Differences: British vs American vs Australian English
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Finding out the difference between British vs American vs Australian English accents is difficult but not impossible. People, who want to learn the English language always get confused that which accent they have to choose and how to become pro?
Well, it is not that easy to get any accent whenever you want, but with a little bit of practice, you can atleast learn some new words that will help you understand the language and what the people are talking about.
There was a time when people used books to learn the English language, but nowadays, there are so many platforms to learn the language that they no need to go for any particular book or join the classes.
So today, we will know about the difference between British, American, and Australian English languages. So please read the article till the end and get some detailed information about it.
How British, American, and Australian English are Different?
The main difference between the British vs American vs Australian English is pronunciation. Yes, the pronunciations are very different, due to which the words they utter sound completely different.
Normally, the alphabet “r” is completely silent in British and Australian English. So, for example, the word “car” is pronounced with “r” in American English. But in British or Australian English, the word “r” is silent, and you can hear the word “ca” only, which is “car” only.
Apart from pronunciation, you can find the difference between the spellings such as in the word “colour” “r” is used in British and Australian English while in American English, the spelling will be “color.”
In American English, many spellings are different from British and Australian English. This difference is huge, and we can make a list of words that are completely different from each other.
For example, ‘R’ and ‘e’ at the end of words like “centre” and “theatre” are switched in American English to “center” and “theater.”
Oh yes, grammar is very different from each other. We are not talking about verbs and adjectives but sentence formation, which includes differnt words to make a sentence. You can check out below the sentence formation of these three different accents.
Examples
USA
- The class is happy
- I’d forgotten
- I learned it
Australia
- The class is happy
- I’d forgot
- I learnt it
British
- The class are happy
- I’d forgot
- I learnt it
You can read this example and understand that all these 3 accents are clashing with each other in one way or another. It is not easy to adapt any accent completely, but yes, you can try to connect with people.
| American English | Australian English | British English |
| Parking Lot | Car Park | Car Park |
| Letter Opener | Paper Knife | Paper Knife |
| Pot luck dinner | Bring a plate | Potluck dinner |
| Gas Station | Service Station (Servo) | Petrol Station |
| Sidewalk | Footpath | Footpath |
| Trash can | Garbage bin | Dustbin |
| Afternoon | Arvo | Afternoon |
| Candy | Lollies | Sweets/sweeties |
| Friend | Mate | Mate/pal |
| Flip Flops | Thongs | Flip Flops |
Examples of British vs American vs Australian English:
Well, check out the below examples that will help you understand the difference between British, American, and Australian languages, and you can understand it better.
Australian English:
“Crikey!” or “Streuth!” (pronounced “krai-kee” and “strooth”) are both exclamations of bewilderment, shock, or surprise.
- Crikey! Did you see the size of that ant?
- Streuth! You were almost hit by a truck?!
“Fair dinkum” or “dinky die” are both used to say something is true.
- He’s as dinky die as you get.
- I finally did it mate! Fair dinkum.
British English:
“Bloody” means “very.” This is a great way to show emphasis when you’re speaking.
- That dinner was bloody delicious!
- The web series was bloody awful.
“Lovely” is a common British word to use if you want to express affection or approval for someone or something (commonly used amongst the older generation, specifically women).
- This is a lovely cup of tea.
- He was a lovely young woman, wasn’t she?
American English:
“Awesome” or “cool” are popular ways to express that you think someone or something is amazing or wonderful.
- If you’re making plans with someone they may say, “I’ll pick you up at 10 o’clock, okay?” and you could respond, “Cool, see you then.”
- Someone may ask, “What’d you think of the live show?” and you could reply, “It was awesome!”
“Hang out” is a way to talk about spending time at a certain place or with someone.
- Someone may ask, “Where do you want to hang out?” and you could respond, “let’s hang out at my place. My roommates are not available” (people from the United States use the term “soccer” and the British and Australians say “football”).
- “I just hung out and relaxed at my grandmother’s house all weekend.”
Which English Language is Better?
Well, which one do you like? Nowadays, in movies and web series shows, mostly American English is used, and people speak it very easily.
On a personal level, American English is easy compared to Australian English and British English. However, the pronunciation makes the language hard, and for other country people, it is really hard to get communicated. Yes, anyone can adapt the accent, but it will take some time.
Apart from that, anyone can choose any English language to go with ahead. I found out in these three accents that American English is quite easy to communicate and understand.
Anyone can easily adapt it and learn it faster. On the other hand, Australian English is a bit rough and tough to understand, but no one can stop you if you can make it.
My favorite is British English because you want to hear when people speak. You can try out three differnt types of sitcoms in these three accents and find out for yourself.
For me, British English has a very classy accent, and it feels like going ahead with it. Still, you find some words difficult to understand due to pronunciation, which also occurs in Australian English.
Conclusion:
It is hard to tell which English is best, and everyone has their own opinion, but this article may help you decide which English accent you choose. Here we explain the difference between British, American, and Australian English. So if you have any suggestions then feel free to contact us.
Diksha Jani is a blogger, writer and SEO expert. likes to read books on various topics such as philosophy, history, crime, mythology, psychology, and so on.
