Irish English vs American English: One of the exciting and sometimes challenging experiences for international students is to cross the linguistic barrier created by borders and boundaries. Most of the differences in the English language come between American English and British English. There are countries that follow British English patterns while others follow American English and most of the countries in the world are following a blend of them. If you are a student planning to study either in Ireland or the USA, this blog is just for you. Let’s understand the basic differences between Irish English and American English.
This Blog Includes:
Vocabulary and Expressions
The main difference between any language is that it is all about vocabulary and expressions. Irish people, whom you might meet in your Ireland student housing, are renowned for their rich linguistic tapestry and this richness is reflected in their vocabulary as well. The Irish people generally use unique and quite different words and expressions. The vocabulary in Irish English is a kind of one that you haven’t heard in any other English-speaking country. For example- the word entertainment or fun is often referred to as ‘craic’ in Irish English. Similarly, the good things or something fine is often referred to as ‘grand’ by Irish people.
Talking about the vocabulary and expressions of American English, the flavours are added to the language with each region in the USA. American English has its own set of vocabulary distinctions. A layer of diversity is being added to the English language boasting a variety of regional expressions. For example, Americans generally use ‘trash’ instead of ‘rubbish’ or ‘elevator’ instead of ‘lift’ or refer to ‘flat’ as ‘apartment’. They generally use English which is quite advanced.
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Comparative Study of Pronunciation
Irish English is renowned for its lyrical and melodic quality. The pronunciation is somehow similar to that of British English with a blend of American English in it. The accents generally vary from region to region. In Irish English, consonants are softened maintaining a distinct rhythm of the language. Vowel sounds are quite different from other English pronunciations. For example., words like ‘dance’ or ‘chance’ can differ significantly from other English accents.
American English is quite diverse with lots of accents in it. The diversity is added to American English with changing regions. The pronunciation of Americans is generally rhotic pronunciation. It means people with an American accent pronounce a rhotic r in words ending with r. In a rhotic accent, an /r/ is pronounced at the end of the words like car, bear, fear, hard, form, and first.
Differentiating Spelling and Grammar
In the case of spelling and grammatical things, Irish English strictly adheres to British English. While writing they generally use American English considering it simple and easy to understand. For example, ‘colour’ becomes ‘color’, ‘centre’ becomes ‘center’ aligning with the American spelling norms.
American English is renowned for its advancements and changes which occurred over a period of time. Over these recent years American adjusted spellings influenced by Noah Webster’s efforts to simplify certain words which you will definitely notice while staying in accommodation for students in USA. Words like ‘travelled’ become ‘traveled’, and ‘analyse’ becomes ‘analyze’ which signifies the changes that took place in American English in recent years with subtle spelling variations.
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FAQs on Irish English vs American English
There are various similarities and differences between Irish English and American English. They both differ in vocabulary, pronunciation and sometimes even spelling.
Absolutely! Americans follow rhotic pronunciation in American English. people with an American accent pronounce a rhotic r in words like car, bear, fear, hard, form, and first.
Phrases like ‘hit the hay’ – go to bed, ‘kick the bucket’ – to die, or ‘bite the bullet’ – face a difficult situation are commonly used in daily conversations in the USA.
There are subtle spelling differences between American and Irish English. For example, words like ‘travelled’ and ‘centre’ have different spellings in American English – ‘traveled’ and ‘center’.
There are several; idioms and expressions that are quite common in Irish English as well as American English. Some of the common expressions are ‘pulling someone’s leg’ means teasing or ‘keeping your cards close to your chest means being secretive.
Hope you liked our blog on differentiating between Irish English and American English. Embark on your study abroad journey with comfort and convenience. Reach out to Fly Homes now at 1800572118 to secure the finest accommodation abroad.
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