The difference between British English and American English is not only in spellings, but also in meaning and pronunciation. Further, many of the commonly used words in British English have different equivalents in American English.

British English Vs American English

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British words -American words

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Autumn -Fall

Flat -Apartment

Queue -Line

Curtain -Drape

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Lawyer -Attorney

Curriculum vitae -Resume

Lorry -Truck

Dust bin -Garbage can

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Especially when we refer to communication in an inter-cultural context, it would be appropriate to bear in mind the differences between British English and American English. Several decades ago, Indian writing and Indian businesses were dominated by the British.

With the British influence waning and India getting globalized, Indian businesses are increasingly dealing with the US. Since good writing is all about getting the message across effectively, a good writer should use the appropriate language. It would be appropriate to use the American English while communicating with them so as to be easily understood.

Let us also look at some spelling differences between British English and American English:

British -American

Anaesthetic -Anesthetic

Fibre -Fiber

Honour -Honor

Endeavour -Endeavor

Traveller -Traveler

Manoeuvre -Maneuver

Centre -Center

Since American English is also increasingly used in multinationals and international business communication, there is a blurring of distinction between the two. Any standard dictionary also refers to both the spellings.

While the word may start with the British spelling, American spellings are also clearly stated wherever relevant. The spell check also follows the American spelling while alerting the user.