毕业设计-英语专业论文外文翻译.doc

浙江林学院本（专）科生毕业设计（论文）
1. Introduction

America is one of the countries that speak English. Because of the special North American culture, developing history and the social environment, American English has formed its certain unique forms and the meaning. Then it turned into American English that has the special features of the United States.
American English which sometimes also called United English or U.S English is the form of the English language that used widely in the United States .As the rapid development of American economy, and its steady position and strong power in the world, American English has become more and more widely used. As in 2005, more than two-thirds of English native speakers use various forms of American English.
The philologists of the United States had divided the English of the United States into four major types: “American creating”; “Old words given the new meaning”; “Words that eliminated by English”; “The phonetic foreign phrases and the languages that are not from the English immigrates”[1].
Compared to the other languages, American English is much simple on word spelling, usage and grammar, and it is one of the reasons that American English is so popular in the world.
The thesis analyzes the differences between American English and British English. With the main part, it deals with the development of American English, its peculiarities compared to that of British English, its causes and tendency.

2. Analyses the Differences

As we English learners, when we learning English in our junior or senior school, we already came across some words that have different spellings, different pronunciations or different expressions, which can be represented by following contrasted words: spellings in "color" vs. "colour"; pronunciations in "sec-re-ta-ry" vs. "sec-re-try"; expressions in "first floor" equals to "the ground floor". With the above words, the former represents American English, and the latter represents British English. They are not errors but just the differences between the two languages.
To be consistent in the use of English, and more importantly, to be understood easily, there is a need for the nonnative speaker to know that which words have distinct meanings and pronunciations depending on whether they are used by a Briton or an American. This is necessary not only for the sake of communication, but also for avoiding embarrassment.
  Many differences exist between American English and British English we have already knew. However, there are still many differences that we are not familiar with. In this part, the author will analyze the differences in several categories like spelling, pronunciation, grammar, usage and so on.

2.1 Spelling

There are many differences between British English and American English in terms of spelling. After analysis by some linguists, it is said that the American English has a different tendency in pronounce, according to economical and phonetic standards. American spelling tends to reflect pronunciation, and British spelling tends to reflect grammatical or historical implications as well. Letters that not needed are being kicked out, and words are spelled as how they sound. The following examples can explain this.
With "our" in words of British English like colour, humour, flavour, etc. are changed to "or" in the equivalent words of American English, like color, humor, flavor, etc. With the pronounce letter "u" being kicked out. Words ending with "-re" in British English are changed to "- er" in American English. According to its pronunciation, like "centre" and "metre" in British English, but "center" and "meter" in American English.
More examples are as follows: (with the former is American English and the latter is British English)[2]
center centre; check (money) cheque; color colour; curb kerb; gray grey; honor honour; inquire enquire; jail gaol; jewelry jewellery; labor labour; organization organization.

2.2 Pronunciation differences

There are of course great regional differences in pronunciation within both countries. For instance, basket，the word “a” in after、class and basket pronounce [æ] in American English，but [ɑ:] in British English.(The following examples mentioned all come from Oxford Advanced Learner’s English –Chinese Dictionary)
(1) There is [hw] that correspond with [w] in American English. such as which，white，when，why. In British English :[wit∫]，[wait]，[wen]，[wai]，but in American English : [hwit∫]，[hwait]，[hwen]，[hwai].
(2)There is [r] behind the vowel in American English ，such as: far，poor. In British English: [fa:]，[pu]，but in American English: [far]，[pur]，[hir].
(3)In British English [l] pronounces surd before the vowel, (clearl)，and pronounces mix(混音) behind the vowel (darkl)；However, in American English, no word pronounces [l]. For instance，like, filling, till，well.
(4) When the phonetic symbol [t] appears between the two vowels and behind the accentuation or between the voiced consonant and the vowel, it will pronounce [d]. Such as city: [`sidi].

2.3Vocabulary differences

The average use of the total English vocabulary, the number of words which are used only in one or the other country is very small, but the problem for learners of English is that these words are among the most common in the language. There are many words that are used almost exclusively by Americans, which are understood by most Britons, and vice versa. But there are others that can cause difficulty. For example, most Britons know that Americans call biscuits cookies and flats apartments, but not so many know what an alumnus or a fender is. Similarly, Americans know that what they call their yard is called a garden in Britain and that trucks are Lorries, but common British English words like pistols or off-license may mean nothing to them.

2.3.1Same meaning, different words

The majority of the significance in glossary between American English and British English is identical, but there still exists some difference. For example, the same thing can be expressed by different words in both languages. The following examples are typical.
American English: British English:
bathroom，toilet, W.C./or loo; closet, cupboard;
corn ,maize; drugstore, chemist's;
gas/ gasoline , petrol;   line , queue; oven , cooker;
round-trip ticket , return ticket; suspenders , braces; truck , lorry;
underpass , subway; undershirt , vest;
vacation, holiday; etc. [4]

2.3.2. Same words, different meaning

The identical word expresses the different meaning between British English and American English.
For example:
Word
American English
British English
rubber
condom
Tool used to erase pencil markings
date
appointment
day
dresser
A wardrobe assistant
cupboard

2.4 Grammar

British English and American English grammar are the same in most sense; there are however some interesting variations. For example, there are differences in certain verb forms. In American English, the past tense of fit is fit; in British English, it is fitted. Americans say I've gotten to know her well; while British: I've got to know her well.
Other differences involved the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include already, just and yet.
British English:
I've just had lunch
I've already seen that film
Have you finished your homework yet?
American English:
I just had lunch OR I've just had lunch
I've already seen that film OR I already saw that film.
Have your finished your homework yet? OR Did you finish your homework yet?
As another example, Americans are much more likely to be technically correct in the agreement of collective noun and verb form than Britons. So in standard American English it would be: The team is playing well this season whereas in British English, it is common and acceptable to say the team are playing well. Similar differences can be seen in the use of words like government, committee etc.: The government is... (American English). The government are… (British English).

