My Wish Lists Login / Join

Divided by a Common Language

A Guide to British and American English

By: Christopher Davies

Write A Review

Paperback | 26 September 2007

At a Glance

Paperback
258 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
19.05 x 12.07 x 1.91

Paperback

RRP $24.19

$23.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $5.94 with

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

Puzzled by signs warning you to “mind the gap” in the London Underground? Wondering what will be on your plate if you order “toad in the hole” in a London café? In Divided by a Common Language, Christopher Davies explains these expressions and discusses the many differences in pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary between British and American English. He compares the customs, manners, and practical details of daily life in the United Kingdom and the United States, and American readers will enjoy his account of American culture as seen through an Englishman’s eyes. Davies tops it off with an amusing list of expressions that sound innocent enough in one country but make quite the opposite impression in the other. Two large glossaries help travelers translate from one variety of English to the other, and additional lists explain the distinctive words of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Divided by a Common Language is the ideal travel companion for both British visitors to the U.S. and American visitors to the U.K. It is also the perfect book for Britons interested in American culture and Americans enjoying British novels, movies, and television at home.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Language & Linguistics Reference, Dictionaries & Guides Language History & General Works Linguistics Sociolinguistics Travel & Holidays Travel Guides Language Learning & Teaching Language Teaching & Learning Material & Coursework Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation

Foreword	p. v
Acknowledgments	p. v
Guide to Pronunciation and Other Symbols Used	p. vi
How Did British and American English Become So Different?	p. 1
Some Answers	p. 1
The Industrial Revolution	p. 3
Countries that Enriched the American Language	p. 4
Pronouncing British Place Names	p. 7
Tips for the Tourist	p. 8
At the Airport	p. 8
At the Hotel	p. 8
Practical Information	p. 10
Automobiles	p. 10
Gasoline (Petrol)	p. 11
Telephones	p. 12
For the Technically Minded	p. 15
Plumbing	p. 15
Electricity	p. 16
Institutions and Services	p. 18
The Postal System	p. 18
Banking	p. 20
The Currency	p. 21
Restaurants	p. 23
Bars	p. 30
Shopping	p. 31
Pronunciation of Food Names	p. 33
Some Different Cooking Measurements	p. 34
Groceries Known by Different Names	p. 34
Clothing and Shoes Known by Different Names	p. 38
Schools	p. 40
Health Care	p. 43
The Political Systems	p. 44
Museums	p. 46
The Theatre	p. 46
Differences in Customs and Etiquette	p. 48
Transportation	p. 54
Pronunciation and Grammar	p. 73
Spelling	p. 84
Sundry Terms	p. 95
Some Different Furnishing Terms	p. 95
Some Different Terms for Tools	p. 96
Some Different Medical Terms	p. 97
Carnival (Funfair) Terms	p. 99
Some Different Gardening Terms	p. 100
What Not to Say	p. 101
Idioms and Expressions	p. 108
Notes on Symbols and Abbreviations	p. 131
Miscellaneous Information	p. 134
UK-US Lexicon	p. 137
US-UK Lexican	p. 178
Explanations	p. 220
Other Varieties of English	p. 228
Canada	p. 228
Australia	p. 230
New Zealand	p. 234
South Africa	p. 235
Cockney Rhyming Slang	p. 237
Afterword	p. 240
Index	p. 243
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Divided by a Common Language

A Guide to British and American English

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Language History & General Works

From the Merriam-Webster Archives: Vintage Notebook

Art and Ephemera from America's Most Trusted Dictionary

Thirty-Two Words for Field

Lost Words of the Irish Landscape

Useless Etymology

Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds

Inventing the Renaissance

Myths of a Golden Age

Algospeak

How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language

Terraglossia

Why Q Needs U

A history of our letters and how we use them

The Language Lover's Puzzle Book

Lexical perplexities and cracking conundrums from across the globe

Etymologicon

A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language

Proto

How One Ancient Language Went Global

History of English

2nd Edition - A Resource Book for Students

Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins

3rd edition

Analysing Sentences

5th Edition - An Introduction to English Syntax

An Introduction to Sociolinguistics

6th Edition

The Routledge Handbook of Language, Gender, and Sexuality

Routledge Handbooks in Applied Linguistics

Mother Tongue

The Story of the English Language

Macquarie Dictionary

8th Edition

Bina

First Nations Languages, Old and New

Mother Tongue : Popular Penguins

Popular Penguins

The Dictionary People

The unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary

Echo Chambers and Epistemological Bubbles

Communicative Flirtations with the End of Democracy

Linguistic Discrimination and Global Englishes

Towards Equity and Justice in English Language Education

Linguistic Discrimination and Global Englishes

Towards Equity and Justice in English Language Education

Analyzing Narrative Online

Affordances and Practices

This product is categorised by