British vs. American English

Lift or elevator?
Eraser or rubber?

These are few examples between British and American English. Being a former British Colony, Singapore practices an adaptation of the British English. We also have our own unofficial version fondly referred to as Singlish.

With the advent of social media and the rapid growth of the American Media, our students and adults alike are finding it difficult to distinguish between the informal and formal English language — also known as British English.

Learning Grounds looks into how we can work on improving our use of the British English and see if there are simpler methods we could use to identify British and American English.

To some, the United States and Great Britain are known as ‘two countries separated by a common language’. This is due to the fact that despite both countries speaking English, the USA and the UK have their versions of words and spellings which differ greatly.

Here in Singapore, our official documents and communications are spelt in the British way. So are the terms that we use to name or describe certain things. An example of a common mistake frequently made by students and adults is the use of the word ‘colour’ and ‘color’, with the former being the British version and the latter being the American.

Even after officially proclaiming the British version of English for use within the country, why are there still errors being made in our writing?

Students are still losing valuable points in their language exams and essays all due to a few spelling mistakes and the utilisation of incorrect terms.

Apart from their exposure to American and social media, the younger generation has also grown accustomed to the use of short forms and acronyms when communicating.
The downside to this is many youngsters have no clue about what the long terms of those acronym mean. Many know the use of the acronyms ‘ASAP’ and ‘AKA’ but few know the long version of the word.

So how can we improve on this issue?

We all know changes start from home. Parents have to play a significant role for students to re-adopt the proper use of the English language. This notion applies especially to the younger children whom are just starting to pick up the language.

There are many methods for parents to adopt in order to get their children started on the usage of proper English.

Spelling
During playtime with younger children, parents usually spell out words of items their child are playing with. They also use visual aids such as alphabet blocks and form alphabets to spell items.

This is the perfect time for them to educate the little ones on the proper spelling of words with different spellings such as ‘Colour’ and ‘Color’.

Pronunciation also has a huge role while playing spelling games. Although it is spelt the same, ‘Flour’ is pronounced ‘Flah’ in British English and ‘Flower’ in American English. Playtime is the ultimate practice time. Through this, children are able to exercise the proper use of the language and will eventually be able to make out the differences between American and British English.

Practice makes perfect!

Using the correct term
There are a multitude of differences in terms used by both versions of English. Trainers and sneakers for shoes, chips and French fries for that beloved snack. Although Singapore’s education system allows for a certain amount of leeway for the usage of both versions, it is essential for students to know which version of the language the terms come from.

This is particularly useful when communicating with people from different countries as they may be using either forms of English. Using terms they are accustomed with is also advantageous as familiarity makes it easier for them to open up and be friendlier towards you.

Texting
Going with the term ‘instant messaging’ many of us are guilty of using the wrong spelling in our texts in order to lessen the time it takes to reply to a message. We commonly use the word ‘thru’ as a replacement of ‘through’ in our messages. The usage of acronyms are also a cause of confusion for the younger generation as they apply it to their writing, thinking it is the correct from of a word.

As parents, we can correct our children’s errors in their texts by replying in proper British English. Making this a practice will ensure a proper execution of the language.

TV time is another good opportunity to practice English. Most televised programmes are American and use American English. Many a time, children will turn to their parents to clarify words which they have never heard of. This process is current and immediate, making it one of the best ways to correct our children.

There are many other conventional and unconventional ways of teaching proper English to our children and we would like to hear them from you. Share your methods in the comment section below.

Should you require an experienced English tutor to assist your child, feel free to contact us here.

Sharing is caring!