English can be an incredibly hard language to learn, especially if your native language is not derived from Latin or Germanic. Unfortunately, that includes most of the world’s population.
There are many things to consider when it comes to learning the English language wether it’s with an english or british accent is just the beginning!
To make matters worse, several countries speak English as their native language, and each one has different phrasing, slang, and accents. The two most prevalent dialects are British and American English.
The big question most non-native speakers ask themselves is which they should learn, American English or British English. With that in mind, allow us to offer some advice.
Intent
Before deciding anything, ask yourself what you want to do with English. Are you doing it for a job? Are you planning on traveling?
If you do plan to travel, your best option is to go with the dialect of the country you’re traveling to. If you’re learning for business, find out where most of your English-speaking clients come from.
What about if you’re not traveling? What if your entire motivation is just that it’s a useful skill to learn?
Simplicity
The next question you should ask yourself is which version are you more comfortable learning? Do you find American English easier to pick up than British English?
Are you exposed to one dialect more often than another? If so, go with it.
Truth be told, Brits and Americans can understand each other without much difficulty. From an American perspective, the only real difference is that we think the Brits have funny accents. And they think the same of us.
Advantages
Honestly, each dialect has its advantages, so it’s best to think about your particular circumstances. Maybe you’re planning on traveling, but don’t have a specific destination in mind. Perhaps you want to visit multiple destinations.
If either of these are the case, go with British. British English is spoken in more countries around the world than American English, so you’ll fare better this way.
However, more people speak American English. The country has a population of about 300 million, so if it’s about numbers more than location, go with American.
Location
The final factor to think about is where you are. You may not be in an English-speaking country, but geography and politics may still come into play. The question of American English or British English can be pretty easily answered if, for instance, you live in Puerto Rico.
Seeing as Puerto Rico is a United States territory, you can reasonably expect to encounter American English more often than British. The same is true if you’re from or currently live in Mexico. Given that Mexico is just south of the United States, you’d be more likely to run into an American than a Brit.
If you happen to be in Canada, which is part of the British Commonwealth, go with British.
American English or British English?
Which version of English you should learn is somewhat moot. If you can speak one dialect, you can understand and be understood by pretty much all English speakers.
Some factors might influence it, such as where you are or why you’re learning, but it mostly just comes down to which you prefer. The question of American English or British English all comes down to you.
If you want to know more about English and its various forms, please visit our site. We have a step by step approach to learning the American English accent and have you speaking clear and confident American English.