2.5 Usage

There are countless other small and interesting differences between American English and British English, which come under the heading of usage. Take the useful expression used in American English through, means up to and including. e.g. The exhibition is showing March through June. The equivalent expression in British English is from March to June, but this is ambiguous. Does the exhibition close at the end of May or the end of June? To avoid any misunderstanding, it is necessary to say something like: The exhibition is showing from March to the end of June.
As another example: for Americans, the number billion has 9 zeros (a thousand million); for most Britons it has 12 zeros (a million million). Zero itself is a more common word in American English than in British English, where naught is more widespread. Americans say the number 453 as four hundred fifty three, whereas in Britain it would be said four hundred and fifty three. Time expressing also is different, and may cause confusion like 4/12/1981(month first) in the USA and 12/4/1981 (day first) in the UK.

2.6 The causes of the differences

At first there were no distinctions between British English and American English known to us in the development of contemporary English. But later in the 20th century, America emerged to be a great power and began to participate the practice of the world affairs. During the World War II, America demonstrated a great strength in the leadership of the world in world various forums. And after the world war, America emerged to be one of the only two superpowers in the world. Thus and thus, the distinctive ways Americans spoken, wrote was being analyzed, studied or learned by the people of other countries, including even British.
What are the causes that led to American English distinctive from British English? Or we may say exactly were there any changes in the new environment that led to the formation of American English in the near or around 400 years after British colonist’s settlement in the American land (which took place at the beginning of the 17th century)?

2.6.1 Old words, new meaning

Those who came to the new American environment had to use their own words to name or express the new things that are similar to the original thing.
For example, the word "corn”. In British English, it meant and still means the main cereal food "wheat". But in America then, the main cereal food was not wheat but maize, so they call this maize "corn". At that time, they add a word "Indian" before the "corn", so called "Indian corn" to point to maize. But later, for convenient, people in America just call it "corn" instead of using its full name "Indian corn”. So now we say "pop-corn" rather than "pop-Indian-corn". Americans speak "corn" to refer to wheat, while British still speak "corn" to refer to wheat. Of course, many other examples can also support this point.

2.6.2 Native Language to Express Something New.

These can be found in some names of places, of animals etc… Name of place: like Ohio (which originally means Ohio River),
Mississippi (originally refers to Mississippi River which means Father of waters),
Kentucky (means and of tomorrow)[5]
Name of animals: like moose, raccoon, skunk etc.
Name of plants: hickory, sequoia, squash etc.

2.6.3 Brought in the Words of Other Languages.

America is known as a country of different peoples, one word "melting-pot" can express this [6]. Even at the beginning of the 17th century when America became a colony of Britain, the people who settled in that land were not purely English or British. In fact, the total population of people from other countries of Europe or other part of world is far more than that of British. But all accept English that could understand as their language. But anyhow, inevitably, these populations other than British brought some words of their own languages in coexisted with the English.
Later, as America developed, more and more people from other countries like China began to immigrate to America to find some new life. One sentence can express that urge " all people are eagle to see the Status of Liberty". In this, some words of their own languages were also brought into American English. Following more examples:
From American Indian: moose(驼鹿)，chipmunk(金花鼠)，raccoon(獾熊)，sachem(酋长).
From German: beer soup(啤酒汤)，semester(学期)，hex（符咒）.
From French: cent(分)，voyager(航海家)，chute(瀑布).
From Spanish: marijuana(大麻)， buckaroo（牛仔）， conch（海螺）， poncho（披风）.
This is also one of the main reasons that caused the formation of American English. Another example,
  Chop-suey,[7](a kind of American－Chinese food made by several sources like pork, rice, onion and so on) , word originally from the Guang Dong Hua language in China is taken by the Webster Dictionary. Expressions like "long time no see"(好久不见) imitate the way of Chinese saying and is taken by NIC's Dictionary of American English Phrases Essential American Idioms.[8]
3. The Peculiarities of American English.

The above section has described the causes of differences between British English and American English. Now this section will tell about the peculiarities of American English.
  As compared to the British English, there are several obvious features of American English. First, part of the American English is of still of old or have past. Second, American English develops rapidly. Third, American English are consistent, a singly, not various kinds of American English. The formation of American English is deeply connected to its social prevailing custom and the nation disposition.

3.1 Part of the American English is still of Old or having Past.

Both in pronunciation and in word-spelling, For example, in American English the words like "fast, path and half" are not the same as the British pronounce [a:] , which actually the same as that of the British in the 17th century or 18th century. But now , British has already changed its pronunciation in these words to [fa:st]，[pa:I]，[ha:f]
Another example like the words "sick" and "ill". [9] Originally these two words have the same meaning, no special different, but later in British English, "ill" means some soft discomfort, while "sick" means some tough disease, same with the feeling of sickness and disgusting. But in American English, now "ill " is rarely in use, and "sick " can be used to mean all kinds of discomforts or diseases both the little discomforts and the tough disease, which is the same as its original meaning.
Another example: I guess as I think, I suppose, I believe e.g.: I guess you are wrong.(我想你错了) It was used wildly in Britain in