Do Americans know British people spell differently?

Question

I know this is probably a silly question, since educated people know this, but are most Americans blissfully unaware that we Brits (and most of the rest of the World) spell things differently?

Answer 1

You underestimate us.

Answer 2

I know I'm a little late chiming in - but, I would say no, they are not aware. And not because American's are particularly dense (I am American). I just think that probably 80%-90% of people everywhere are so focused on themselves that they don't really ever consider things that they don't encounter on a semi-regular basis. It's human nature. Ergo, most Americans wouldn't even think to consider that spelling may be different in other places.

Answer 3

Saber and sabre.. newborn and newbourne.. Yeah I think most of us do know, just not all of the examples.

Answer 4

Differences Between American and British English

While there are certainly many more varieties of English, American and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL/EFL programs. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is "correct" however, there are certainly preferences in use.

http://esl.about.com/library/weekly/aa11...

American and British English spelling differences are one aspect of American and British English differences. In the early 18th century, English spelling was not standardised. Different standards became noticeable after the publishing of influential dictionaries. Current British English spellings follow, for the most part, those of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language (1755). Many of the now characteristic American English spellings were introduced, although often not created, by Noah Webster (An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)).

Webster was a strong proponent of spelling reform for reasons both philological and nationalistic. Many spelling changes proposed in the U.S. by Webster himself, and in the early 20th century by the Simplified Spelling Board, never caught on. Among the advocates of spelling reform in England, the influences of those who preferred the Norman (or Anglo-French) spellings of certain words proved decisive. Subsequent spelling adjustments in the UK had little effect on present-day U.S. spelling, and vice versa. While in many cases American English deviated in the 19th century from mainstream British spelling, on the other hand it has also often retained older forms.

The spelling systems of Commonwealth countries closely resemble the British system. In Canada, many "American" spellings are also used, often alongside "British" spellings. Detailed information on Canadian and Australian spelling is provided throughout the article.

Contents

http://www.search.com/reference/American...

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/jones/di...

Answer 5

We invented the whole bloody language and they nicked it and changed it ( just like everything else, steal things from Britain and more than likely claim them as their own)

Answer 6

i think so.

for example...gasoline and petrol

americans - gasoline / gas

british - petrol

Answer 7

I was led to believe that the reason for this is because the early British settlers in America were not well educated people and so they wrote things down the way they said them- eg. flavor, missing out the 'u' as it is used in Britain. I don't think it should be assumed that just because they spell things differently that the entire nation is stupid! The English language has evolved so much in Britain over the last few centuries. Would you like someone to infer you were educationally challenged because you don't write like Chaucer or Shakespeare? Language evolves all the time, in the form of poetry, songs, slang words etc. People speak the way they are taught to speak (and spell)!

Answer 8

Haha. Yeah we know.. We aren't that blissfully unaware, dear.

Answer 9

... i know

Answer 10

Yes, we are well aware of it. The Canadians are slowly adopting our spellings too. Sorry about that....

Answer 11

Americans are ignorant  

Answer 12

except for the Americans who are well educated and worldly -- AAAAARRRHHHH NO

This is off the topic of spelling but

last time i was in the states with a very strong Australian accent, i was asked what state i was from and before i could say i was from another country, they started to guess. Apparently I'm from texas!

I just went a long with him and told him a story and he was blissfully unaware of my sarcasm too!!!

Henry L - U are an IDIOT - The word newborn is the same in GB English