The British and American varieties are so similar that most American and British speakers can understand each other without great difficulty. There are, however, a few differences in the grammar of the two varieties. The following are some instances of these differences.
The Use of the Present Perfect
British English uses the present perfect to talk about a past action which has an effect on the present moment. In American English, both simple past and present perfect are possible in such situations. For example:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| I have lost my pen. | I lost my pen. |
| He has gone home. | He went home. |
Also, British English uses the present perfect with the adverbs already, just, and yet, whereas in American English, these adverbs could go with either simple past or present perfect:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| He has just gone home. | He just went home. |
| He has already seen this movie. | I already saw this movie. |
| She hasn’t come yet. | She didn’t come yet. |
Possession
British English uses have got to show possession, while in American English, have in the structure do you have and have got are both possible:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| I have three children. | I have got three children. |
The Use of the Verb ‘Get’
In British English, the past participle of get is got. In American English, the past participle of get is gotten, except when have got means have:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| He has got a prize. | He has gotten a prize. |
| I have two sisters. | I have got two sisters. |
Will/Shall
In British English, it is common to use shall with the first person to talk about the future, while American English rarely uses shall. For example:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| I shall never forget this favour. | I will never forget this favor. |
In offers, British English uses shall, while American English uses should. For example:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| Shall I help you with the homework? | Should I help you with the homework? |
The Indefinite Pronoun One
Another difference in grammar between the two varieties is that Americans normally use he/she, him/her, his/her to refer back to one, while in British English one is used throughout the sentence:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| One must love one’s country. | One must love his/her country. |
Vocabulary
There are also observable differences in the British and American varieties in terms of vocabulary. Users sometimes opt for words from either of the varieties based on their preferences or as dictated or specified by the outfit/body for which they are writing. For example, the following are pairs of words referring to the same concepts in the two varieties:
| Housing & Places | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
|---|---|---|
| estate agent | realtor | |
| cladding | siding | |
| block of flats | row house | |
| flyover | overpass | |
| pillar box | mail box | |
| garden | yard | |
| Aerial | antenna | |
| the cinema | the movies | |
| pavement | sidewalk | |
| Passage | hall | |
| underground | subway | |
| toilet | restroom |
| Parts of a Car | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
|---|---|---|
| gear lever | gear shift | |
| windscreen | windshield | |
| handbrake | emergency brake | |
| Boot | trunk | |
| milometer | odometer | |
| Bonnet | hood | |
| number plate | license plate |
| Cooking | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
|---|---|---|
| grill | broil | |
| cooling tin | muffin pan | |
| chips | fries | |
| baking tray | baking sheet | |
| cooker | stove | |
| cake tin | cake pan |
| Clothing | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
|---|---|---|
| braces | suspenders | |
| polo neck | turtleneck | |
| dressing gown | bathrobe | |
| trousers | pants | |
| nightdress | nightgown | |
| pyjamas | pajamas | |
| Vest | undershirt | |
| pinafore | jumper |
| Travels | British English (BrE) | American English (AmE) |
|---|---|---|
| hand luggage | carry-on baggage | |
| boarding card | boarding pass |
The variety adopted by English language users is often dictated by a number of factors, including but not limited to educational background, the orientation of the schools attended at the elementary and secondary levels, the type of literature they are exposed to, where their teachers were trained, influence of the media (both print and electronic), and the American technology-factor in terms of the Internet and other emerging media. Although Nigerian users use the two varieties, more users tend to prefer to go with the British variety, while some people with an American background and training use the American variety always, except when otherwise stated or specified by the outfit for which they are writing. Where no specifications are given as to which variety to use, the user of the language could adopt either but must be consistent in his/her usage, as intermittent shifts from one variety to another would not be acceptable.
Nigerian English
The term Nigerian English has come to be recognized and accepted as referring to a legitimate variety of the English language. Simply put, it is that variety of the English language that has been domesticated, localized, and indigenized in terms of usage by the sociolinguistic realities in Nigeria. According to Jowitt (1991), Nigerian English is “a distinctive Nigerian form used by a substantial number of Nigerians” to express Nigerian experiences and stories.
