Differences in pronunciation between American English (AmE) and British English (BrE) can be divided into: In the following discussion - superscript A2 after a word indicates the BrE pronunciation of the word is a common variant in AmE
- superscript B2 after a word indicates the AmE pronunciation of the word is a common variant in BrE
[edit] Stress [edit] French stress For many loanwords from French where AmE has final-syllable stress, BrE stresses an earlier syllable. Such words include: - BrE first-syllable stress: adultA2,B2, balletA2, baton, beret, bidet, blasé, brevetA2, brochureB2, buffet, caféA2, canardB2, chagrin, chaletA2, chauffeurA2,B2, chiffon, clichéB2, coupé, croissant, debrisB2, debut, décor, detailA2, détenteB2, flambé, frappé, garageB2, gateau, gourmetA2, lamé, montageA2, parquet, pastel, pastille, pâté, précis, sachet, salon, soupçon, vaccine; matinée, négligée, nonchalant, nondescript; also some French names, including BernardB2, Calais, Degas, Dijon, Dumas, Francoise, ManetA2, Maurice, MonetA2, Pauline, Renault, RenéB2, Renoir, Rimbaud, DelacroixB2.
- BrE second-syllable stress: attaché, consommé, décolleté, déclassé, De Beauvoir, Debussy, démodé, denouement, distingué, Dubonnet, escargot, fiancé(e), retroussé
A few French words have other stress differences: - AmE first-syllable, BrE last-syllable: addressA2 (postal), m(o)ustacheA2; cigaretteA2, limousineB2, magazineB2,
- AmE first-syllable, BrE second-syllable: exposéB2, liaisonA2, macramé, Renaissance
- AmE second-syllable, BrE last-syllable: New Orleans
[edit] -ate and -atory Most 2-syllable verbs ending -ate have first-syllable stress in AmE and second-syllable stress in BrE. This includes castrate, dictateA2, donateA2, locateA2, mandateB2, migrate, placate, prostrate, pulsate, rotate, serrateB2, spectate, striated, translateA2, vacate, vibrate; in the case of cremate, narrate, placate, the first vowel is in addition reduced to /ə/ in BrE. Examples where AmE and BrE match include create, debate, equate, elate, negate, orate, relate with second-syllable stress; and mandate and probate with first-syllable stress. Derived nouns in -ator may retain the distinction, but those in -ation do not. Also, migratoryA2 and vibratory retain the distinction. Most longer -ate verbs are pronounced the same in AmE and BrE, but a few have first-syllable stress in BrE and second-syllable stress in AmE: elongate, infiltrateA2, remonstrate, tergiversate. However, some derived adjectives ending -atory have a difference, as stress shifting to -at- can occur in BrE. Among these cases are regulatoryB2, celebratoryA2, participatoryB2, where AmE stresses the same syllable as the corresponding -ate verb; and compensatory, where AmE stresses the second syllable. A further -atory difference is laboratory: AmE /'læbrɪˌtɔri/ and BrE /lə'bɒrət(ə)riː/. [edit] Miscellaneous stress There are a number of cases where same-spelled noun, verb and/or adjective have uniform stress in one dialect but distinct stress in the other (e.g. alternate, prospect): see initial-stress-derived noun. The following table lists words where the only difference between AmE and BrE is in stress (possibly with a consequent reduction of the unstressed vowel). Words with other points of difference are listed in a later table. | BrE | AmE | words with relevant syllable stressed in each dialect | | 1st | 2nd | caffeine, cannotA2, casein, Kathleen, SuezA2, communal, escalopeB2, harass, omega, paprikaB2, patina, subaltern, stalactite, stalagmite, ThanksgivingB2, transference, aristocratA2,B2, kilometre/kilometerB2 | | 2nd | 1st | defense (sport), guffawA2, ice creamA2,B2, guru, mama, papa, pretense, princessA2,B2, weekendB2, Canton, anginaA2, Augustine, Bushido, Ghanaian, LofotenB2, marshmallow, patronal, spread-eagle, controversy, formidableB2, hospitableB2, miscellany, predicative, saxophonistB2, submariner, ancillary, capillary, catenary, corollary, fritillary, medullary | | 1st | 3rd | ParmesanB2, partisan, premature, opportune, carburet(t)or | | 3rd | 1st | margarine, PyreneesB2, cockatoo | | 2nd | 3rd | advertisement | | 3rd | 2nd | arytenoidA2, oregano, obscurantist | [edit] Affixes [edit] -ary -ery -ory -bury, -berry, -mony Where the syllable preceding -ary,-ery or -ory is stressed, AmE and BrE alike pronounce all these endings /əri(ː)/. Where the preceding syllable is unstressed, however, AmE has a full vowel rather than schwa: /ɛri/ for -ary and -ery and /ɔri/ for -ory. BrE retains the reduced vowel /əriː/, or even elides it completely to /riː/. (The elision is avoided in carefully enunciated speech, especially with endings -rary,-rery,-rory.) So military is AmE /'mɪlɪtɛriː/ and BrE /'mɪlɪtəriː/ or /'mɪlɪtriː/. Note that stress differences occur with ending -atory (explained above) and a few others like capillary (included above). A few words have the full vowel in AmE in the ending even though the preceding syllable is stressed: library, primaryA2, rosemary. Pronouncing library as /'laɪbɛri/ rather than /'laɪbrɛri/ is highly stigmatized in AmE, whereas in BrE, /'laɪbriː/ is common in rapid or casual speech. Formerly the BrE-AmE distinction for adjectives carried over to corresponding adverbs ending -arily, -erily or -orily. However, nowadays most BrE speakers adopt the AmE practice of shifting the stress to the antepenultimate syllable: militarily is thus /ˌmɪlɪ'tɛrɪliː/ rather than /'mɪlɪtrɪliː/. The placename component -bury (e.g. Canterbury) has a similar difference after a stressed syllable: AmE /bɛri/ and BrE /brɪː/ or /bərɪː/. The ending -mony after a stressed syllable is AmE /moʊni/ but BrE /mənɪː/. The word -berry in compounds has a slightly different distinction: in BrE, it is reduced (/bəriː/ or /briː/) after a stressed syllable, and may be full /bɛriː/ after an unstressed syllable; in AmE it is usually full in all cases. Thus, strawberry is BrE /'strɔːbəriː/ but AmE /'strɔbɛri/, while whortleberry is BrE /'wɔːtlbɛriː/ and similarly AmE /'wɔrtlbɛri/. Words ending in unstressed -ile derived from Latin adjectives ending -ilis are mostly pronounced with a full vowel (/aɪl/) in BrE but a reduced vowel /ɪl/ or syllabic /l/ in AmE (e.g. fertile rhymes with fur tile in BrE but with turtle in AmE). This difference applies: - generally to agile, docile, facile, fertile, fissile, fragile, futile, infertile, missile, nubile, octile, puerile, rutile, servile, stabile, sterile, tactile, tensile, virile, volatile;
- usually to ductile, hostile, (im)mobile (adjective), projectile, textile, utile, versatile;
- not usually to decile, domicile, infantile, juvenile, labile, mercantile, pensile, reptile, senile;
- not to crocodile, exile, gentile, percentile, reconcile; nor to compounds of monosyllables (e.g. turnstile from stile).
