British and American English - Differences In Pronunciation

These are some of the differences between standard British and standard American English pronunciation.

The sound "a" in "fast" is pronounced differently. The long "a" in the British "fast", which is the same sound as the "a" in "calm" becomes a short "a" in the American "fast", which is the same sound as the "a" in "rat". Some examples of this difference are: "mask", "rant", "demand" and "laughter".

The vowel in "know" which is pronounced with slightly spread lips in British English becomes a rounded vowel in American English. Some examples of this difference are "note", "boat" "motor" and "grotesque".

The "t" of British English is an explosive sound and is produced by the tip of the tongue placed against the bony ridge behind the upper front teeth with a closure of air in the oral cavity with a sudden release of air causing explosion. The "t" of American English is called a tap, as the tongue tip briefly taps the ridge behind the upper teeth without any explosion. Some examples of this difference are "letter", "later", "meeting" and "seated". The tap of American English may seem similar to the "d" of British and American English, but the difference lies in the fact that "d"  in both varieties is a sound produced with explosion while the American "t" is not. Examples of this are "seated" and "seeded" where the "d" in the latter is harder than the d-like "t" in the former.

The "r" that occurs after a vowel in British English is not pronounced. But the same "r" is pronounced in American English with the curling back of the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth or the palate, specifically the hard front portion of the palate. Consider the following examples: "meter", "nature", "ordained" and "porter". The "r" in all these examples is silent in British English and is articulated in American English.

Samuel Godfrey George