Karaganda State University named after E.A. Buketov

An Article about the Differences of

American and British English

Prepared by: Turdybekov Akzhol

Checked by: Ayazbayeva Saya Sailauovna

Karagandy 2016

Introduction

In the modern world there is a huge confusion in the sphere of the linguistic concerning distinctions between British and American English options.

Despite that fact that distinctions between English in the USA and England attracts many people, there are very few scientific works on this question. The real picture of the existing ratio between British and American options of English can be opened by means of the deep analysis on the terms and conditions of language structure. I consider that we can make it only that various and general elements will be analysed as part of all language system.

Chapter I

The History of English language in the United States

For the first time English got to North America at the beginning of the 17th century. The first colony of British lodged on the American continent in 1607. Thus, the English history in America began about 400 years ago. This history can be divided into two main periods: Early period and Late period. Now we will analyse these two periods in more detail.

Early Period

It lasted since the beginning of the 17th eyelid until the end of the 18th century. This period is characterized by formation of the American dialects of English. At the beginning of this period English in America mainly met the standards accepted in England in the 17th century.

I would like to give a definition of words such as "archaic" and "neologism", which will be used in my further studies. Archaisms - is an ancient word or phrase that is no longer used in the speech. Neologism - a new word or phrase that appeared in the speech.

In view of all aforesaid, I would like to analyse some words. For example, word "to guess".

At the beginning it had two values:

1) to think, to believe

2) to come to a conclusion

Later this word lost the first value in Great Britain. It turned into archaism. At the same time, in the United States of America it didn't lose the first value. Thus:

I guess (American option) = I believe (British option).

At the end of the 18th century and at the beginning of the 19th century such words as "to guess" in values "to think, to believe" (to think, believe, consider) began to be called as

"Americanisms". During this period also appeared many new words designating various realities

connected with life of aboriginals of the North American continent, Indians.

For example: «moccasin» «squaw» «medicine-man» «warpath» «lot» «coleslaw» «corndodger»

«moose» «live-oak» «hickoku» «gap» «backwoodsm»

Here we can tell that the American English enriched the dictionary structure in two ways:

1) Thanks to formation of new words, phrases and phrases. Also some old words received new values according to new living conditions.

2) Thanks to a setod of loan of words from other languages.

Among the new words formed in the American colonies within 17-18 centuries compound words which appeared as result of substance prevail (it is process during which any part of speech turns into a noun, without changing the graphic form). These words had the following schemes of construction: "adjective + noun", "noun + noun". These changes appeared on the basis of words which already existed in English. Nprimer, "bull-frog" (this is a bull who makes the sounds very similar to what are published by a frog)

Late Period

This period began in the 1st century and lasts to this day. It is closely connected with the description of modern English in America. This period is characterized by existence of various lexical processes.

Process which happened in the 19th century, also affected some other layers of the American lexicon. For example: "right along" - in the American option means "always", and also, "continuously", "right up" - in the American option means "immediately". There is also one more group of words among what started being used within the 19th century. These words are outside the literary language and are called "slang". Very often these words reflect dark sides of the American society. For example, "slush money" - in the American option designate money, data as a bribe, "a bum" - in the American option are meant by "the beggar, the beggar". After

careful research of two periods of English in America I decided that would be necessary to study various points of view of various scientists on this problem.

Chapter II

Various points of view of various scientists on an English problem. The American linguist John Pikerins appealed to the compatriots "to put an end to damage of English in America".

Such scientists called themselves "purist" from the English word "pure" (pure) because they

fought for purity of English, opposing any deviations from norms of the British literary option. Purista completely ignored the new facts and tendencies of the speech. In too it is a high time, the movement connected with development by a new form of English in America I found an increasing number of supporters. Such outstanding linguists and writers as Washington Irving, Fenimore Cooper, Mark Twain and Jack London treat them. They were passionate supporters of idea of careful research of English in America and tried to fight with those who defined all

Americanisms as "varvarizm". It the words which are not primordial, others in language.

Chapter III

Various lexical layers of English

In the course of my research I would like to allocate the following four groups of lexical layers of English:

1) The lexicon representing territorial dialects of Great Britain and the USA.

2) The lexicon which is representing the literary language, but having territorial restrictions within one of English options.

3) A lexicon within one of options of English and not having territorial restrictions within this language.

4) The lexicon which is representing the literary language and not having territorial restrictions. Here I would also want to pay attention to the lexicon which is used in language of newspapers.

For example, some verbs have much wider polysemanticism thanks to newspapers. For example, "New York Times" mainly uses stylistically a high lexicon, "Daily News", on the contrary, prefers to use the lowered lexicon.

Conclusion

There are opposite opinions about by what option of language to be guided when studying English. Supporters of the American option speak about its wider circulation, the present, simplicity and convenience. They are right. Their opponents consider that only the British option is the real English, and all the rest - simplification, a contamination and a perversion. They too are right. The correct answer - to learn both to understand all.