A contrastive Study between American English and British English

Abstract

The present study aims at investigating the differences between American and British English in some different levels of language (semantics , syntax and phonology) . The research attempts also to reveal the problems which may face English language learner who doesn’t use it as a mother tongue , especially Sudanese English language learner . The researcher traced briefly the history of the English language and the countries in which it is used as a mother tongue or official language . In this part the researcher defines the meaning of the term linguistics and explains its branches briefly . The theoretical frame work of the study also contains an account of the studies previously carried out in the field of the study. It also contains definition of the word ‘language’ and its functions . The researcher used some certain tools to prove the hypotheses of the topic under research , some of which are interviewing some native speakers (American and British) who live and work in Sudan. Other data collecting tools include a test which was given to the secondary school students (third year) in Khartoum State to clarify the influences of differences between American and British English on Sudanese English language learner . To show the influence of pronunciation difference between the two varieties , the researcher recorded some materials (10 different words) by both American and British voices on a tape cassette and made the students listen to them to identify the two varieties . The results and findings to which the researcher came to reach at the end of the investigations supported the research hypotheses and assumptions which state that “there are differences between American and British English in some language levels , and that these differences may cause problems to those who use it as a second or a foreign language” . The research contains some recommendations which the researcher thinks to be beneficial in solving the problems which face English – as a second or a foreign – language learner as a result of these differences . The research also contains some recommendations which can be useful in doing other studies concerning the topic under research .