Linguistic Distinctiveness and Innovation in American English

American English is the form of English used in the United States of America and includes all English dialects used within the USA. It has some distinctive features and innovations that set it apart from British English, the form of English used in the United Kingdom, and includes all English dialects used within the UK. In this text, I will explain how American English developed its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling, and how it was influenced by various historical, cultural, and political factors.

Linguistic Distinctiveness

One of the main sources of linguistic distinctiveness in American English is the influence of the native languages of America. The colonists who settled in America in the seventeenth century encountered many new words for the landscape, flora, fauna and culture of the new continent. They borrowed many words from the indigenous languages, such as raccoon, skunk, squash, canoe, tobacco and moccasin. They also coined new words to describe their experiences and surroundings, such as backwoods, cornfield, log cabin and rattlesnake.

Another source of linguistic distinctiveness in American English is the preservation of some archaic features that have gone out of use in British English. American English pronunciation is somewhat old-fashioned, as it retains some qualities that were characteristic of English speakers in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For example, Americans pronounce either and neither with the vowel of teeth and beneath, while in Britain these words have changed their pronunciation since the American colonies were established and are now pronounced with an initial diphthong. Americans also use gotten as the past participle of get, which was a common form in England two centuries ago but is now obsolete.

Linguistic Innovation

One of the main sources of linguistic innovation in American English is the reform and standardization of spelling. Noah Webster was a pioneer in this field, as he compiled several books on English language for American students, such as A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language and An American Dictionary of the English Language. Webster wanted to create a system of spelling that matched the pronunciation and simplified the rules. He also wanted to assert the independence and identity of American English from British English. He introduced many changes to the spelling, such as dropping the letter u from words like colour, honour and labour; using er instead of re in words like center, theater and meter; using z instead of s in words like organize, realize and analyze; and using or instead of our in words like humor, favor and honor.

Another source of linguistic innovation in American English is the creation of new words and expressions. Americans have been accused of corrupting the English language by introducing new and unfamiliar words, but they have also been creative and productive in enriching the language with their inventions. Some of these words were borrowed from other languages that came into contact with American English, such as French (ballet, bouquet, garage), Spanish (ranch, canyon, rodeo), German (kindergarten, hamburger, sauerkraut) and African languages (jazz, banjo, voodoo). Some of these words were derived from existing words by adding prefixes or suffixes, such as teenager, skyscraper, supermarket and television. Some of these words were formed by blending two words together, such as motel (motor + hotel), brunch (breakfast + lunch) and smog (smoke + fog).

In conclusion, American English and British English have many differences and similarities in vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling. These are the result of historical, cultural and political factors that shaped the development of both languages. Webster and Franklin were influential figures in the reform and standardization of American English spelling. However, both languages also share many common roots and are mutually intelligible to a large extent.