VOA慢速：美式英语和英式英语
American English vs. British English
刘立军 供稿
TRANSCRIPT
Now the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories!
The fourth of July is Independence Day in the United States. On that day, we celebrate the decision by early American leaders to declare independence from Britain.
While people in both England and the U.S. speak English, the two types of English can be very different.
First, there are differences in spelling. The British like the letter “u” and have kept it in many words. Americans have dropped it. Somewhere in our language history, we decided that “labor,” “color” and “favorite” were just fine without the “u” next to the “o.”
But our differences go beyond spelling. Sometimes, we use different words entirely.
Here, we live in apartments with elevators. Over there, they live in flats with lifts.
We put diapers on our babies and push them in strollers. The British love their babies just as much as we do, but they use nappies and prams instead.
We power our cars with gas. They use petrol.
And, if we need to look in our car’s dark trunk for something, we use a flashlight. They would use a torch to search their dark boot.
Then there are idioms. Some British and American idioms have the same meaning, but use different words. For example, in the U.S. if you want to add your opinion to a conversation, you put in your two cents. In the U.K., they put in their tuppence or two pence worth. Makes sense. They have pence and we don’t.
Another example is the idiom about discussing the same issue again and again, especially if it cannot be resolved.
We say, “Don’t beat a dead horse!” The British, on the other hand, advise against flogging one. And, if you are keeping secrets in the United States, you have skeletons in the closet. In Great Britain, your skeletons would be hiding in a cupboard.
But the real fun begins when we start exploring idioms and expressions that are unique to each country.
Let’s start with “Bob’s your uncle.” To an American ear, that is a weird expression. And it has nothing to do with any relative you may or may not have named Bob. It is just a way to finish a set of simple instructions.
What is the equivalent ― the different but equal saying ― in the U.S.? Americans might say, “and there you have it!” Or sometimes, more dramatic people will say, “Ta-da!”
For example, imagine you are explaining to someone how to use your new fancy, coffee maker.
You explain: “First, you grind the beans. Then you put them in the side container and pour water in the main container. Push the button and ten minutes later ― ta-da! ― you have a pot of coffee!
Sometimes over a fresh pot of coffee, you may want to have a long talk with a friend. You might even throw in a little gossip. We call that a chat, or if it’s a short conversation, chit-chat. The British would call it a “chin-wag.”
If a British person says, “I’ve got the hump,” we might think they are sick and need to see a doctor. But in fact, when Brits say they have a hump, it means they are mildly annoyed or upset. In the U.S., some informal ways to say we are upset are “I’m ticked off” or “I’m miffed.”
Now, when Americans are really surprised by something, we can say we “are at a loss for words.” Or more informally, we simply say we are “shocked” or “blown away.”
Across the Atlantic in the U.K., they are “gobsmacked.” In the U.S., we don’t get smacked by gobs. Ever.
Finally, a familiar word used by both countries but in different ways is “cheers.” We use the word over drinks when we are wishing someone good health or congratulating an accomplishment. The British use “cheers” to mean “thank you.” For that, we Americans say, “Thank you!”
Now, we don’t expect you to pick sides. Both American and British English have their strong points. But thanks for listening to Words and Their Stories, a program that teaches American English.
I’m Anna Matteo.
Cheers! I mean, thanks.
VOCABULARY
1. elevator n. 电梯
2. diaper n. 尿布
3. stroller n. a person who is enjoying a slow relaxed walk 散步者；闲逛者
4. nappy n. 尿布
5. pram n. a small vehicle on four wheels for a baby to go out in, pushed by a person on foot 婴儿车
6. tuppence n. (British English, informal) the sum of two pence 两便士
7. flogging n. a punishment in which sb. is hit many times with a whip or stick （作为惩罚的）鞭笞，棒打。例如：a public flogging 当众处以鞭刑
8. weird adj. very strange or unusual and difficult to explain 奇异的；不寻常的；怪诞的
9. get the hump: (British English, informal) to become annoyed or upset about sth. 对某事恼怒（或烦恼）。例如：Fans get the hump when the team loses. 球队失利时，球迷们感到沮丧。
10. miffed adj. (informal) slightly angry or upset 有点恼火；有点不高兴
11. gob n. (British English) a rude way of referring to a person’s mouth （粗鲁语）嘴。例如：Shut your gob! (= a rude way of telling sb. to be quiet) 闭嘴！
QUESTIONS
Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.
1. How would an American interpret a British person saying “I’ve got the hump” without the context provided in the text?
A. That the person is mildly annoyed or upset.
B. That the person needs to see a doctor.
C. That the person has done something wrong.
D. That the person is happy.
2. What could be implied about the evolution of language based on the differences between American and British English as described in the text?
A. Language changes over time and can develop regional variations.
B. British English is more complex than American English.
C. American English is more accurate than British English.
D. All English-speaking countries should use the same idioms.
3. Given the differences pointed out in the text, which of the following would likely cause confusion between an American and a Brit?
A. An American asking a Brit to take the elevator.
B. A Brit thanking an American by saying “Cheers.”
C. An American talking about filling their car with gas.
D. Both A and C.
4. If a Brit says, “Bob’s your uncle,” and then an American responds with, “Ta-da!” are they communicating effectively?
A. No, because these phrases have different meanings.
B. Yes, because these phrases have the same meaning.
C. No, because Americans never say “Ta-da!”
D. Yes, because both phrases involve someone named Bob.
KEY
1. How would an American interpret a British person saying “I’ve got the hump” without the context provided in the text?
A. That the person is mildly annoyed or upset.
B. That the person needs to see a doctor.
C. That the person has done something wrong.
D. That the person is happy.
【答案】B
【解析】推理题。根据文本，不了解这种说法含义的美国人可能会误认为英国人说“I’ve got the hump”时表示他们生病需要看医生。
2. What could be implied about the evolution of language based on the differences between American and British English as described in the text?
A. Language changes over time and can develop regional variations.
B. British English is more complex than American English.
C. American English is more accurate than British English.
D. All English-speaking countries should use the same idioms.
【答案】A
【解析】推理题。根据描述的美国英语和英国英语之间的差异，可以推断出语言会随着时间的推移而变化，并可能发展出区域性的差异。
3. Given the differences pointed out in the text, which of the following would likely cause confusion between an American and a Brit?
A. An American asking a Brit to take the elevator.
B. A Brit thanking an American by saying “Cheers.”
C. An American talking about filling their car with gas.
D. All of the above.
【答案】D
【解析】细节题。文章中提到，英国人称电梯为“lift”，自动车加油为“petrol ”，所以如果美国人让英国人乘坐“elevator”或者谈论给车加“gas ”可能会引起混淆。另外，英国人表示感谢会说“Cheers”，而美国人对这个词的理解很可能是“干杯”，因此也可能引来误解。
4. If a Brit says, “Bob’s your uncle,” and then an American responds with, “Ta-da!” are they communicating effectively?
A. No, because these phrases have different meanings.
B. Yes, because these phrases have the same meaning.
C. No, because Americans never say “Ta-da!”
D. Yes, because both phrases involve someone named Bob.
【答案】B
【解析】推理题。文章中提到，“Bob’s your uncle ”在英国用来结束一组简单的指示，而美国人可能会说“And there you have it!”或“Ta-da!”来达到相同的效果。因此，它们在这种情况下具有相同的含义，所以他们正在有效地进行交流。
（封面图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有）