Americans and Brits have shared a language for the entirety of America’s existence, but why do we have a hard time understanding each other sometimes? We might speak the language, but we each have very different vocabularies. (We’ve looked at other languages that have these dialectical differences before, such as the differences in Spanish from Latin American and Spain or Portuguese from Brazil and Portugal.)
Let’s look at some differences between American and British English vocabulary.
| American | British |
| sidewalk | pavement |
| elevator | lift |
| trunk (of a car) | boot |
| hood (of a car) | bonnet |
| truck | lorry |
| highway | motorway |
| parking lot | car park |
| gas | petrol |
| eggplant | aubergine |
| zucchini | courgette |
| cilantro | coriander |
| rutabaga | swede |
| cookie | biscuit |
| candy | sweets |
| chips | crisps |
| fries | chips |
| stovetop | hob |
| dish soap | washing-up liquid |
| paper towel | kitchen roll |
| counterclockwise | anticlockwise |
| suspenders | braces |
| robe | dressing gown |
| overalls | dungarees |
| tank top | vest |
| (sweater) vest | tank top |
| sweater | pullover |
| underwear | pants |
| pants | trousers |
| bangs | fringe |
| braid | plait |
| yard | garden |
| cell phone | mobile |
| line | queue |
You’ll notice many words above that have meanings in both languages; for example, we have “gardens” in America, but they’re usually full of just vegetables or flowers, not the lawns we’re used to in what we’d call a “yard.” Also the American version of a “biscuit” would sooner be confused with a scone than a cookie. We have “braces” in American English, but they’re intended to correct crooked teeth. Also, note how “vest” and “tank top” are completely the opposite from each other in each dialect.
Can you think of other differences in vocabulary? Share them in our forums.
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