There is a lot of controversy when it comes to teaching English as a second language. Some teachers believe that British English is better than American English, while others say that the latter is superior. This article will shed light on the pros and cons of learning either British or American English, so you can make an informed decision.
British English is the most popular among American speakers, but American English has become increasingly popular around the world. But which is better? Is it better to learn British or American English? This article will explore the differences between British and American English and help you decide whether to learn British or American English.
Language is a very personal thing. You speak it the way you think, and you prefer to use it in specific ways. As such, we have chosen to include two different sets of resources on British and American English that will help you learn the respective languages.
Do you want to learn English? If yes, then the first thing you should do is find a school that teaches English as your native language. But, if you’re unsure of which way to go, read on. This article will help you decide whether learning British or American English is better for you.
Are there huge differences?
Differences between British and American English come from differences in cultural context, dialects influenced by regional elements of the language (or geographical features), pronunciation, capitalization conventions and vocabulary as well as borrowed words. Nonetheless, both British and American English have some similarities that make it easier to learn than other languages.
Many people believe that learning a new language is something you need do for your whole life; this is often because they are unaware of better ways of learning and/or want to seem smart in front of others when they can’t speak the new language as fluently. A few tips that may save you a lot of time:
Practice without pressure- “The first thing about practicing any skill is setting up how it’s done, which means planning what things work well for the learner.” As such, practice often without imagining anyone watching or pretending someone is listening in on your practice. If you can’t easily practice at home, talk to other natives and ask them a lot of questions regarding the language so that way they’ll feel comfortable with your accent even if you’re not as fluent yet; or don’t be surprised when native speakers do tell their friends about how much better your English is than theirs because it will encourage these people to practice more.
How should you choose?
You don’t have to assume that learning British English or American English is the best way; what you should do first is find out if there’s already an established proper way. Some forums, such as Language Exchange Communities and The Practice of Filing Conversations, make it easier for people with similar goals who want to find each other in order decide how they should learn so they can get together multiple times a week. Alternatively, I would advise you approach English as if it was another language, that is to say, learn both alphabets and try different dialects based on what you hear. That way you won’t have to dedicate time on what you’re “supposed” to learn but will be able to choose where and in which accent of English can do best. Find a like-minded person to practice with
Some learners can attract new friends quite easily but others need some time. To be honest, I’m one of them; in fact, it took me over 6 months of sporadic Internet cafes before someone agreed on practising English with me regularly. You shouldn’t take this for granted though and shouldn’t continue bothering people you don’t get along well or feel comfortable around because after all anyone who hears your accent and grammar will hardly be interested in your lifestyle and goals anyways.
Source: Flickr user J11Photography, creative commons licensed
One thing you’re going to have trouble with is a close family member/significant other of different nationality who’ll actually want do listen so that’s why you’d better practise at home if possible! I already felt the lack of these people but soon got used to it and came out true indie gamer still working on improving myself and speaking English. If your family is even more serious than mine in helping you, go ahead tell them everything (this lesson they’ll learn later on but that’s another topic) so like a cancer the scope of household English will spread when better results are achieved, at least for me it did! I can’t stress enough how important good grammar during an early stage is as this reflects interest for foreigners to pick up your language easily; don’t give them any reason to hate you for that!
Final thoughts:
Knowing this you must always be on your toes with what English is equivalent to where and in which accent it’s spoken. I have travelled all over the world, both by public transport and air but generally found locals will appreciate when non-native speakers know more than basic words/phrases that make life easier while travelling – they’ll also respect their effort! If you’re listening to any media though (books are quite limited) please check out a few blogs to get a better grasp of situation (same for radio and TV – it’s not about knowledge now but fluency!). I hope you enjoyed reading this piece! Feel free to write your suggestions in the comments below. And if any problem requires easy solutions, don’t hesitate hit me up on Twitter or Facebook.
All in all, my first experience in China was an amazing one, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too if you try!