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British spelling vs American spelling. Now what's this!!! English, the language that is spoken all around the globe. And as we all know, it's either the American spellings or the British spellings that is followed by any individual, depending upon which part of the world he comes from.
British Spelling Vs American Spelling
The first known inhabitants of the United States were the Native Americans (Indians). Then the Europeans arrived and colonized the country. The most influential in all aspects were the British, and hence English was most widely spoken all over. With changing times, even the language changed slightly, and now we have American English. So that's how British spelling vs American spelling evolved.
Mostly, all the Commonwealth countries follow the British spellings, where as the rest of the world goes more with the American spellings. Therefore, many same words have different spellings, which essentially is just that the pronunciation is different. But many words have the same pronunciation too. Oh well! Let's just have a look at the words, and things will be much clearer.
British Spelling vs American Spelling
Here we will have a look at some differences, or in other words, British spelling conventions and American spelling conventions.
BRITISH AMERICAN BRITISH AMERICAN BRITISH AMERICAN BRITISH AMERICAN
ageing aging aluminium aluminum amphitheatre amphitheater analogue analog
analyse analyze annexe annex appetiser appetizer apologise apologize
archaeology archeology arguement argument armour armor arse ass
axe ax behaviour behavior behove behoove bogeyman boogeyman
carburettor carburetor catalogue catalog catalyse catalyze centre center
centimetre centimeter cheque check chequer checker chilli chili
civilise civilize criticise criticize colonise colonize colour color
cosy cozy counselling counseling cypher cipher defence defense
dialogue dialog doughnut donut draught draft dreamt dreamed
emphasise emphasize encyclopaedia encyclopedia enrolment enrollment equalling equaling
excelling exceling favourite favorite fibre fiber flavour flavor
foetus fetus fuelled fueled fulfill fulfil furore furor
glycerine glycerin grey gray gynaecology gynecology harbour harbor
honour honor humour humor instalment installment jewellery jewelry
judgement judgment kilometre kilometer labour labor leapt leaped
learnt learned licence license litre liter louvre louver
leukaemia leukemia lustre luster manoeuvre maneuver marvellous marvelous
mediaeval medieval memorise memorize metre meter mementoes mementos
modelling modeling monologue monolog mould mold moult molt
moustache mustache mum mom neighbour neighbor neurone neuron
oestrogen estrogen offence offense omelette omelet organise organize
orthopaedic orthopedic paediatric pediatric palaeontology paleontology parallelled paralleled
phoney phony popularise popularize practise practice pretence pretense
prise prize programme program propelling propelling pyjamas pajamas
plough plow quarrelling quarreling realise realize recognise recognize
rumour rumor saviour savior sceptic skeptic signalling signaling
skilful skillful speciality specialty spectre specter storey story
sulphur sulfur theatre theater titbit tidbit toxaemia toxemia
travelling traveling tyre tire vice vise woollen woolen
yoghurt yogurt
The British spelling of words usually involves the 'u' or a 'll', whereas the American spelling of words mostly omits the 'u' and also has a single 'l'.
American Vs British Spellings
In this table we shall see some words that actually mean the same thing, though completely different words are used for them in the British and American English language styles.
BRITISH AMERICAN BRITISH AMERICAN BRITISH AMERICAN BRITISH AMERICAN
banger sausage bloke guy bin trash can biscuit cookie
bonnet hood car boot car trunk car park parking lot caravan motor home
chemist pharmacist chips fries cinema movie theater crisps potato chips
dummy pacifier football soccer full stop period flyover overpass
hire rent holiday vacation jam/jelly jello jumper sweater
lift elevator loo bathroom lorry truck maize corn
mince chopped beef motorway highway nappy diaper nought nothing
number plate license plate paraffin kerosene pavement sidewalk petrol gas
plaster band-aid post mail postal code zip code pram baby carriage
queue line row argument rubber eraser serviette napkin
silencer muffler solicitor lawyer tin can torch flashlight
trousers pants waistcoat vest windscreen windshield
