American English

[Hugoenglish]

hi

To study American English is more practice and more useful. It's not good to study britain english, beacuse you lost time and get bored with rules and another forms or words that you perhaps never use.........

American English is the best one for a cosmopolitican man.

Greetings.....

[James]

Oh, I am sorry you think this way. You will lose many many treasures British English may give to you. Also, I would think you are too early to say so: too early before you get to know "a language of Shakespeare". Still, there are not really an "American English" and a "British English" for people like you and me to pick out/up/apart/on/..., instead of learning more.

[Cgk]

Hi Hugoenglish,

first of all, there is no language better or worse than another. It all depends on where you live or on the people you communicate with. You say you're from Argentina, so if you travel a lot to the U.S. because you have friends or business there, then you are better off learning American English. If you often travel to the U.K and have friends or business partners there, then it is better to learn British English. If you travel to and communicate with both countries, then simply choose either American or British English, because believe me, it doesn't matter to neither the British, nor to the Americans, which kind of English you speak. They are both tolerant and will be happy that you are trying to speak their language at all!

And let's not forget that American English has its roots in British English. ;)

Claudia
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[Skrej]

Hi Hugo,

I notice you're in South America, where there is a much stronger preference for AmE, and the demand for ESL teachers is for those who are native AmE speakers.

It's not that AmE is 'better' or BrE is 'worse', but it is, as Claudia mentioned, due to proximity and business trends. In South America, the preference is for AmE simply because business is much more likely to be done with others who speak AmE.

You'll note that in most of Europe, the preference is actually the reverse, with the demand being for BrE. Again, it's because of the proximity to England, and the fact that if you're going to do business in Europe in English, the other person is much more likely to be speaking BrE.

Also, since the UK is already part of the European Union, it's far easier to get the necessary work permits, visas, etc. for teachers from England. There is much, much, much more paperwork and legal wrangling for an American to work in Europe, so much so that it's just not worth an employer's efforts, when they can get the same thing much easier locally.

In Asia, specifically Japan, China, and Korea, which do business in both the European and North/South American markets, there might be a little more preference for AmE, but BrE is by no means considered undesirable. The fact is that the demand for native English speakers is so high that there's not much importance put on the nation of origin, and you'll find American, British, Australian, Irish, Scottish, Canadian, and New Zealand English instructors.

If there's a preference in the Asian countries, it would be on the individual learner, who plans on doing business in one particular country or another, but I don't think there's the overwhelming leaning towards either AmE or BrE that you see in comparing South America to Europe.

Neither variant is any better or any worse, simply because they're 95% the same. Differences are trivial and not really important. At worse you'll get a raised eyebrow and perhaps the occasional comment if you're speaking one variant to a native speaker of the other, but there aren't going to be any important communication problems.

Depending on where you plan to do business, study, live, or work, then there might be a worthwhile difference in the usefulness of learning one variant, but it's a matter of individual practicality, or logistical concerns, not an overall comment on the usefulness or value of the variant as a whole.
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[Cerberus™]

[Sonia*]

Please clear me the definition of both American and British English?

[Cerberus™]

There is no definition. There are just some differences in accent, vocabulary, and idiom.

[Sonia*]

Ok Cerberus...Thanks a million for fast reply.

sonia*

[Hugoenglish]

American English is what moves the world......!!! England is 19th century and before...........!! Everything is related to AMERICAN ENGLISH in 21ST CENTURY.......etc,etc Perhaps my grandmother likes British english..ja,ja,ja but so is life.........!! As we grow older together, As we continue to change with age, There is one thing that will never change. . . I will always keep falling in love with American English.......!!

[Alan]

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Hi Hugo,

You write as if there are two different languages - there is only one. And that is English.

Alan
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[Richard]

Thank you Alan

Dear Hugoenglish:

Historical background
The English language was first introduced to the Americas by British colonization, beginning in the early 17th century.


I got this sentence from here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences
That's really worthwhile to read.
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[Harry_Ph]

That is your opinion, Hugo. We respect that. Some may share the same opinion with you, but others may not.
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[Richard]

I agree.
I love both of them and in my opinion English is English just like what Alan said.
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[Peterkua]

There is no difference between American English and British English except for the spelling of certain words, phrases and idioms. And not to mention the accent, of course

Peter Kua

[Richard]

Good evening Peter Kua
Pleased to meet you here.
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