Is it possible to notice...

**anreak** · 25-Jan-2009, 19:49

When your read a text in English is it possible to notice if it was written by an American or a British person? (a text in standard English, with no slangs and local expressions).

I'm curious about that because I can notice if a text is from Portugal or Brazil, as portuguese is my native language. I mean, it's not that Portuguese is different from one country to another (just few words are spelled in a different way) it's just that we use the same words but with a different structure of the sentence, different verb conjugation, etc.

**bhaisahab** · 25-Jan-2009, 20:30

Originally Posted by anreak

When you read a text in English is it possible to notice if it was written by an American or a British person? (a text in standard English, with no slang and local expressions).

I'm curious about that because I can notice if a text is from Portugal or Brazil, as portuguese is my native language. I mean, it's not that Portuguese is different from one country to another (just few words are spelled in a different way) it's just that we use the same words but with a different structure of the sentence, different verb conjugation, etc.

It shouldn't be noticable, but it often is.

**Barb_D** · 26-Jan-2009, 04:57

The spelling differences are significant enough that even relatively short essays will have signs: favor/favour, color/colour, the -ise/ize endings, etc.

There are also differences in vocabulary: lory, boot, bonnet, rug, jumper/truck, trunk, hood, blanket, sweater

Even things like at the weekend, in High Street/on the weekend, on Main Street will be give aways.