British English
Language across pond
British English is the variety of English native to the United Kingdom, as distinct from American, Australian, or other national forms.
The term covers pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, and grammar.
Spelling differences include *-our* (colour, honour), *-ise* (organise), and *-re* (centre).
Vocabulary diverges: British speakers say *lorry*, *flat*, and *lift* where Americans say *truck*, *apartment*, and *elevator*.
Is it spelled the British English way or the American way?
- anglicismEnglish loanword abroad
- favourHelpful act freely given
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
- vocabularyOne's word collection
- usageAct of employing something
lexicon · colour · slang · queue · mind the gap · double decker · orthography · Oxford comma · full stop · fortnight · theatre · regional accents · diction · proper · stiff upper lip · bloody · cup of tea · posh
- English worldwidedialect, accent, lingua franca, ESL, EFL
- Language Standardsstandard language, prescriptivism, proper grammar, proper usage, correctness
- World EnglishesSinglish, Hinglish, Chinglish, Japanglish, Spanglish
- Text Versionsabridged edition, revised edition, bilingual edition, adaptation
- Englishregional variations, accents, spelling, orthography
- dialectregionalisms, vernacular, localisms, rural dialect, patois
British EnglishAmerican English
Language variety from USA
American spelling · American · Canadian English · Australian English · Americanism
British EnglishIndian English
Regional variety from subcontinent
English, British, Britain, Brits, Great Britain, Britons, Briton, Britishness, anti-British