, after school I took a bus to the city centre to meet my sister, Susan. She became a primary school teacher after she left university last year. We went out for dinner to a Chinese restaurant. Personally I don’t like rice, so I ordered chips instead. Susan disapproved. After sweet and coffee we paid the bill and left. It had stopped raining but the pavements were still wet. Susan gave me a lift home, then I did some history homework for the next day, watched a film on the TV and went to bed at about half past eleven. I was really tired!
American Phonetics
Read the words .
1. Буква o в закрытом слоге произносится протяжно, но в отличие от британского варианта, ближе к звуку [a]:
hot [hɒt] drop [drɒp] stock [stɒk] common ['kɒmən]
pot [pɒt] stop [stɒp] knock [nɒk] block [blɒk]
fox [fɒks] bond [bɒnd] pocket ['pɒkit] shock [ʃɒk]
rock [rɒk] dollar ['dɒlər] doctor ['dɒktər] monk [mɒŋk]
2. Буква r (в отличие от британского варианта) произносится не в полную силу, но отчетливо в положении между гласной и согласной, а также на конце слова.
car [ca:r] mark [ma:rk] doctor ['dɒktər]
star [sta:r] regard [rı'ga:rd] word [wɜ:rd]
hard [ha:rd] part [pa:rt] sugar ['ʃugər]
card [ka:rd] start [sta:rt] familiar [fə'mıljər]
3. Если буква а стоит перед буквосочетаниями nt , nc , nch , ns , sk , st , sp , ss , ff , ft , th американцы произносят ее не как долгое [a:], а как в слове cat [æ].
ask [æsk] dance [dæns] fast [fæst]
answer ['ænsər] task [tæsk] cast [kæst]
past [pæst] glance [glæns] mask [mæsk]
class [klæs] can’t [kænt] chance [tʃæns]
grass [græs] pass [pæs] plant [plænt]
branch [bræntʃ] bath [bæθ] staff [stæf]
France [fræns]
4. Буква u после согласной под ударением многие американцы произносят как [u:], а не как [ju:].
due [du:] duty ['du :tı] nuance ['nu:a:ns]
duke [du:k] new [nu :] numerous ['nu:mərəs]
dual ['du:əl] news [nu:z] tube [tu:b]
dune [du:n] newspaper ['nu :zֽpeıpər] tune[tu:n]
Read these words in BE.
Американские приветствия
Всем известна неформальность американских приветствий. Так, незнакомым людям говорят Hello, едва знакомым – Hi.
Hello, guys! What’s new?
Hi! How are you? – Just fine.
Русское «Как дела?» можно выразить также с помощью следующих американских соответствий:
How are things? How is everything? How is it going? How have you been?
Часто встречаются также обороты типа «Что новенького?»:
What’s new? What’s up? What’s going on? What ’ s happening ?
Отвечать, как всем известно, в Америке принято в бодром тоне:
I’m fine. Just great! Couldn’t be better!
Менее оптимистические реплики также можно встретить:
So-so. – Так себе. Could be worse. – Могло быть хуже. Getting by. – Понемножку. Same as always. – Как всегда. Not great. Not so well. I’ve seen better days. – Бывали времена получше. Kind of lousy . – Довольно-таки паршиво (неформальный оборот).
В качестве заряда оптимизма американцы используют следующее напутствие:
Say cheese ! – Улыбнись!
Словоупотребление
Way
1) путь, дорога: I ’ m going your way . – Мне с Вами по пути. We lost our way. – Мы сбились с пути. Way in – вход. Way out – выход (и в прямом и переносном смысле). I can see no way out for us . – У нас нет никакого выхода.
2) путь, расстояние: a long way from here – далеко отсюда. To come a long way – а) проделать большой путь; б) многого добиться.
3) направление, сторона: Which way are you going ? – Вам в какую сторону? Look this way . – Посмотри в эту сторону. Wrong way – неправильное направление. This is a one - way street . – Это улица с односторонним движением.
4) отношение (один из аспектов проблемы): In a way , you are right . – В некотором отношении вы правы. This was wrong in every way . – Это было неправильно во всех отношениях.
5) образ, манера, способ: American way of life . – американский образ жизни. She spoke with me in a friendly way . – Она говорила со мной по-дружески. No way ! – Никоим образом! (Так не пойдет! Ни за что!)
6) образ действия, способ, метод (но на русский иногда совсем не переводится; часто переводится словами «так», «как»): I don ’ t like the way you treat me . – Мне не нравится, как Вы со мной обращаетесь. Do it any way you like . – Делайте, как Вам нравится. Have it your way . – Пусть будет по-вашему. The coffee is hot , just the way I like it . – Кофе горячий, как раз так, как я люблю. That ’ s the way it goes . – Так уж повелось.
7) устойчивые выражения:
The way we were . – Какими мы были.
by the way – кстати, между прочим
Just the other way around. – Как раз наоборот.
Get out of the way! – Отойдите! Прочь с дороги!
to get under way – начинаться
His work is well under way – Его работа неплохо продвинулась.
to have a way with – уметь обращаться, ладить (с кем-то)
to come one ’ s way – попасться на пути, встретиться
8) way усиливает стоящее за ним слово и переводится на русский язык как «далеко», «намного»: I feel way better today . – Сегодня я чувствую себя намного лучше.
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