Preface
In over 20 years of teaching English in Taiwan, I’ve often been asked what the differences between American English and British English are, or I’ve heard, “I’ve learnt American English, not British English”.
Taiwanese often call all western foreigners ‘Americans’. Similarly they believe that they are learning ‘American’, but there is no such language. In fact many Americans speak Spanish, not English as their first language.
So, what exactly is the difference? The answer is often subtler than a simple grammar lesson or learning some more vocabulary. This book, written unashamedly from a British prospective, will try to answer this question while also giving some insight into life in the UK.
In grammar, there are no real differences between British and American English. In vocabulary, there are a few with some words favoured in one country more than in the other, and there are some minor spelling variations, but we understand each other perfectly well.
There are differences in accents, but even then there are greater differences in both the UK and the US between northern and southern accents than there are between the two countries. It’s far more important that you don’t speak English with a Chinese accent than which type of English accent you have.
There are more differences in idioms, as these are more culturally based. In this book I haven’t just tried to show the differences in language, I have tried to explain the cultural reasons behind them. To understand how people talk, you need to understand what they are talking about.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that have helped in the writing of this book: My remarkable wife not only for her writing and translating but also for her insight into the UK from a foreign perspective. My two sons for their constant opinions. My students, many of whom appear in the book. My editor without whom this book would not exist. And of course you, the reader, for reading it at least this far.
Matthew Gunton
August 2015
