Differences between American English and British English: A Challenge to TESOL

Abstract

Until recently, British English (BE) was considered the sole model for learners of English in most countries of the world, including those in Eastern Europe. In the spring of 1976, when my English-SerboCroatian Dictionary was being readied for publication in Yugoslavia, many feared that it would be rejected by Yugoslav teachers and learners, since it gave priority to American English (AE). The English Language Officer of the American Embassy in Belgrade organized a lecture tour to four key Yugoslav cities so that I could reassure teachers and students of English that consistent attention would also be paid in the new dictionary to BE features. In the fall of 1978, a week before the actual appearance of the dictionary in bookstores, the Yugoslav publisher, Prosveta, ran a full-page advertisement in the newspaper Politika, including the translation of an article from the London Observer, which pointed out to the citizens of Great Britain that AE should be considered the dominant variety of English. The purpose of printing the Observer article was to prepare the Yugoslav public for the shock of having its largest publishing house put out a bilingual dictionary that described AE.