Table of Contents
Why do British people pronounce schedule different?
The word “schedule” can be somewhat confusing, even for native speakers. The reason is that it is pronounced differently in the UK and in the US. The word “schedule” itself was borrowed into English from Old French cedule (no “K”), which, in turn, is based on Latin schedula (pronounced with a “K”).
Why do people pronounce a as AR?
Arkansas was named for the French plural of a Native American tribe, while Kansas is the English spelling of a similar one. Since the letter “s” at the end of French words is usually silent, we pronounce Bill Clinton’s home state “Arkansaw.” The French, however, left their mark on Arkansas’ pronunciation.
What is the American English word for lift?
British vs American Vocabulary
| British English ↕ | American English ↕ |
|---|---|
| lift | elevator |
| lorry | truck, semi, tractor |
| mad | crazy, insane |
| main road | highway |
Why is American pronunciation different?
The “American English” we know and use today in an American accent first started out as an “England English” accent. According to a linguist at the Smithsonian, Americans began putting their own spin on English pronunciations just one generation after the colonists started arriving in the New World.
What is the difference between American and British pronunciation of /R/?
/r/. Apart from the higher number of /r/ sounds in American English, there is also a small but significant difference in the way they are pronounced. In American, the tongue curls back further, giving it a slightly muffled quality – RIGHT, ARROW. Whereas in British the tongue is flatter and further forward RIGHT, ARROW.
What is the difference between American and British English vowel sounds?
There is a greater difference in British English between the length of vowel sounds, with some being pronounced significantly longer than their American counterparts. Some of this is owing to the additional pronunciation of ‘r’ in many American vowel sounds as seen above.
What is the difference between American and British diphthong?
In standard GB English the diphthong /əʊ/ starts in the centre of the mouth GO, NO & SHOW, whereas in American it starts to the back /oʊ/: GO /goʊ/, NO /noʊ/, SHOW /ʃoʊ/. There is great variance on both sides of the Atlantic for this sound with old fashioned posh British speakers like the Queen for example, starting at the front [ɛʊ] GO, NO, SHOW.
Did Brits in the 1600s pronounce all of their Rs?
It turns out that Brits in the 1600s, like modern-day Americans, largely pronounced all their Rs. Marisa Brook researches language variation at Canada’s University of Victoria.