# English vs. English **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2000, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968 "2000-02-04T00:05:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Absynthetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@Absynthetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absynthetic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/1 "2000-02-04T00:05:00Z")
So I’m proofing a bunch of stuff that will be published in the UK (I live in the US). I’m pretty good with catching Queen’s English spellings vs. American English spellings, but occasionally I’m getting stumped - or second guessing myself. I’ve searched around online, but not found anything that adresses this specifically. Can anyone recommend a good resource that compares the two grammars/spellings, either online or print? Or should I just snuggle up with a copy of the OED? Thanks! * * * Applying computer technology is simply finding the right wrench to pound in the correct screw. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/2 "2000-02-04T00:18:00Z")
Simple. Ask me, i’d be more than happy to \show you the error of your ways\ help out 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/3 "2000-02-04T00:25:00Z")
I just asked my friend the playwright. Smart man, my friend. Dramatic, too. Get THIS- let’s say you used WordPerfect 7.0. I would wager that there is a U.K. Release for WordPerfect 7.0, and IN IT you would find a SpellChecker- that would flag EVERY SINGLE discrepancy. Whatever word processor software you used? Go to their web site, and try to get a version that is tailored to the UK, and DL it? Or, find a way to DL just the SpellChecker. ``` Nice thought, lemme know if it holds water. Aside from the wording changes, I bet the UK version will be identical in function, i.e. it wont have to "re-format" the document before reading it. :) ``` Cartooniverse * * * If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel. ---
**Author:** ![WillGolfForFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/4 "2000-02-04T01:16:00Z")
My wife runs the American subsidiary of a British firm, so she runs into the “two nations separated by a common language” situation all the time. At one point she purchased a book called “British English from A to Zed” that explained many of the terms that were confusing her no end. (I think they’re turning her over to their side, though - she’s starting to do things like refer to being “on holiday” rather than “on vacation”.) ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/5 "2000-02-06T09:46:00Z")
To echo android, feel free to ask us. Being raised in America by a British mother did wonders for my elementary school book reports. I would get them back covered in red Xs with comments like, "There is no “u” in “color.” and "This should be a “z”, not an “s.” Of course, I have also never lived down the time I attempted to correct my friend’s lack of manners by saying, “‘She’ is the cat’s mother.” I was a very confused child. * * * The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they’re going to be when you kill them. ---
**Author:** ![Erik\_Raven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Erik\_Raven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erik_Raven)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/6 "2000-02-06T15:31:00Z")
If I could just put in a mildly contrarian point of view, unless it was absolutely essential to use British English, I’d think it’s better to stick with whatever type of English one is most comfortable with. I think better to use good American English than hit-or-miss British English. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/7 "2000-02-06T23:54:00Z")
Actually, at least some versions of Word come with spell checkers that allow you to specifiy whether you the document to conform to American English, or British English. Some versions also come with grammar checks which will do the same thing; they won’t however, change elevator to lift, subway to tube, dessert to pudding, or any of the million other quaint usages of our British friends… * * * Sue from El Paso Siamese Attack Puppet - Texas Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/8 "2000-02-07T01:21:00Z")
I’m using Word 97 and if you click on Tools/Language/Set Language, you can choose from any number of languages to write in, one of which is British English. I tested it out, and Sue is correct (not that I didn’t believe you, Sue, but I just wanted to see how it worked since I’ve never used that feature before). I typed, “I need to take the elevator to the 3rd floor. The color of my dress is red. I didn’t realize that you were on vacation this week,” and was prompted to check the spelling of color and realize (which corrected them to colour and realise), but not to change the word elevator to lift or vacation to holiday. * * * “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/9 "2000-02-07T01:31:00Z")
Or dress to frock 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/10 "2000-02-07T02:38:00Z")
Or 3rd floor to 2nd floor… ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/11 "2000-02-07T03:47:00Z")
… or would that be “second storey”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/12 "2000-02-07T14:03:00Z")
It’s not unusual for American books to be published over here with American grammar and spelling. I think we’re exposed to so much American English (books, TV, films, Internet, etc) that most people don’t bat an eyelid if they see _colour_ without a _u_, or _elevator_ rather than _lift_. The only _serious_ problem is proper nouns: brand names, famous people, certain place names, etc. Sometimes when someone refers to something by its brand name only, it’s difficult to work out exactly what kind of thing it is. It should be fairly easy to cut those kinds of things out, though. But this is more a question of your audience’s frame of reference than English variants _per se_. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/13 "2000-02-07T16:02:00Z")
That is so cool Shayna! I never thought of that. Wow, now I can write in British & lots of other weird languages. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/14 "2000-02-08T06:26:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by TomH: > **The only _serious_ problem is proper nouns: brand names, famous people, certain place names, etc.** I think “fanny” can cause some serious problems when used by unsuspecting Americans in Britain 😉 Similarly, “fag” doesn’t go over too well over here … ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/15 "2000-02-08T05:42:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by ruadh: > \*\* I think “fanny” can cause some serious problems when used by unsuspecting Americans in Britain 😉 Similarly, “fag” doesn’t go over too well over here …\*\* Very true! I once tried to convince my British cousin (she’s 14) that she should keep her money in a fanny pack. She was horrified. (I have since discovered the error of my wording choice!) * * * The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they’re going to be when you kill them. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/16 "2000-02-08T06:26:00Z")
These are all piddling little discrepancies. The **main** difference between American English and British English is that, if a car careens out of control on the freeway and hits another car such that both of them burst into flames, an American onlooker will say: \“Holy living sh_t! What a f_cked-up mess! God damn!”\ Whereas a British onlooker will say: ## \“Oh dear, they seem to have gotten themselves into a bit of a pickle. That just isn’t cricket.”\ The truth, as always, is more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRambler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@MidnightRambler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRambler)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/17 "2000-02-08T09:41:00Z")
I wish I could be mre help, but I used to have an English/American American/English dictionary that I bought in London 15 years ago that was done seriouslly but used humor (or is that humour?) as well. It even had, as the final entry, a raised middle finger with the word “american” underneath and then the first two fingers with the knuckles pointed towards the viewer with the word “english” underneath. (for what it’s worth) ---
**Author:** ![CatInHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CatInHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatInHat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/18 "2000-02-09T06:02:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by evilbeth: > \*\*Of course, I have also never lived down the time I attempted to correct my friend’s lack of manners by saying, “‘She’ is the cat’s mother.” I was a very confused child. > > \*\* My mother used to say that too, beth! I could never figure out what the **#@$^(\*!@** she was talking about. My mother is very strange, and not a little affected (you’re from Brooklyn, Mom, not Buckingham Palace, get a grip!) * * * Never attribute to malice anything that can be attributed to stupidity. – Unknown ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/19 "2000-02-09T00:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Cartooniverse: > IN IT you would find a SpellChecker Wouldn’t that be SpellChequer? ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968/20 "2000-02-09T05:15:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by CatInHat: > \*\* My mother used to say that too, beth! I could never figure out what the **#@$^(\*!@** she was talking about. My mother is very strange, and not a little affected (you’re from Brooklyn, Mom, not Buckingham Palace, get a grip!) > > \*\* From what I’ve been able to figure out, it is supposed to remind you not to refer to a person who is present in the third person. Apperently it is very rude to refer to your friend who is sitting next to you as “she” or “he”–you should always call them by name. I guess you would be treating them no better than an animal (cat) if you did this. It still seems a little loopy to me but this is the explaination I got!! * * * The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they’re going to be when you kill them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-vs-english/6968.md?page=2)