Nine out of ten Americans cannot distinguish an Australian or South African accent from a British or Irish accent
Conclusion. Read the beginning here: ENGLISH WITH AN ACCENT (Part 1)
Yet differences exist
"The factor determining the degree of divergence between two languages is mutual intelligibility, that is, how well those who speak English understand each other," says Lynne Murphy, a senior lecturer in linguistics at the University of Sussex in the UK. She runs a popular language blog "Separated by a Common Language."
According to her, there are a huge number of differences between British and American English, but in most cases they do not affect mutual intelligibility: "Moreover, a person from London may find it harder to understand a person from Glasgow than a person from Washington."
There are some differences in spelling between the two varieties of English. For example, the word 'color' can be spelled 'colour' (British) and 'color' (American). There are also differences in punctuation and grammar.
"An American who hears a British grammatical structure in the speech of a foreigner may think it's a mistake," says Murphy. At the same time, according to her, the American would perceive the same structure as appropriate coming from a Briton.
But in most cases, different grammatical structures are acceptable in both countries, even if they are more common in only one. "For example, Brits typically say 'have you got a…?' while Americans say 'do you have a?' (meaning: do you have?)," Murphy noted.
There are also differences in vocabulary (when different words are used to describe the same phenomenon) and in usage (when the same word is used to describe different things).
Nevertheless, according to Murphy, these differences are merely normal aspects of different dialects, which vary among themselves to the same extent within Britain and the USA.
What kinds of accents are there
The last—and most noticeable—difference between British and American English is pronunciation. Murphy and Lippi agree that neither Brits nor Americans are as good at recognizing nuances in each other's accents as they think they are.
"Brits often tell me that there are no regional accents in America, which only proves that their ears are not trained to recognize the differences that do exist," says Murphy.
According to linguists, the English spoken in America preserves some features of the language that have already disappeared from the British variety.
"I know some Americans who think that all British accents are snobbish. Even those that are stigmatized in England. Moreover, nine out of ten Americans cannot distinguish an Australian or South African accent from a British or Irish accent," Lippi believes.
Experts believe that the terms 'British English' and 'American English' merely describe general categories that encompass a wide range of dialects and significant variation. "People love to highlight differences because they are always much more interesting than similarities," notes Saraceni.
"Treating them as separate languages is simply ridiculous," thinks the Englishman Cook. "And the idea that American English is ruining British English is also a misconception. There are many examples of American English preserving the integrity of the English language. A certain percentage of English words would gradually disappear if it weren't for Americans."
In the UK, there is the so-called Received Pronunciation (RP), which is especially common in the cities of southern England. Most Britons associate this accent with a certain socioeconomic status and level of education, says Murphy, and with people educated at elite schools and universities, and even possessing some political weight.
However, even in England, such pronunciation is not always welcomed.
"Such aristocratic pronunciation can be problematic in certain social contexts," says Murphy. "If you are a social worker helping teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds, broad vowels and a commanding tone will not inspire trust at all."
As for accents in the US, a layperson will most likely say that pure English is spoken in the Midwest, although recently this belief is becoming less common, says Lippi.
As the linguist explains, the English spoken in the southern US is often stigmatized by residents of the north and west, with stereotypes of laziness, ignorance, or aggressiveness being projected onto speakers of such a pronunciation.
What differences should be paid attention to?
"Wherever you study English, you will always be taught a certain spelling and pronunciation," says Murphy. The linguist believes that English language students should know the key differences in spelling, pronunciation, and grammar between British and American English. This requirement applies to all students whose English level is above intermediate.
"If you are studying English for academic or professional purposes, you should be familiar with the practice of using English in the place where you are," Saraceni believes.
As for differences in pronunciation, experts believe that it is unlikely that a non-native English speaker will speak without an accent.
"English is the most widely spoken language in the world," says Saraceni. "So-called 'native speakers' are only a minority, since most people learn English as an additional language, as a lingua franca."
As the expert explains, although English is one of the official languages of the UN, even this organization cannot give preference to one version of English, since representatives from countries all over the world work in it, and each has their own approach to the English language (or their own understanding of what standard English is).