British and American English may share the same language, but the rules are not always quite the same.

Why might a British person say ‘may I have...?’ while an American says ‘can I get...?’ Why does ‘are you done?’ sound distinctly American to some British ears? And why do British and American writers use punctuation differently?

In this episode, we explore some of the more subtle differences between British and American English, including grammar, expressions, punctuation, register and politeness.

We will look at expressions such as ‘anyway’ and ‘anyways’, the British use of ‘Mr’, ‘Mrs’ and ‘Dr’ without full stops, and the way American informality and British linguistic softening can create very different impressions of what sounds polite.

British English pronunciation and American English pronunciation are another area where differences can be surprisingly revealing.

But language is about much more than vocabulary. The way we make a request, address another person or soften a sentence can reveal something about the culture in which that language developed.

Neither British nor American English is inherently more correct or more polite. Sometimes we are simply following different cultural rules within the same language.

In this episode, we explore:

• British and American English vocabulary and expressions
• Differences in British and American grammar
• British and American punctuation
• British and American pronunciation
• Differences in register and politeness
• How British linguistic softening differs from American informality
• Why the same expression can create a different cultural impression

Whether you are living in Britain, visiting Britain, working with British people or simply fascinated by the differences between British and American culture, understanding these distinctions can make cross-cultural communication much easier.

Find out more about Emma Dupont Etiquette School:
emmadupontetiquetteschool.co.uk