From the Big Ben to the Big Apple

10 Differences Between American And British English

Image: Nick Fewings

Picture in your mind a conversation between a New Yorker, someone raised in the American Midwest, and someone from the Deep South. You can probably imagine a rich tapestry of accents, regional variations, and idiomatic expressions. All within the borders of the United States. Now, the Atlantic Ocean is vast. Over time, American English and its counterpart from across the pond have grown apart, sometimes evolving in completely different ways. From pronunciation and vocabulary to spelling, here are 10 differences between American and British English.

Image: Diana Polekhina

Most of the words that end in -our in British English are spelled -or in American English. You'll find examples in words like flavor, armor, and color. These are words of Latin origin that have found their way into English either directly or through some intermediary, particularly French.

For some time, both variations were widely accepted. However, when the time came to make a final decision, Americans decided to stick closer to the original Latin spelling of the words, while the British favored a more French-influenced spelling, keeping the extra u.

Image: Jon Tyson

In Old English, the suffix -weard was used to specify direction, and it's the origin of words such as toward, forward, backward, etc. However, in a quirk of language that has stumped linguists for years, for every -ward word there is a -wards counterpart with the same meaning.

There's no consensus regarding where the extra s came from, but -wards has been the preferred British spelling since at least the 20th century, while most American writers agree that it's unetymological.

Image: Diomari Madulara

British speakers call zed what Americans call zee. It seems that Americans chose the latter pronunciation because of its similarity to bee, cee, dee, etc. But, when it comes to the letter z, the differences run deeper than just naming conventions.

Most verbs that end in -ize in American English are spelled -ise in British English. In a similar fashion to the -or/-our words, both spellings were once accepted until American 20th-century dictionaries standardized the -ize spelling. Apparently, the British then decided to keep the -ise termination as a matter of national identity.

Image: Jad Limcaco

In words like center, fiber, and theater, British writers prefer to use the -re termination, again influenced by their French neighbors. In these cases, Americans showed their practicality and chose a spelling that better reflects the way these words are pronounced with an American accent.

As we saw in previous entries, it wasn't until very recently that these norms were formalized. The pattern of favoring the -er termination in American English solidified itself with the 19th-century publication of Webster's Dictionary.

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We step out of the realm of spelling quirks and dive into the world of diverging vocabulary with a well-known classic: Open a bag of Lay's in the UK and they'll call them crisps. However, ask for chips and they'll serve you fries.

To add to the confusion, some British speakers accept the term fries, but consider fries and British chips to be different products, based on the thickness of the cut. In any case, we would rather put the matter to rest and agree that any and all fried potato varieties are delicious, whatever you choose to call them.

Image: Hernan Lucio

Generally speaking, flat is a British term, while apartment is an American term. They both refer to a housing unit that occupies part of a building, generally on a single story.

However, for some speakers, there's further distinction: the word apartment is reserved for more luxurious units, sometimes occupying more than one floor; while flat applies to more economical apartments, exclusively arranged on a single level–hence the name.

Image: Robert Gramner

Another classic example when it comes to the differences between British and American English, this one could cause some embarrassment if it catches you off guard. In the UK, the word pants refers to underwear, particularly boxer shorts. For pants, they use the word trousers.

Pants is the shortened form of pantaloons, which itself derives from Pantaloon, the name of a stock character in Italian theater. Pantaloon had skinny legs and wore long pants to cover them. Trousers, on the other hand, comes from trews, a form of traditional men's garment from the Scottish Highlands.

Image: Rémi Müller

The source of endless battles among English speakers, football means two completely different things for American and British audiences. The debate around the nature of true football is heated, and it involves quite a bit of national pride. As a matter of fact, both sports are related: They share a common ancestor, and football is their last name.

Soccer is derived from association, and association football is the full name of the sport. In the UK, it's called just football. It's extremely popular worldwide and, since 2009, the UEFA Champion's League men's final has been the most watched sports event in the world.

Outside the United States, most English-speaking countries refer to the sport played during Super Bowl Sunday as American football. The term gridiron football is also sometimes used, albeit seldomly, based on the characteristic marks on the playing field.

Image: Matt

Both autumn and fall are used to refer to the season between summer and winter in which leaves fall and pumpkin spice lattes blossom. However, autumn is much preferred for British speakers, while Americans usually refer to it as fall.

Both terms are quite common and, even if it's just from hearing it in movies, most people in the UK will understand if you use the word fall to talk about the season, even if it takes a few tries.

Image: Jan Kahánek

This might come as a surprise, but British and American speakers have different terms for that little dot that marks the end of a sentence. The period, as it's called in America, is referred to as a full stop across the pond. It's one of those unexpected differences between these two branches of English, and one that can actually hinder fluid communication if you are not aware of it.

Even if it's not immediately understood as the name of the punctuation mark, the word period, as an interjection meaning "that's all," is slowly winning territory in British everyday language.

A journey through the linguistic melting pot we call English

10 everyday words we borrowed from other languages

Image: Glen Carrie

English is like that friend who travels the world and comes back with souvenirs from every country, except instead of collecting snow globes, our language has been collecting words for over a thousand years. From Viking raids to Indian spice routes, English has never met a foreign word it didn't want to adopt. Here are ten everyday words that packed their bags and moved to English permanently.

