Divided by a common language : a guide to British and American English

Davies, Christopher 1953- (Author).

Summary: "Divided by a Common Language offers a detailed comparison of the language and customs of the US and the UK. Author Christopher Davies also discusses all the important differences between the two countries in the practical details of daily life, and American readers in particular will enjoy his account of American culture as seen through an Englishman's eyes. Davies tops it off with an amusing list of expressions that sound innocent enough in one country but make quite the opposite impression in the other. The distinctive words of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa are explained in separate sections devoted to the many varieties of English spoken around the globe. Americans who enjoy contemporary British novels, movies, and television, as well as Britons who are interested in American culture, won't want to be without this handy guide to life on the other side of the Atlantic."--BOOK JACKET.

Item details

ISBN: 9780618002757
ISBN: 0618002758
Physical Description: print
viii, 248 p. ; 22 cm.
Publisher: Boston : Houghton Mifflin, c2005.

Contents / Notes

General Note:

An earlier version of this book was published as Divided by a common language by Mayflower Press in 1997.

Includes index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Guide to Pronunciation and Other Symbols Used -- How Did British and American English Become So Different? -- Some Answers -- The Industrial Revolution -- Countries that Enriched the American Language -- Pronouncing British Place Names -- Tips for the Tourist -- At the Airport -- At the Hotel -- Automobiles -- Gasoline (Petrol) -- Telephones -- For the Technically Minded -- Plumbing -- Electricity -- Institutions and Services -- The Postal System -- Banking -- The Currency -- Restaurants -- Bars -- Shopping -- Pronunciation of Food Names -- Some Different Cooking Measurements -- Groceries Known by Different Names -- Clothing and Shoes Known by Different Names -- Schools -- Health Care -- The Political Systems -- Museums -- The Theatre -- Differences in Customs and Etiquette -- Transportation -- Pronunciation and Grammar -- Spelling -- Sundry Terms -- Some Different Furnishing Terms -- Some Different Terms for Tools -- Some Different Medical Terms -- Carnival (Funfair) Terms -- Some Different Gardening Terms -- What Not to Say -- Idioms and Expressions -- Notes on Symbols and Abbreviations -- Miscellaneous Information -- UK-US Lexicon -- US-UK Lexicon -- Explanations -- Other Varieties of English -- Canada -- Australia -- New Zealand -- South Africa -- Cockney Rhyming Slang.