Types of English: understanding British, American, Canadian, and Australian variations
The little differences, that have a big impact.
English is considered an official language in over fifty countries. However, there are only five where it is the first language of the majority of the population: Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America. Each has their own distinct take on the language, which we'll examine in some depth now.
How did the differences in English variations come about?
English is typically divided into two variations; British and American. There are a multitude of reasons why the two versions of English have become so different over the years, but there are a few key culturally significant events that led to the separation the two languages.
British English is actually heavily influenced by the French, due to several invasions by the likes of William the Conqueror in 1066 who brought French over and made it the official language of Courts, Universities, Schools and anything upper class. Similarly, during the 1700s the French language became increasingly trendy and the English started using some of their spellings and words. Since the US and UK were divided by the Atlantic, this trend didn't spread to American language culture. This resulted in differences like "coriander" which the British derived from the French 'Coriandre' in contrast to the US word "cilantro" which was derived from Spanish.
When developing the first dictionaries, the British employed scholars to create a list of all known English words. The first American dictionary was created by a gentleman called Noah Webster who wanted American English to not only be different from British English, but simpler. This led Americans to drop letters like the "u" in words like "colour", or the "l" in words like "traveling". He also changed words with "ise" to "ize" like "capitalise -> capitalize" as he felt it better reflected the way Americans pronounced them.
This focus on spelling based on pronunciation is also responsible for many other spelling differences, including words that end in "re" which are changed to "er" like "centre/center" and words that end in "ence" which were changed to "ense", like "defence/defense".
American English and British English have evolved in different directions due to geographical isolation, the impact of other languages and the decisions of influential people. Who knows where they will end up and what will influence them to further divide (or converge)?
Why do I need to know the differences between English variations?
Whilst it might not seem that important, using a version of English correctly and consistently will positively impact the way you communicate. Whether you are conversing with an overseas business, writing a university entrance letter or ordering food online, the details count and people will notice. If you use poor spelling, grammar and colloquialisms, it's unlikely to go down well.
Ultimately, it might make the difference between getting into that university that you have been working so hard for or getting rejected. You might also receive a bag of crisps when you wanted some hot chips. Whatever your situation, it's not worth the risk. You can find out more about the impact of your spelling and grammar here.
Here are some of the key differences to keep you out of trouble:
| UK🇬🇧 / AUS🇦🇺 / NZ🇳🇿 | USA🇺🇸 | Canada🇨🇦 |
|---|---|---|
| -lled (e.g. travelled) | -led (e.g. traveled) | -lled (e.g. travelled) |
| -ise (e.g. capitalise) | -ize (e.g. capitalize) | -ize (e.g. capitalize) |
| -our (e.g. colour) | -or (e.g. color) | -our (e.g. colour) |
| -re (e.g. centre) | -er (e.g. center) | -re (e.g. centre) |
| -ogue (e.g. catalogue) | -og (e.g. catalog) | -ogue (e.g. catalogue) |
Use the right English variation with Outwrite
Confused? Don’t worry, Outwrite has your back. You can change your language settings by clicking on the settings' icon at the bottom left of the screen (or the top right, if you're using our browser extension). This will change both the dictionary and grammar rules so that you can ensure you are writing your desired type of English correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canadian English closer to British or American English?
Canadian English is a blend of both, though it leans slightly more British in spelling. As shown in the table above, Canadian English typically keeps British spellings like "-our" (colour) and "-re" (centre), but adopts the American "-ize" ending (capitalize) instead of the British "-ise."
Is Australian English closer to British or American English?
Australian English follows British spelling conventions almost entirely, including "-ise," "-our," "-re," and "-ogue" endings. Minor vocabulary differences exist (like eggplant instead of aubergine), but spelling and grammar rules closely mirror UK English.
Why does American English have simpler spelling than British English?
American English spelling was deliberately simplified by Noah Webster, who created the first American dictionary. Webster removed letters he considered unnecessary, such as the "u" in "colour" and the "l" in "travelling," and changed endings like "-ise" to "-ize" to better match American pronunciation.
How can I set my spelling preference in Outwrite?
You can select your preferred English variant by clicking the settings icon at the bottom left of the Outwrite screen, or the top right if using the browser extension. This updates both the dictionary and grammar rules to match your chosen variant.
