• 3-minute read
• 3rd March 2019

English Dialects: What Is American English?

You may have heard people describe certain words or spellings as ‘American English’. But how does US English differ from the English we use in Australia? And what do you need to know to avoid errors in your writing?

What Is American English?

American English is the English (or set of dialects) used in the United States. It differs from other forms of English in various ways, especially in terms of pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary. It is also known as US English, or abbreviated to AmE, AmEng, or en-US.

American English is specific to the US, not North America in general. Canadian English, for instance, is closer to Australian English in some ways. However, American English is used internationally due to the influence of the US. As such, Americanisms are common in other English dialects.

Key Differences Between Australian and American English

So, then, how are Australian and US English different? As we’re all about writing at Proofed, we’ll ignore pronunciation for now. That leaves us with spelling, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation:

• Spelling – Australian and US English differ in the spelling of many words. Some of these follow patterns (e.g. like how humour and colour become humor and color in US English). Others are unique to specific words (e.g. the Australian aluminium and the American aluminum). Many Australian English spellings come from British English. However, Australian English does favour the US spelling program over the UK spelling programme.
• Vocabulary – As well as using different spellings for some terms, American English uses completely different words in some cases. The punctuation mark we know as a ‘full stop’, for instance, is a ‘period’ in America.
• Grammar – Grammatically, there are a few differences between Australian and American English. For instance, American English omits prepositions in some cases (e.g. She left Friday compared to She left on Friday).
• Punctuation – There are also minor differences between Australian and American punctuation. For instance, American English favours “double quote marks” for quotations, compared to the ‘single quote marks’ typically used in Australian English.

Watch out for these differences when using US English in your writing.

Do These Differences Matter?

Good question! Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer. Some of the differences between Australian and American English are quite strict (e.g. the spelling of colour/color). But others may be more a matter of preference (e.g. the use of ‘single’ or “double” quotation marks).

However, we do have some general tips for dealing with dialect differences:

• If you have a style guide (e.g. from a university or publisher), always check if it specifies a regional English dialect or any dialect-specific spellings.
• Think about your audience and use the dialect your readers know best.
• Aim for consistency and use one dialect throughout the document.
• Set Microsoft Word to use American English spellings by going to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language on the ribbon and selecting ‘English (United States)’ from the list of languages.

Ultimately, the best way to avoid mistakes when using US English is to get your work proofread by someone who knows the dialect in question. So don’t forget to let us know if you need help!