by Dictionary Scoop
While many things bring Americans closer to the UK, some aspects of our language set us apart.
English is spoken by more than 1.4 billion people worldwide; with so many people using this language, it is understandable that some differences have developed.
Today we walk through 10 drastic vocabulary differences between American English and British English!
1-Punctuation marks
Everybody knows that every sentence must end with a period, right? Well, actually, in the UK, they end with a "full stop." While both terms refer to the same punctuation mark, they carry very different names in each country.
The British term arose around the 14th century and has its origin in the Latin phrase punctus plenus ("full point"). The American word comes from the Latin periodus, which was used to refer to a complete series of events or a complete and finished sentence.
2-Car Parts
How would you react if a friend from the neighborhood asked you to put the market bags in the "boot"? That's what they call the car trunk in the UK!
The term "boot" to refer to that part of the vehicle is a bit older in history. Many sources claim that this term has been around since the days of coachmen, who used to keep their boots in the back of carriages or cars.
The American "trunk," on the other hand, is believed to come from when vehicles had actual trunks attached to them, where luggage and other large packs were stored.
3-Sports
If you hear the word "football," you probably think of quarterbacks and touchdowns. However, to a Brit, this would be different.
"Football" in the UK refers to what we know as "soccer." Why do we use such different words for the same sport? Because, as you know, we Americans reserve the term "football" for our beloved gridiron.
Surprisingly, "soccer" originated in England! Emerging in the 19th century, it was a short form for "association football," which was a way of calling soccer to distinguish it from other forms of football played in those days.
4-Car types
It seems that cars are a big point of divergence between American and British English, not only in terms of parts but also in vehicle types.
What Americans know as a "station wagon" is called an "estate car" in the UK; quite different, right? The UK uses this term because that type of vehicle was mainly used in country estates to transport large amounts of goods to and from those locations.
Meanwhile, the American "station wagon" originated from early wagons that transported people and luggage between hotels and train stations.
5-Baby stuff
If a toddler asked you for the "dummy," would you know what he or she meant? That child is probably British, as "dummy" is the term used for pacifiers in the UK.
The word "dummy" has been used to refer to an imitation or substitute. In the UK, from the 20th century onwards, babies' dummies were so named for serving as a substitute for the mother's breast or bottle.
The term "pacifier" (or "passy" for the cool babies) is pretty self-explanatory, right? It refers to the object's main purpose: to calm our beloved little ones.
6-Fashion
With so many garments and styles, fashion has vocabulary differences as well. What is called a "vest" in America is known in the UK as a "gilet."
While Americans call any sleeveless garment a "vest," the British use "gilet" only for casual wear.
Do you know where these terms come from? You got it: they both come from France, one of the birthplaces of world fashion.
The French gilet entered English around the 19th century and was related to the utility of the garment. "Vest," on the other hand, comes from the French veste, which referred to a long, sleeveless garment worn under armor.
7-Car parts (again)
Here we are with the cars again. We've already checked the trunk. Now, let's move to the front of the car to inspect the hood.
That cover that we lift to check -or just admire- the engine is called a "hood" in America. But, as is often the case, things are different in the UK, where this part of the car is referred to as a "bonnet."
Both terms come from the early days of automobiles. The old carriages had a protective cover over the driver's seat known as a "hood" or "bonnet." Between the 19th and 20th centuries, these terms were simply transposed to the engine cover of early cars.
8-Stores
You know where to go if you need medicine or health care products: the drugstore. But if you're in the UK, you might have a little more trouble finding this place. Not because it's hidden but because it has another name there: "chemist."
"Chemist" comes from the Latin chimista, a person who experimented with chemical substances. From the 18th century on, "chemist" was applied in England to early pharmacy practitioners.
The American term "drugstore" is more explicit. Originally, this type of store only sold meds, expanding its product offering over time.
9-Vegetables
Eggplant is one of those vegetables with as many lovers as haters. What we know in the US as "eggplant" is called "aubergine" in the UK.
The British word has French, Catalan, and Arabic origins and began to be used in English around the 18th century. The American word also appeared in the 18th century, and it is believed to have arisen due to the resemblance between the vegetable's shape and that of chicken eggs.
10-Shopping
Remember those days as a kid when your mom would push you around in the shopping cart ? Well, if you had been to the UK, she would have placed you in the "trolley" instead.
The British "trolley" comes from the name of a type of cart used to transport goods on trails. In the 20th century, with the rise of supermarkets, it began to refer to shopping carts or baskets.
The American term originated in the 20th century with the invention of the cart specifically designed for shopping.
No comments:
Post a Comment