# American v British English

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-v-british-english/762589>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 12, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-v-british-english/762589 "2016-08-12T18:56:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-v-british-english/762589/21 "2016-08-15T17:44:02Z")

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Of course, if you set up a big charity golf outing just for lawyers, you have a tourney for attorneys.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-v-british-english/762589/22 "2016-08-15T18:05:29Z")

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> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> And then there’s Canadian usage, where lawyers are both barristers and solicitors, but rarely use the term “attorney.”

When I was a kid, it was common for a law firm to call itslf “Name name name Barristers and Solicitors.”

That’s largely gone away now, and the word “Law” or “Lawyers” is used in the business name instead. I’m sure this is partially American influence, but it’s also better business writing.

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**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-v-british-english/762589/23 "2016-08-15T18:22:59Z")

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I remember from my Dickens that some British lawyers were called Sergeants in the 19th century although I’m not sure quite what sort of barrister they were.

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-v-british-english/762589/24 "2016-08-15T19:00:33Z")

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Wikipedia on serjeants-at-law — [Serjeant-at-law - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serjeant-at-law)

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**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-v-british-english/762589/25 "2016-08-15T19:50:42Z")

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> [@AskNott](#):
>
> Of course, if you set up a big charity golf outing just for lawyers, you have a tourney for attorneys.

And if you also invite jailers (or gaolers, if you’re british), then you’ll have a tourney for attorneys and turnkeys.

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