Language barriers are everywhere, even where we least expect them. In most cases it’s obvious that language will be a challenge. A project manager from England for example will expect to find language barriers when implementing a new process in Japan. A project manager from England working with a new team in the US however will not usually expect many differences as both countries speak English. In fact, there are many differences between American and British English that most people only realise once they are out of their country and experiencing misunderstandings.

© istockphoto.com/ Mark Gabrenya

A young American expat recently went to England to work and was surprised by the differences that existed between British and American English vocabulary. During this experience he compiled a list of all of the vocabulary differences he discovered.

One of the first differences he noticed was in the way people at work greeted him. Instead of saying “How are you doing?” as he was accustomed to, “Are you alright?” was the most common question.  He explained, “I didn’t quite understand why they asked me this and started to think there was something wrong with me”.

Although the English spoken in the UK and the US sounds similar to many people, there are some key differences. Many expressions and words are different in the way they are pronounced and used and spelling is also different.

The list below shows a few examples of British English and American English to give you an idea of the differences you might find:

So which one is the true English language? Do foreigners have to learn one English version language more than another?

We can’t really answer these questions because both versions of English are based on two distinct cultures and are equally correct. Each culture has influenced the English language in very unique ways resulting in different words, expressions and accents. Most people learn the version of English that was taught in school or shown on television programmes. For instance in France they typically learn British English while in Finland many schools teach American English.

In addition to the actual words and spellings that can be different, the way the language is used can vary tremendously due to cultural variations. For example, Americans tend to have a very direct approach to communication and will interpret things fairly literally. British tend to use a more indirect style of communication which hides a lot of the meaning. An American might tell you directly if they did not receive an attachment, ‘you did not attach the document, please try again’ while a British person may say something like ‘I did not appear to receive the file, could you please resend it?’.

On the one hand you have a sophisticated and elegant British English language which will provide you with the ability to communicate more efficiently and effectively, and on the other hand, you have this enthusiastic and vibrant American English language which will provide you with the ability to build rapport, empathy and strengthen relationships. Whatever the one you choose, mind the gap!

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010