【小讀一段】American vs. British English

American vs. British English

男主持: This week on Wordmaster we talk about a few of the differences between American English and British English.

女主持: It's a question we often get from listeners. After all, some differences can lead to embarrassment, others to plain old confusion.

男主持: For instance, Americans put babies to sleep in a "crib." The British call the same kind of bed a "cot."

女主持: In America a cot is a flimsy, fold-up bed made of canvas.

男主持: You mean what the British call a "camp bed."

女主持: In Britain, "public school" is what Americans would call "private school," where you pay to have your children go. Now let's say you have "to go" -- or you're looking for the toilet. Here, it's not polite to ask where "the toilet" is. Say "bathroom" or "restroom" when speaking to an American.

男主持: Joining us now from New York is the author of a handy little book called "Speak American: A Survival Guide to the Language and Culture of the U-S-A." Dileri Borunda Johnston lived in England, so she knows what it's like from both sides.

JOHNSTON: "A lot of the grammar is slightly different, so you would have things in British English that perhaps you wouldn't want an American child to learn because it might sound slightly incorrect. Like you wouldn't say 'I haven't got any more.' You would rather an American kid would learn to say 'I don't have any more.'"

女主持: Let's say a speaker of British English steps off a plane in the States. Just to catch a bus or train into town from the airport requires a different vocabulary.

JOHNSTON: "In England you would catch a 'coach' whereas here you take the 'bus,' or if you're taking the public transportation you would take the 'subway in America rather than the 'tube' or the 'underground' as you would in England."

男主持: Also, what the British call "lorries" we Americans call "trucks."

女主持: Now let's say the weather is cold and wet, and our traveler didn't pack the right clothes. Dileri Johnston pointed out some British terms that might confuse an American clerk.

JOHNSTON: "Like, for example, 'jumper,' which in England is the most common thing to call a sweater. And a jumper here is a dress."

男主持: "And then here we have 'boots' and 'galoshes' and there..."

JOHNSTON: "They have 'wellies' "

女主持: "They have what?"

JOHNSTON: "Wellies."