Related endings -ility, -ilize, -iliary are pronounced the same in AmE as BrE. The name Savile is pronounced with (/ɪl/) in both BrE and AmE. Mobile (sculpture), camomile and febrile are sometimes pronounced with /il/ in AmE and /aɪl/) in BrE. Imbecile has /aɪl/ or /iːl/ in BrE and often /ɪl/ in AmE. The suffix -ine, when unstressed, is pronounced sometimes /aɪn/ (e.g. feline), sometimes /i(ː)n/ (e.g. morphine) and sometimes /ɪn/ (e.g. medicine). Some words have variable pronunciation within BrE, or within AmE, or between BrE and AmE. Generally, AmE is more likely to favour /in/ or /ɪn/, and BrE to favour /aɪn/: e.g. adamantineA2, carbine, crystallineA2, labyrinthine, philistine, serpentineA2, turbineA2. However, sometimes AmE has /aɪn/ where BrE has /iːn/; e.g. iodineB2, strychnineA2. [edit] Weak forms Some function words have a weak form in AmE, with a reduced vowel used when the word is unstressed, but always use the full vowel in RP. These include: or [ɚ]; you [jə]; your [jɚ]. On the other hand, the titles Saint and Sir before a person's name have "weak forms" in BrE but not AmE: before vowels, [snt] and [sər]; before consonants, [sn] and [sə]. [edit] Miscellaneous pronunciation differences These tables list words pronounced differently but spelled the same. See also the table of words with different pronunciation reflected in the spelling. [edit] Single differences Words with multiple points of difference of pronunciation are in the table after this one. Accent-based differences are ignored. For example, Moscow is RP /'mɒskəʊ/ and GAm /'mɑskaʊ/, but only the /əʊ/-/aʊ/ difference is highlighted here, since the /ɒ/-/ɑ/ difference is predictable from the accent. Also, tiara is listed with AmE /æ/; the marry-merry-Mary merger changes this vowel for many Americans. Some AmE types are listed as /ɒ/ where GAm merges to /ɑ/ . | BrE | AmE | Words | | /æ/ | /ɑ/ | annato, BangladeshA2, Caracas, chiantiA2, Galapagos, GdańskA2, grappaA2, gulagA2, HanoiA2, JanA2 (male name, e.g. Jan Palach), KantA2, kebab, Las (placenames, e.g. Las Vegas), Mafia, mishmashA2, MombasaA2, Natasha, Nissan, Pablo, pasta, PicassoA2, ralentando, SanA2 (names outside USA; e.g. San Juan), SlovakA2, Sri LankaA2, Vivaldi, wigwamA2, YasserA2 (and A in many other foreign names and loanwords) | | /iː/ | /ɛ/ | aesthete, anaesthetize, breveA2, catenaryA2, Daedalus, devolutionA2,B2, ecumenicalB2, epochA2, evolutionA2,B2, febrileA2, Hephaestus, KenyaB2, leverA2, methane, OedipusA2, (o)estrus, penalizeA2, predecessorA2, pyrethrinA2, senileA2, hygienic | | /ɒ/ | /oʊ/ | Aeroflot, compost, homosexualB2, Interpol, Lod, pogrom, polkaB2, produce (noun), Rosh Hashanah, sconeA2,B2, shone, sojourn, trollB2, yoghurt | | /ɑː/ | /æ/ | (Excluding trap-bath split words) banana, javaA2, khakiA2, morale, NevadaA2, scenarioA2, sopranoA2, tiaraA2, Pakistani | | /ɛ/ | /i/ | CecilA2,B2, crematoriumA2, cretin, depot, inherentA2,B2, leisureA2, medievalA2, reconnoitreA2, zebraB2, zenithA2,B2 | | /æ/ | /eɪ/ | compatriot, patriotB2, patronise, phalanx, plait, repatriate, Sabine, satrapA2, satyrA2, basilA2 (plant) | | /ɪ/ | /aɪ/ | dynasty, housewifery, idyll, livelongA2, long-livedA2, privacyB2, simultaneous, vitamin. Also the suffix -ization. See also -ine. | | /z/ | /s/ | AussieA2, blouse, complaisantA2, crescent, erase, GlasgowA2, parse, valise, trans-A2,B2 (in some words) | | /ɑː/ | /eɪ/ | amenA2, charadeB2, cicada, galaA2, promenadeA2, pro rata, tomato, stratum | | /əʊ/ | /ɒ/ | codify, goffer, ogleA2, phonetician, processor, progress (noun), slothA2,B2, wont A2, wroth | | /ʌ/ | /ɒ/ | accomplice, accomplish, colanderB2, constableB2, Lombardy, monetaryA2, -mongerA2 | | /ɒ/ | /ʌ/ | hovelA2,B2, hover. Also the strong forms of these function words: anybodyA2 (likewise every-, some-, and no-), becauseA2,B2 (and clipping 'cos/'cause), ofA2, fromA2, wasA2, whatA2 | | (sounded) | (silent) | chthonic, herbA2 (plant), KnossosB2, phthisicB2, salve, solder | | /ɑː/ | /ɚ/ | Berkeley, Berkshire, clerk, Derby, Hertford. (The only AmE word with <er> = [ɑr] is sergeant). | | /aɪ/ | /i/ | eitherA2,B2, neitherA2,B2, Pleiades. See also -ine. | | /iː/ | /aɪ/ | albino, migraineB2. Also the prefixes anti-A2, multi-A2, semi-A2 in loose compounds (e.g. in anti-establishment, but not in antibody). See also -ine. | | /ə/ | /ɒ/ | hexagon, octagon, paragon, pentagon, phenomenon. | | /iː/ | /eɪ/ | eta, beta, quayA2, theta, zeta | | /aɪ/ | /ɪ/ | butylB2, diverge, minorityA2,B2, primer (schoolbook). See also -ine. | | /ɛ/ | /eɪ/ | ateB2 ("et" is nonstandard in America), mêlée, chaise longue | | /ɜːz/ | /us/ | Betelgeuse, chanteuse, chartreuseA2, masseuse | | /eɪ/ | /æ/ | apricotA2, dahlia, digitalis, patentA2,B2, comrade | | (silent) | (sounded) | medicineB2. See also -ary -ery -ory -bury, -berry | | /ɒ/ | /ə/ | Amos, condom, Enoch | | /ʃ/ | /ʒ/ | AsiaB2, PersiaB2, versionB2 | | /ə/ | /oʊ/ | borough, thorough (see also -ory and -mony) | | /ɪr/ | /ɚ/ | chirrupA2, stirrupA2, sirupA2, squirrel | | /siː/ | /ʃ/ | cassia, CassiusA2, hessian | | /tiː/ | /ʃ/ | consortium | | /uː/ | /ju/ | couponA2, fuchsine, HoustonB2 | | /uː/ | /ʊ/ | boulevard, snooker, woofA2 (weaving) | | /ɜː(r)/ | /ʊr/ | connoisseurA2, entrepreneurA2 | | /ɜː/ | /oʊ/ | föhnB2, MöbiusB2 | | /ə/ | /eɪ/ | DraconianA2, hurricaneB2 | | /eɪ/ | /i/ | deityA2,B2, Helene | | /juː/ | /w/ | jaguar, Nicaragua | | /ɔː/ | /ɑ/ | launch, saltB2 | | /ɔː(r)/ | /ɚ/ | record (noun), stridorA2,B2 | | /ziː/ | /ʒ/ | Frasier, Parisian, Malaysia | | /æ/ | /ɒ/ | twatB2 | | /ɒ/ | /æ/ | wrath | | /ɑː/ | /ət/ | nougat | | /ɑː/ | /ɔ/ | Utah | | /ɑː/ | /ɔr/ | quarkA2,B2 | | /æ/ | /ɛ/ | femme fataleA2 | | /aɪ/ | /eɪ/ | Isaiah | | /aʊ/ | /u/ | nousA2 | | /ð/ | /θ/ | booth | | /diː/ | /dʒi/ | cordiality | | /dʒ/ | /gdʒ/ | suggestA2 | | /eɪ/ | /ə/ | template | | /eɪ/ | /ət/ | tourniquet | | /ə(r)/ | /ɑr/ | MadagascarA2 | | /ə(r)/ | /jɚ/ | figureA2 for the verb | | /ɛ/ | /ɑ/ | envelopeA2,B2 | | /ɛ/ | /ə/ | Kentucky | | /ə/ | /æ/ | trapeze | | /ɜː(r)/ | /ɛr/ | errA2 | | /əʊ/ | /ɒt/ | Huguenot | | /əʊ/ | /aʊ/ | MoscowA2 | | /əʊ/ | /u/ | broochA2 | | /ɪ/ | /i/ | pi(t)taB2 | | /iː/ | /ɪ/ | beenB2 | | /iːʃ/ | /ɪtʃ/ | nicheA2,B2 | | /jɜː/ | /ju/ | milieu | | /juː/ | /u/ | barracuda, puma | | /ɔː/ | /æ/ | falconA2 | | /s/ | /z/ | asthma | | /ʃ/ | /sk/ | scheduleB2 | | /t/ | /θ/ | AnthonyA2,B2 | | /ts/ | /z/ | piazzaA2 | | /ʊ/ | /ɪ/ | kümmel | | /ʊ/ | /ʌ/ | brusque | | /uː/ | /aʊ/ | routeA2 | | /uː/ | /oʊ/ | cantaloup(e) | | /ʌ/ | /oʊ/ | covertA2,B2 | | /z/ | /ʃ/ | Dionysius | | /ziː/ | /ʃ/ | transientA2, nausea | [edit] Multiple differences The slashes normally used to enclose IPA phonemic transcriptions have been omitted from the following table to improve legibility. | Spelling | BrE IPA | AmE IPA | Notes | | barrage | ˈbær.ɑːʒ | (1) bəˈrɑʒ
