Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T. wrote:
>
> Parish wrote:
>
> -----------snip-----------
>
>> Why *American* English? Why not just *English*
>>
>
> British English (or the "Kings" English) is different. Though we have
"Queens", at the moment :-). Now there's a word with a whole different
connotation in the US.
> some common word and terms in common. There are many differences.
> American English is made up words from British English, French, German
> and other Languages. We even use some old world Latin terms as well.
>
Well of course English is a pot-pourri anyway. Look at the occupiers of
the British Isles over the millennia; Norse, Viking, Angles, Saxes,
Normans, Britons.... all of whom have contributed to the English language.
> I'll give an example of a difference between US and British English :
>
> First the Description of the item:
>
> area of a car you open to store such items as suitcases, Grocries,
> Tools, etc.
>
> US English = Trunk
>
> British English = Boot
>
> In the US Boot also means:
>
> an item worn on the foot similar to a shoe (noun)
>
and in Britain
> To get rid of ... as in the bad employee was given the boot... (verb)
>
and in Britain
> Trunk in US english Besides the meaning previously given Is:
>
> a special Box used to store items such as clothes, blankets, Quilts. etc.
>
and in Britain
> The nose or proboscis appendage of an Elephant.
>
and in Britain
> If I were to go to Britain to live I would have to start in the first
> grade just to relearn the language.
>
No you wouldn't, you'd just have to learn to spell ;-)
--
"I would rather gnaw my leg off, pack the bleeding stump with salt,
and run in a circle on broken glass than have to deal with any
Microsoft product on a regular basis."
-- Dan Zimmerman,
Vanderbilt University, when asked about Windows NT.
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