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Your Guide to
British Life, Culture and Customs

  
 
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British life and culture - England, Scotland and Wales
British and American Spelling
Woodlands Junior School is in the south-east corner of England

American words are spelt (spelled) phonetically, as they are sound.

British spelling is closest to the Middle English form of the word, where as the American spelling is closest to its Latin ancestor.

The spelling of 'Mum' and 'Mummy'

Mom and Mommy are old-English words, words that are stilled used in Birmingham and most parts of the West Midlands. It is said that when people from the West Midlands went to America many years ago they took the spelling with them, hence Americans use Mom and Mommy. 

In the West Midlands the words Mum and Mummy are frowned upon as they look and sound wrong, local schools teach the spelling of Mom and Mommy and the kids still come home with handmade cards with Mom and Mommy Spelling on.

In the North East (in Tyne and Wear) they say and write Mam and Mammy.

Spellings

 British English

 American English

colour color
humour humor
favourite favorite
theatre theater
kilometre kilometer
mum, mam or mom * mom
cosy cozy
realise realize
dialogue dialog
traveller traveler
cheque check
jewellery jewelry
tyre tire

 

 British and American Vocabulary

Clothes Parts of a Car
At School In and around the House
On the Road People
Buildings / Shops Sport
Let's Eat! Other Words
  Test Yourself

Visit also our Glossary of British Words and our blog post "Translating British English "
back to the topLearn about England and the other countries in Britain
from the children who live in ther


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© Copyright 2011 Mandy Barrow
Woodlands Junior School, Hunt Road Tonbridge Kent TN10 4BB UK