(2) ˈbær.ɪdʒ | The AmE pronunciations are for distinct senses (1) "sustained weapon-fire" vs (2) "dam, barrier" (Compare garage below.) | | boehmite | (1) ˈbɜːmaɪt
(2) ˈbəʊmaɪt | (1) ˈbeɪmaɪt
(2) ˈboʊmaɪt | The first pronunciations approximate German [ø] (spelled <ö> or <oe>) ; the second ones are anglicized. | | bouquet | 'buːkeɪ | (1) boʊˈkeɪ
(2) buˈkeɪ | | | boyar | (1) ˈbɔɪ.ɑː
(2) bəʊˈjɑː | (1) boʊˈjɑr
(2) ˈbɔɪ.jɚ | | | buoy | ˈbɔɪ | ˈbu.i | The U.S. pronunciation would be unrecognised in the UK. The British pronunciation occurs in America, more commonly for the verb than the noun, still more in derivatives buoyant, buoyancy. | | cadre | (1) ˈkæd.ə(r)
(2) ˈkæd.rə | (1) ˈkæd.ri
(2) ˈkɑd.ri
(3) ˈkæd.reɪ
(4) ˈkɑd.reɪ | | | canton | kænˈtuːn | (1) kænˈtɑn
(2) kænˈtoʊn | difference is only in military sense "to quarter soldiers" | | dilettante | dɪləˈtænti | (1) ˈdɪləˌtɑnt
(2) ˌdɪləˈtɑnt | BrE reflects the word's Italian origin; AmE approximates more to French. | | enquiry/inquiry | ɪŋˈkwaɪ.(ə)ri | (1) ˈɪŋ.kwə.ri
(2) ɪŋˈkwaɪ.(ə)ri | BrE uses two spellings and one pronunciation. In AmE the word is usually spelled inquiry. | | febrile | 'fiːb.raɪl | (1) ˈfɛb.ril
(2) ˈfɛb.rəl | The BrE pronunciation occurs in AmE | | fracas | ˈfrækɑː | (1) 'freɪkəs
(2) ˈfrækəs | The BrE plural is French fracas /ˈfrækɑːz/; the AmE plural is anglicized fracases | | garage | (1) ˈgærɪdʒ
(2) ˈgærɑːʒ | gəˈrɑ(d)ʒ | The AmE reflects French stress difference. The two BrE pronunciations may represent distinct meanings for some speakers; for example, "a subterranean garage for a car" (1) vs "a petrol garage" (2). (Compare barrage above.) | | glacier | (1) ˈglæsiə
(2) ˈgleɪsiə | ˈgleɪʃɚ | | | jalousie | (1) ʒælʊˈziː
(2) ˈʒælʊziː | ˈdʒæləsi | | | lapsang souchong | ˈlæpsæŋ suːʃɒŋ | ˌlɑpsɑŋ ˈsuʃɑŋ | | | lasso | ləˈsuː | ˈlæsoʊ | The BrE pronunciation is common in AmE | | lieutenant | (1) lɛfˈtɛnənt
(2) ləˈtɛnənt | luˈtɛnənt | The 2nd British pronunciation is restricted to the Royal Navy. Standard Canadian pronunciation is the same as the British. | | lychee | ˌlaɪˈtʃiː | ˈlitʃi | Spelling litchi has pronunciation /ˈlɪtʃi(ː)/ | | Molière | ˈmɒl.i.ɛə | moʊlˈjɛr | | | oblique | əbˈliːk | əbˈlaɪk | AmE is as BrE except in military sense "advance at an angle" | | penchant | pãˈʃã | ˈpɛntʃənt | The AmE pronunciation is anglicized; the BrE is French. | | penult | pɛˈnʌlt | (1) ˈpinʌlt
(2) pɪˈnʌlt | | | premier | (1) ˈprɛmjə
(2) ˈprɛmɪə | (1) ˈprimɪr
(2) prɪmˈɪr | | | première | ˈprɛmɪɛə | (1) prɪmˈɪr
(2) prɪmˈjɛr | | | provost | ˈprɒvəst | (1) ˈproʊvoʊst
(2) ˈproʊvəst | The BrE pronunciation also occurs in AmE | | quinine | ˈkwɪniːn | (1) ˈkwaɪnaɪn
(2) ˈkwɪnaɪn | | | resource | (1) rɪˈzɔːs
(2) rɪˈsɔːs | ˈrisɔrs | | | respite | ˈrɛspaɪt | (1) ˈrɛspət
(2) rɪˈspaɪt | | | reveille | rɪˈvæliː | ˈrɛvəli | | | slough | slaʊ | slu | sense "bog"; in metaphorical sense "gloom", the BrE pronunciation is common in AmE. Homograph "cast off skin" is /slʌf/ everywhere. | | Tunisia | tjuːˈnɪziə | (1) tuˈniʒə
(2) tuˈniʃə | | | untoward | ˌʌn.tʊˈwɔːd[1] | (1) ʌnˈtɔrd
(2) ˌʌn.təˈwɔrd | | | vase | vɑːz | (1) veɪs
(2) veɪz | The BrE pronunciation also occurs in AmE | | z (the letter) | zɛd | ziː | The spelling of this letter as a word corresponds to the pronunciation: thus Commonwealth (including, usually, Canada) zed and U.S. (and, occasionally, Canada) zee. |
[edit] References |
