As I continue in my career as a
copyeditor, the many differences between American and British English have
become more apparent to me. On the one hand, I have gotten great pleasure out
of discovering the many British words that have worked their way into my
vocabulary. I assume that is a direct result of the amount of British
literature and TV that I indulge in regularly. On the other hand, it has also served
to be a conundrum. There are so many differences and I don't want to jump back
and forth between the two versions of English within the same work. I am
certain I am not the only editor or writer who has quickly become confused and
uncertain of what is right. With personal experience in mind, I am offering you
several tips that I have found work best when dealing with American and British
English.
The first tip is fairly basic but
very much a necessity. Learn about the most common variations. Research either American
or British English so that you can know how that form of English works. You
don’t have to be an expert, nor have it all memorized. You do need to be aware
of what differences exist so that your mental editor can recognize any
possibilities for trouble. The first difference to be aware of is spellings.
That is a sticking point for me that has often resulted in me cursing the name
of Noah Webster and wondering why one spelling wasn't good enough. Be aware of
differences like "colour" versus "color" or
"centre" instead of "center." It is the slight deviations
in spelling that can be the trickiest to catch.
Two more differences to keep in mind are
wording and grammar. For instance, a muffin in American English is a very
different thing from a muffin in British English. Also, Americans and British
treat verbs and subject/verb agreement differently. The British have also
retained some words and verb conjugations that have already fallen from favor
in America. While I am on the subject, it isn't enough to be aware of American
versus British English. For the sake of your audience, you need to think about what dialect the text is using. Just like there are differences between the
parts of the US, different parts of Britain will have variations.
At this point, it might sound
hopeless. How is anyone supposed to make it through a manuscript without
botching the language? The second tip I have for you is the biggest lifesaver.
Invest in both a good British English and American English dictionary. You
can’t know everything, so it is best to be armed with the answers for when the
questions arise. Even when you feel certain you have the right word or
spelling, check the dictionary. You can never be too certain. It is much better
to take the time to check a right answer than to miss a wrong one.
A
dictionary is fine but looking things up does take time and can throw you off
when you're on a roll. This is where a style sheet becomes imperative. As you
look things up or find yourself referring to a certain point repeatedly, write
it down on a style sheet so that you can have easy access to the answers you
need. This will save you time throughout your work and make it so that the most
common answers you need are readily available.
Finally, I suggest that you
practice. The more you write or edit with a certain type of English, the more
comfortable you will become. It will feel more natural as you learn how to use
it and get used to the sound of it. Speaking of sound, it can also be helpful
to read that variant of English. I can certainly testify to how well reading
can work in teaching one either American or British English.
An editor or writer who has to use either American or British English may find the differences in grammar, spelling, and meaning to be confusing. By being aware of these differences and preparing for them, one can master the variations and write clear English manuscripts. An editor or writer simply needs to arm themselves with a dictionary and style sheet so that they can use either form of English without the struggle of guessing which way is correct.
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