Even though Americans and the British have spoken and written the same English language for centuries, it’s the differences in word pronunciation that make them seem miles apart. If you’ve ever wondered why the same language sounds completely different, you’re not alone in your curiosity.
In fact, there’s a solid reason why the British vs American accent developed so differently around the world. Dating back to the late 1700s, traditional English was considered to be “rhotic” – which means the sound of the letter “r” is pronounced. And no matter which continent you lived on, your accent was the same.
But it wouldn’t be long before the pinnacle of change would happen during the American Revolution and how it affected London. And it all boiled down to class distinction.
We both speak the English language but it sounds different! Read this article to learn some key differences between the British vs American accent!
Climbing the Societal Ranks: British vs American Accent
British citizens who had made their fortune during the Industrial Revolution needed a way to let others know of their newly acquired wealth status. To separate themselves from the common folk, Londoners developed a completely new way of speaking without pronouncing the “r” in words. Hence, “non-rhotic” language was born.
From there, the sound of the British language took off and became the gold standard for pronunciation. Common words like bar were pronounced “bah” and water were pronounced “wat-ah.” Before long, an entire catalog of British standardized words emerged.
Despite the fact that they were now living as colonists in the New World, Americans had always spoken “rhotic”. And being away from England greatly influenced the lack of necessity to speak with the same accent. Exposure to the Native Americans and other cultures further influenced the change in their accents.
Looks the Same, Sounds Different
The word rhotacism means the sound has changed in a word. According to the BBC, there are several modern-day words you might recognize that are pronounced differently in Britain. Here’s a sampling:
Vitamin
- The British pronounce it VIT-a-min
- Americans pronounce it VITE-a-min
Privacy
- The British pronounce it PRIV-a-see
- Americans pronounce it PRIVE-a-see
Mobile
- The British pronounce it mo-BILE
- Americans pronounce it MO-bul
Herb
- The British pronounce it with a hard h Herb
- Americans pronounce it erb
While spelling and vocabulary differences between Americans and the British might also be broad, it is the accent that primarily sets them apart.
Modern Day American Accents
Although most modern day American accents follow a rhotic sound, there are a few rare – and noticeable – exceptions to this rule. For example, how many time have you heard the common Boston joke about “pah-king ya cah in the Hah-vahd yahd”?
Or how about the generations of New Yorkers who say “New Yahk” or “caw-fee tahk”? These are shining examples of how the “non-rhotic” sound still lives on.
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We hope you enjoyed learning all about the differences between a British vs American accent. When you’re ready to take the next step and improve your American English pronunciation, contact us and let us know how we can help you build your confidence.
