11th online activity
Autor: USP - EnglishCourse | Publicado: 2012-06-19T20:10:00-07:00



Hi guys.



How are you?



Your online activity this week is to write a paragraph about your
reflections on studying pronunciation. Please, read the text The
Differences Between American, British, and Australian English (By Amy Nutt) &nbsp;and refer to it in your paragraph. 



In this unit, you have studied a little bit about British,
Australian and American pronunciation. Have you studied about this before? Did
you think it was interesting? Did you find it difficult or easy? Do you often
listen to British, Australian and American speakers? You don’t have to answer
these questions; they are here to help you in your reflection.



You need to post your paragraph here until Monday, June 25th,
8a.m.



If you have any questions, write me.



Have a nice week,

Claudia 







The
Differences Between American, British, and Australian English

By Amy Nutt

Australia, Great Britain, and America
all speak the same language, but you simply have to visit each country to
realize that, while they all speak English, it is far from a universal
language. The English spoken in Great Britain, America, and Australia has many
similarities, but a surprising number of differences as well. The main reason
for this is the vast distance between each country. Here are some of the common
differences you will find between these three versions of English.

Pronunciation Differences

Pronunciation between the three types
of English is very dissimilar. In American English the "r" at the end
of the word almost always affects its pronunciation, whereas in Australian and
British English the "r" is often silent. Also, the emphasis placed on
the syllables of the word varies from British, Australian, and American
English. In Britain, the world adult has the emphasis on the first syllable,
whereas in America it is placed on the second half of the word. Australian
English is unique in the fact that many words have sounds that are eliminated.
Instead of saying good day, the Australian speaker says g'day. The main
pronunciation difference between the three, however, is the pronunciation of
the vowel sounds.

Differences in Spelling

Not only do the three types of English
sound different, but they are also spelled differently. In some ways, the
spelling reflects the difference in pronunciation. For instance, Americans use
the world airplane to refer to a flying mode of transportation. In Great
Britain, the word is aeroplane, and it is pronounced with an audible
"o" sound. Another common difference in spelling is aluminium, which
is the UK spelling, and aluminum, the US spelling. Again, the difference shows
the difference in pronunciation of the two words. In this instance the
Australian spelling is the same as the UK spelling.

Another common spelling difference
between UK English and American English is the use of -our verses -or at the
end of the word. For instance, in the UK, colour, flavour, honour, and similar
words all end in -our, whereas in America they are spelled with the -or ending
(color, flavor, honor). In Australia, the -our spelling is almost universal.

Similarly, the endings -re and -re are
different between the different English dialects. In America you will go to the
theater or fitness center, whereas in Britain you will visit the theatre or
fitness centre. Again, Australian English follows the British pattern.

There are other common spelling
differences as well. For instance, in American English, words that sound as
though they end with an -ize will always end in an -ize. However, in UK
English, they typically end in ise (i.e. realize, realise). Also, British
English often doubles consonants when adding a suffix when American English
does not, such as in the world traveller.

Interestingly, the three languages also
have distinct vocabularies. For instance, the "hood" of a car is
called the "bonnet" in Australia and Britain. Australia has several
terms that are not used in either of the other countries, such as
"bloke" (man) and "arvo" (afternoon). Also, Australians use
some phrases that are combinations of British and American terms, such as
"rubbish truck." Rubbish is commonly used in the UK, and truck is
commonly used in America.

Grammar Distinctions

Besides spelling and pronunciation
differences, British, American, and Australian English all have some subtle
grammar differences as well. For instance, in Great Britain, it is perfectly
acceptable to use a collective noun (such as army) as a plural word ("the
army are coming"), whereas in America collective nouns are almost always
singular ("the army is coming"). British English also uses the
irregular form of the past participle of several verbs (learnt rather than
learned). Also, British English tends to drop the definite article in some
situations. For instance, British English speakers may refer to being "in
hospital" instead of "in the hospital." Australian English
grammar tends to follow British rules.

Learning
English online online has never been so comfortable and easy. You
can use English Dictionary Software to help improve your online English
learning.

Article
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt




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