This paper offers a comparative analysis of lexical differences between British English (BrE) and American English (AmE), emphasizing the impact of historical, cultural, and global influences on their vocabulary. It highlights that while BrE and AmE share a foundational structure, their vocabulary has diverged significantly, especially in fields like food, clothing, and transportation. Examples include BrE’s “boot” versus AmE’s “trunk” for car storage, and BrE’s “autumn” compared to AmE’s “fall.” The paper identifies seven primary areas of lexical distinction: meaning constraints, spelling variations, distinctly different words, slight lexical differences, compounding of terms, idiomatic expressions, and confusing words with contrasting meanings.
The analysis shows that these differences often result in “false friends,” where words look similar but have different meanings, such as BrE’s “biscuit” (cookie in AmE) and AmE’s “pants” (trousers in BrE). The authors suggest that although globalization has softened some differences, educators and learners must be aware of these distinctions to avoid miscommunication. They conclude that understanding lexical differences in BrE and AmE is essential for effective international communication and advocate for consistent use of one variety to maintain clarity, particularly in educational materials and international assessments.