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You probably slather it on fries without thinking, but "ketchup" traveled incredibly far to reach your table. The word comes from Chinese "kê-tsiap," originally a fermented fish sauce from Fujian Province. British sailors discovered this tangy condiment during the 1600s trading adventures and brought both recipe and name back home.

The transformation from fish sauce to tomato condiment happened gradually as recipes traveled through Southeast Asia to America. By the 1800s, American cooks had swapped fish for tomatoes, creating today's sweet red sauce.

Image: Karolina Grabowska

"Barbecue" comes from the Caribbean Taíno people. Their word "barbacoa" described slow-cooking meat on raised wooden platforms over fire. When Spanish explorers arrived in the New World, they adopted both the cooking technique and the name, which eventually became English "barbecue."

The Taíno were indigenous people whom Columbus first met in 1492. From Carolina pulled pork to Texas brisket, we're all participating in a 500-year-old culinary tradition.

Image: Matthew Tkocz

Next time you're lathering up, thank Hindi for "shampoo." The word comes from Hindi "chāmpo," meaning "to massage." Originally, it didn't involve hair cleaning—it described full-body massage techniques popular in Indian bathhouses. British colonial officers discovered this relaxing practice and brought the word to England.

The transition from massage to hair-washing happened gradually. By the 1860s, British hairdressers used "shampoo" for washing and massaging scalps with soap and water. Commercial shampoo wasn't invented until 1930, but the word was already established.

Image: Jessica Loaiza

Few words brought humanity as much joy as "chocolate," thanks to the Aztecs. It traces back to "xocolātl" in Nahuatl, the Aztec language. This wasn't sweet candy—it was a bitter, frothy drink made from cacao beans, often spiced with chili peppers, served to warriors and nobility. Spanish conquistadors initially weren't impressed by this strange, bitter beverage.

Everything changed when someone added sugar. Spanish monks in Mexican monasteries began sweetening the drink, creating an instant hit among European aristocracy. The word traveled with the recipe, reaching England and evolving into the familiar "chocolate" pronunciation we know today.

Image: C. Shi

Your comfortable nightwear has surprisingly exotic origins. "Pajamas" comes from Persian and Urdu "pāy-jāma," literally meaning "leg garment." These weren't originally sleepwear—they were loose, comfortable pants worn during the day in India and Persia. British colonials adopted them as cool, practical clothing for hot climates, but they gradually became associated with bedtime.

The sleepwear transition probably happened because these garments were perfect for home relaxation. By the early 1900s, pajamas became standard nightwear for well-dressed Americans and Europeans.

Image: Hu Chen

When you think "safari," you picture jeeps bouncing across African savannas, but the word comes from Arabic. "Safar" simply means "journey" or "travel," used throughout the Middle East and North Africa long before anyone photographed lions. The word entered Swahili as "safari" and reached English through European explorer accounts in East Africa.

The romantic safari notion as an African wilderness adventure was largely created by writers like Hemingway and 1920s wildlife photographers. What started as simply "trip" in Arabic became synonymous with exotic adventure and wild animals.

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The ancient practice filling modern studios gets its name from the Sanskrit "yoga," meaning "union" or "to yoke together." This referred to uniting mind, body, and spirit through physical postures, breathing, and meditation. For thousands of years, yoga remained within Hindu and Buddhist traditions in India, practiced by dedicated spiritual seekers.

The journey from ancient ashrams to suburban fitness centers began in the 1960s when Eastern spirituality became popular in America. What started as a profound spiritual practice evolved into everything from "hot yoga" to "goat yoga." Whether achieving enlightenment or just touching your toes, you're participating in a 5,000-year-old tradition.

Image: Henrik L.

Long before Hollywood fame, "zombies" were part of Haitian folklore. The word comes from "zonmi" in Haitian Creole, derived from "nzambi," meaning "god" in several African languages. In Vodou tradition, zombies weren't flesh-eating monsters but people whose souls were captured by sorcerers, leaving them trance-like. This was considered worse than death.

The word entered English through early 1900s ethnographic studies but took off after 1932's "White Zombie" starring Bela Lugosi. Hollywood transformed the concept from tragic spiritual victim to shambling, brain-eating creatures.

Image: Chelsea Audibert

"Vanilla" might mean "boring" today, but it has unexpectedly spicy origins. It comes from Spanish "vainilla," diminutive of "vaina," meaning "sheath" or "pod." Spanish conquistadors described vanilla orchid pods that the Aztecs used to flavor chocolate drinks. The shape reminded them of female anatomy: "vaina" was also a sexual euphemism.

Spanish essentially called it "little sheath," with intentional innuendo. This exotic spice was so rare and expensive that it was reserved for royalty. How it became "plain" is mysterious—probably because vanilla became America's default ice cream flavor. Ironically, something once exotic and suggestively named is now considered the boring option. Aztecs, who valued vanilla above gold, would be mystified by our casual attitude.

Image: NASA

Our final word returns to the Caribbean and Taíno people. "Hurricane" comes from "huracán," their storm god's name. This deity controlled powerful cyclones that regularly devastated Caribbean islands. Living in "Hurricane Alley," the Taíno had extensive experience with these massive storms and their destruction.

Spanish explorers encountering these devastating systems adopted the Taíno word along with a healthy respect for the storms. The word spread through European languages as more sailors experienced these tropical nightmares. It's fitting we still use the original Taíno word because, despite modern meteorology and satellite tracking, hurricanes remain as mysterious and powerful as the ancient storm god they're named after.