Brits and Americans are joined by a common language, but there are many many differences.
Today we are going to look at 20 more words that we say differently. All that is coming
right up after we meet another Eat Sleep Dreamer.
In my last lesson about British and American English we looked at words that were pronounced
differently. Today we're looking at different words that have the same meaning. Now I'm
sure you are going to know some of them but I've added a few that maybe you don't know
to keep you on your toes. Let's get started with number one. In British English we say
pavement for the area that you walk on along the street. In American English they say sidewalk.
Now I quite like sidewalk it makes sense to me. Like, there's the road and then you walk
on the side. It's quite logical, I like that one America, but in Britain we say pavement.
So in British English pavement in American English sidewalk. Alright this one, this is
interesting. We are talking about slang language here. In British English we use the slang
word quid to talk about one pound. So quid. In American English to talk about one dollar
they'd say buck. So in British English we talk about one pound as a quid in American
English one dollar is a buck. How much is the coffee? It's two quid. In American English
they would say it's two bucks. That's a good one, I like that one. When we apply for a
job, we usually send a document that has all our experience, our work experience our personal
details and we call it in British English a curriculum vitae but we shorten it down
to a CV. In American English they would use CV but they would also say resume. So in British
English it's a CV or curriculum vitae. In American English, it's a resume. So I need
help writing my CV or I need help writing my resume. Number four is a small but important
difference. Now mathematics the subject that we study at school is shortened down in British
English to maths. In American English they don't use that /s/ they take it and they throw
it away, math. So British English we say maths, American English math. I don't know why, I'd
like to know why. If anyone knows why that is let me know in the comments below. When
you are waiting to pay at the shops in Britain we would say you are in a queue. In American
English you are in a line. So in a queue or in a line. Number six is a good one. Now when
we are moving in the opposite direction to how a clock would move in Britain we'd say
anticlockwise so clockwise is the same direction as a clock. The hands going around, in British
English when it's going the other way we say anticlockwise. In American English it's counterclockwise.
So an example sentence 'so let's dance anticlockwise.' or 'Let's dance counterclockwise.' When students
use this word I can always tell if they have learned American English or British English.
Now the general word is confectionary and we are talking about things made of sugar
so lollipops and things like that. In Britain we would say sweets and in American English
they'd say candy. So as a kid I was only allowed sweets on Saturday. But in American English
that would be 'As a kid I was only allowed candy on Saturday.' At school we are divided
into age groups. Now in Britain we would call those years. So I'm in year six or I'm in
year four. In American English they'd say grade, so I'm in grade two I'm in grade three.
In British English it's a year and in American English it's a grade. So 'What year are you
in at school?' or 'What grade are you in at school?' In Britain when you send a letter
you always have to write the address and include a set of letters and numbers which determine
the area that you are sending the letter to. This is called a postcode. So for example
in London we've got like N8 or N10 or SW4, these all link to certain areas of London.
Now if course in Britain it's postcode, in American English it's zip code. So these are
the groups of numbers and letters that are added to a postal address so that we get the
right location. Post code, zip code. This one I found fascinating, I didn't know there
was a difference here. So in every children's playground in Britain or a lot of children's
playgrounds there is an area of sand that you can play in. We call this a sandpit. In
American English it's called a sandbox. It's a box of sand, so it's a sandbox. I didn't
know that, that's amazing I like it, sandbox why not! So British English it's a sandpit
American English sandbox. How would you describe that in your language? What's it called in
your language? Is it a sandpit? a sandbox? A sandhole? What do you call it in your language?
This one I'm sure you know but if you don't it's important
to
know
the difference. In Britain the most popular