Am. Eng to Brit. Eng and vice versa

Discussion Open Forum
1

I have found lots of online translation websites on the web but have never found one that can translate American English into British English and British English into American English. I am guessing it doesn’t exist and my question will be laughed at, but honestly if someone knows where I can go to find this I’d greatly apprecaite it!

I don’t need a dictionary, I have lots of other resources explaining the differences, but not auto translation which is what I need.

My question has nothing to do with teaching English in Taiwan, so please refrain from posting something like flat and apartment, that isn’t what I need. There is a thread somewhere in the Teaching in Taiwan forum that addresses this.

Thanks!!!

2

I’m not laughing, but I don’t really think there’s any difference other than the occasional vocabulary term such as the example you gave and maybe some usage differences. But a non-comedy translation website? I shouldn’t think so. Now a translation between Maine English and Arkansas English? That I could see a use for. :wink:

3

It is your business why you would require such a translation but i’m intrigued. Apart from the more salient differences, any others are simply subtle nuance, regional coloquialisms, and idioms that I doubt can be picked up by a computer program. Although I will say that Microsoft Word annoys the hell out of me as is seems to try to correct me on the strangest grammar points that a UK version would not.

4

I wish there was translation work in that area…money for nothing

5

Presuming that you mainly wished to ‘translate’ some vocabulary items and a few basic grammar points such as ‘have got’ into ‘have’, I think it would be easy to set up a computer-aided translation package to help you, provided that you were already familiar with that package.

I don’t know of any websites that would do it for you; anyway you’d still have to edit it afterwards even if they did.

There is a thread on the subject here:
translatorscafe.com/cafe/Meg … 10&start=1
Read through all the messages as there are some interesting points. You will see in Scott Thorne’s second post on that page that he offered “conversion of documents and software to US or Canadian English from any major variety”, but that so far he hadn’t had any business in that area.

He makes a good point above, though, that a number of words which are often stated to be Brit. Eng. are also in common use in the U.S. I would give ‘autumn’ as an example.

6

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: ha ha ha!!! I agree!!!

Joesax, thanks, will check it out and see if I can find what I need there. I wouldn’t care if I still needed to edit it after it was translated, but I need the grammar points and British style writing. I need to finish it by Tuesday at noon, it should be interesting…

I seriously doubt there is something like that, but I figured what the hell, why not ask.

I need to write something for a company and they want me to use British English as it’s required for their work, and I haven’t a damn clue as to how to write like a Brit.

Southpaw, maybe I need to get a copy of UK word! ha ha, but not sure it’s going to help me much.

Anyway thanks for your help guys, I’ll see what I can figure out from the all the other websites I have lurking in my favorites.

7

[quote=“JeffG”]I wouldn’t care if I still needed to edit it after it was translated, but I need the grammar points and British style writing. I need to finish it by Tuesday at noon, it should be interesting…
I need to write something for a company and they want me to use British English as it’s required for their work, and I haven’t a damn clue as to how to write like a Brit.[/quote]
Are you sure the company will know the difference? Anyway, you probably already know most of the alternate vocabulary items, and as for grammar, you don’t have to use ‘have got’ as that is viewed by many prescriptive grammarians, even UK ones, as incorrect.
The other main grammar issue I can think of is past simple v.s. past perfect: we don’t normally ask someone ‘Did you eat breakfast yet?’;
we would ask;
‘Have you eaten breakfast yet?’.
One more thing that comes to mind: we don’t speak ‘with’ somebody, we speak ‘to’ them.

8

[quote=“joesax”]The other main grammar issue I can think of is past simple v.s. past perfect: we don’t normally ask someone ‘Did you eat breakfast yet?’;
we would ask;
'Have you eaten breakfast yet?.[/quote]

In my hometown we just ask: “Jeetyet?”

And a proper reply is: “No, d’jew?”

9

One suggestion would be to hold back on the ‘cheese’ in your writing. I’m referring to the excessive or exaggerated use of superlatives. This is the impression that I get from a lot of American stuff that I read…then again, most of that stuff is probably advertising and you should therefore ignore this. I’m talking about the British English ‘way’ is notably more reserved yet not lacking a certain self -assuredness.
I’m starting to spout stereotypes now, I’ll stop here and press ‘post reply’

10

[quote=“joesax”]Are you sure the company will know the difference?