Common examples or instances of lexical items and expressions among Nigerian users of the English language are:
- second-wife (the wife after the first by a polygamist)
- co-wives (two or more women sharing the same husband)
- final burial (an elaborate party in honor of the dead)
- accident (for auto crash)
- load (to recharge a phone)
- flash (to beep a person’s mobile phone)
- teller (for deposit slips in banks)
- ice-block (or sometimes even ‘block’ in context for ice-cubes)
- long leg (for influence peddling)
Other examples include the following:
- bush meat (wild meat as food/game)
- area boys (for urchins)
- pure water (sachet water)
- minerals (soft drinks)
- bukateria (a local eatery)
- settlement (bribe)
- trafficator (traffic indicator)
- yellow fewer (traffic warden)
- hometown (place of origin)
- chicken change (negligible amount)
- born-again (a very devoted Christian)
- no go area (for out-of-bounds)
- next tomorrow (in two days/the day after tomorrow)
- corper (for a youth corps member)
- vulcanizer (tyre mender)
- network (phone reception)
- bunkmate (common among Nigerian undergraduates for ‘a bed-sharing partner in the hostel’)
- road safety (Federal Road Safety Officers)
Nigerian speakers of English come across some of these words in everyday interaction and conversation, Nigerian movies (Nollywood), religious sermons in churches, mosques, and on television, literary works produced by Nigerian writers, etc. Through these different usages and documentation in various forms, these words and expressions have generally become distinctive features of, and peculiar to, the Nigerian English variety. For instance, an average Nigerian speaker of the English language knows what is meant when someone says:
“Sorry, I will call you when I load (recharge) my phone.”
Pedagogical Implications
Having pointed out these different varieties of the English language and their peculiar features, the question that comes to mind is: ‘What kind of posture or attitude should Nigerian undergraduates have towards these varieties for their academic purposes?’ In answering this question, it is important to point out to readers that although there seems to be a consensus among language scholars about the existence of a distinct Nigerian English variety, the features of this variety are yet to be codified (see Bamgbose, 1982; Jibril, 1986; Jowitt, 1991; Adegbija, 2004 and Adegbite, 2010). Therefore, until we have the codification of Nigerian variety, a lexical usage guide, reference books such as dictionaries, grammar books, and a specified target of Nigerian English variety to be taught and used as the main reference point in school examinations in the country, Nigerian undergraduates are to stick to either the British or American variety, depending on the purpose for which they are writing and for whom.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the English language used in different places all over the world reflects variation as a result of its contact with other languages, cultures, and the different functions it performs. This has made the question of which model to be taught and used in schools more pronounced with the emergence of indigenised varieties in different places. Today, we have The Dictionary of South African English. This scholarly reference book is a guide to the English language spoken in South Africa. It includes forms of the English language that are peculiarly South African, as well as words adopted from other indigenous languages in the country. Thus, the ongoing effort by language scholars in Nigeria to develop and codify the Nigerian variety of the English language is a step in the right direction and a commendable stride, that will not only make the model to be taught and permissible in formal writings but also help in conferring legitimacy on its use by Nigerian students in schools.
Exercise
- Why are there different varieties of the same language?
- Mention some varieties of the English language.
- Give examples of some different usages in the British and American English varieties.
- Give examples of some words peculiar to Nigerian users of the English language.
- Discuss the status of English as an international language, explaining reasons for this phenomenon.
- Place the following expressions under the British or American variety:
- (i) gasoline
- (ii) petrol
- (iii) He left the faucet on.
- (iv) We are leaving in the fall.
- (v) It is in the closet.
- (vi) I was at the movie.
- (vii) We’ve run out of gas.
- (viii) She got the check for her money.
- If a man tells you that he wants to go and change his pants, where is he likely to come from?
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