幸福0571
美式英语和英式英语的差异是大学生经常讨论的问题。除了众所周知的语音差别，英语和美语在拼写和用词上也有不同之处。一般说来，表达同一意思，英语单词可能比美语单词长一些。如在英语和美语中，秋天分别为autumn和fall，劳工分别为labour和labor，支票分别为cheque和check，节目分别为programme和program，因此学汉语的美国人把这一情况比喻为“繁体字”和“简化字”。当然也有少数例外的，如在英语和美语中，电梯分别为lift和elevator，公寓分别为flat和apartment，学期分别为term和semester。 在语言背后的是思想文化上的差异。把“产生、发展和消亡的过程”翻译成“the process of birth，growth and death”，美国人觉得言简意赅，形式优美；英国人却主张用哲学经典著作中“the process of comingsintosbeing，developing and passing away”的说法。 有时候英语和美语闹到了“水火不相容”的地步：同样的短语或单词在英语和美语中意思相反。如put on the table在英语中意思为“研究，认真对待”，在美语中为“束之高阁”。可以想象，英国人严谨认真，家里和办公室都收拾得很整洁，因此把什么东西摆到了桌上，多半会“研究，认真对待”；美国人一般“不拘小节”，居所和办公室都很随便，一旦被放在桌上，恐怕是没指望了。又如homely可以用来形容女性，在英语中意思是“朴实无华的”，其评价态度是肯定的；在美语中意思是“不漂亮的”，其评价态度是否定的。联想英美不同的生活态度容易理解这一差别。 在交流话题中，英国人喜欢历史而美国人喜欢地理，这显然与英国历史长而美国面积大有关。不过，文化艺术欣赏往往不只由思维倾向决定。例如，“大江东去，浪淘尽千古风流人物”通常被翻译为“the Great River eastward flows；the waves swept away，for thousands of years，all gallant heroes”，但西方人可能会把“the Great River”联想为黄河，而非长江。此外，这种译法文采也较欠缺。笔者认为从地理的角度可以翻译为“Across China Yangtze eastward goes；rolling waves carried away all historical heroes”；从历史的角度可以翻译为“Chinese history sees Yangtze run；with rolling waves thousands years and myriad heroes are gone”。英国人和美国人都认为第三种译法最佳，不仅因为本词的主题是怀古，“中国历史目睹长江奔流”和“随着滚滚波涛千秋岁月和无数英雄已经远走”能给人以岁月沧桑的感觉，而且美国的小说《飘》(Gone With The Wind)广为人知，享有盛誉。 学英文的人有时候会注意到英式英文与美式英文的差异。其实世界上有很多种类的英文，不只英式和美式两种而已。光是在美国境内就有好多种不同的美式英文的方言。如果你在美国波士顿、纽约、迈阿密、达拉斯、洛杉矶等地区待过的话，你会发现这些地方的发音、字汇、甚至于文法，都跟其它地方稍有不同。同样的，在英国你如果待过伦敦、伯明翰、利物浦、爱丁堡、都柏林等地的话，也会发现各城市的差异。 如果你在宴会上同时碰到一位美国人与一位英国人，几分钟之内就可以凭着他们的对话辨认出来。最明显的线索当然就是发音，例如dance、butter、no、bird等等，不仅子音、元音的咬字有差异，就连重音位置也常常不一样。 英语、美语第二项最明显的差异，就是使用的单字。同样的东西，在美国与英国的称呼不一样
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1.Education in Britain and The US 英美教育差异In Britain all children have to go to school between the ages of 5 and 16. In the US children must go to school from the age of 6 to between the ages of 14 and 16, depending on the state they live in.SubjectIn England and Wales the subjects taught in schools are laid down by the National Curriculum(课程), which was introduced in 1988 and sets out(制定) in detail the subjects that children should study and the levels of achievement they should reach by the ages of 7, 11, 14 and 16, when they are tested. The National Curriculum does not apply in Scotland, where each school decides what subjects it will teach.In the US the subjects taught are decided by national and local governments. Whereas British schools usually have prayers(祈祷) and religious(宗教的) instruction, American schools are not allowed to include prayers or to teach particular religious beliefs(信仰).ExaminationsAt 16 students in England and Wales take GCSE examinations. These examinations are taken by students of all levels of ability in any of a range of subjects and may involve a final examination, an assessment(评价) of work done during the two year course, or both of these things. At 18 some students taken A-level examinations, usually in not more than 3 subjects. It is necessary to have A-levels in order to go to a university or polytechnic(综合技术大学).In Scotland students take the SCE examinations. A year later, they can take examinations called HIGHS, after which they can either go straight to a university or spend a further year at school and take the Certificate(证书) of Sixth Year Studies. In Scotland the university system is different to that in England and Wales. Courses usually last four years rather than three and students study a larger number of subjects as part of their degree.In the US school examinations are not as important as they are in Britain. Students in High Schools do have exams at the end of their last two years, but these final exams are considered along with the work that the students have done during the school years.2.Social Events and Ceremonies(仪式).英美礼仪文化差异In American high schools there is a formal ceremony for Graduation (=completion of high school). Students wear a special cap and gown and receive a diploma(文凭) from the head of the school. Students often buy a class ring to ear, and a yearbook, containing pictures of their friends and teachers. There are also special social events at American schools. Sports events are popular, and cheer leaders lead the school in supporting the school team and singing the school song. At the end of their junior year, at age 17 or 18, students held in the evening. The girls wear long evening dresses and the boys wear TUXEDOS.In Britain, there are no formal dances or social occasions(场合) associated(和...有关) with school life. Some schools have SPEECH DAY at the end of the school year when prizes are given to the best students and speeches are made by the head teacher and sometimes an invited guest. However, in many British schools students and teachers organize(组织) informal dances for the older students.两篇，希望帮到你。