The other main grammar issue I can think of is past simple v.s. past perfect: we don’t normally ask someone ‘Did you eat breakfast yet?’;
we would ask;
‘Have you eaten breakfast yet?’.
One more thing that comes to mind: we don’t speak ‘with’ somebody, we speak ‘to’ them.[/quote]

I’m sure they will know as the first draft I wrote came back to me with that exact feedback, “can you add a more British style?” Unfortunately the writing I need to do is a bit more complex than just “have you, or to them.”

Well, anyway, I probably better get started working on my masterpiece! :smiley:

11

Anglicise Software

This software just changes the spelling. As for the grammar, it won’t change that.

12

twocs,

Thanks, I know most of the spelling differences, but it’s still useful, thanks for posting.

13

Why not post a sample, and let us hacks rip you to bits?

14

I appreciate the offer and figured many people would love to do that, unfortunately due to the confidential nature of what it it’s for, I can’t.

Anyway, I failed and another overseas colleague also failed. Not sure what’s going to happen next…

Anyway, thanks again for your willingness to edit it!

15

[quote=“Southpaw”]One suggestion would be to hold back on the ‘cheese’ in your writing. I’m referring to the excessive or exaggerated use of superlatives. This is the impression that I get from a lot of American stuff that I read…then again, most of that stuff is probably advertising and you should therefore ignore this. I’m talking about the British English ‘way’ is notably more reserved yet not lacking a certain self -assuredness.
I’m starting to spout stereotypes now, I’ll stop here and press ‘post reply’[/quote]

Awesome comment Southpaw, truly awesome

16

JeffG,

I’ve got a book, “English Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press.” On page 282, 283, there are many differences:

BR: I’ve lost my key.
AM: I lost my key. OR I’ve lost my key.

BR: have a bath/shower
AM: take a bath/shower

BR: I will/shall be late this evening.
AM: I will be late this evening.

BR: Which way shall we go?
AM: Which way should we go?

BR: We needn’t hurry. OR We don’t need to hurry.
AM: We don’t need to hurry.

**demand/insist etc. +should
BR: I demanded that he should apologise.
AM: I demanded that he apologize.
BR: We insisted that something should be done about the problem.
AM: We insisted that something be done about the problem.

BR: to/in hospital
AM: to/in the hospital

BR: government/team/family etc. can have a singular or plural verb
AM: government/team/family etc. normally take a singular verb

BR: at the weekend/at weekends
AM: on the weekend/on weekends

BR: in a street
AM: on a street

BR: different from / different to
AM: different from / different than

BR: write to me soon
AM: write (to) me soon

Word Difference
I know there are dictionaries explaining it.
Maybe for British and American people, there are no significant difference. As an outsider, there are.
For example, I use “English Vocabulary in Use advanced, Cambridge University Press” for my entrance exam.
Hundreds(Thousands) differences can be found in it.

BR: cross the road
AM: cross the street

BR: gas station
AM: petrol station

BR: drink-driving, driving license
AM: drunk-driving, driver’s license
…

After knowing that Shi da and Fu Ren both prefer American English, I stop using this book. I appreciate the accuracy of BR but too many professors in Taiwan are “made in US.” Besides, AM style is more laid-back and various.

If you don’t agree, please forgive me. I just a Taiwanese. To err is Taiwanese.

17

On the weekend/at the weekend…that one threw me for a loop. I bought Michael Swan’s book on English Grammar for the CELTA course. It was a nice introduction to British grammar. I remember being turned down at my first interview with International House because I was weak in grammar (British grammar, as it were).

While doing my CELTA in London (and being the only North American English speaker in the course), I put this up on the whiteboard for my British/Continental English speakers to attempt to translate…

MR DUCKS
MR NOT DUCKS
OSMR CDEDBD WINGS
LIB MR DUCKS

Shall I include a translation for y’all?
:wink:

18

kimichen,

Thank you for taking the time to write all that out, if I need to write something like this again I will look through your post and change the grammar accordingly.

ImaniOU sure go ahead and put up the translation! I have an idea about the first two, but something tells me I’ll be wrong.

19

here’s a slightly longer version:

MR DUCKS
MR NOT DUCKS
SMR DUCKS
MR NOT DUCKS
OSMR
CM WANGS
CDEDBD FEET
LIB MR DUCKS

20

Hey, Fluffy! You speak American English too?