Great Britain (the nation composed of (1) England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) is the birthplace of the English language. Proud (2) of their history and culture, the British are also very proud of their distinct (3) ways of speaking English. You know who is an American and who is a Brit (4) by the words and phrases that they use.

　　Why is British and American English different?

　　In 17th century England, there were many different kinds of English, with different pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary. Since the first English dictionaries were written by people who lived in one specific region, that region’s English became the official standard. However, because the first settlers to America came from many different regions in Britain, they brought their regional varieties of English to their new country.

　　Additionally, as the United States grew larger, with more and more people arriving from all over the world and speaking all different languages, American English changed and evolved to reflect its many influences.

　　WORD KEY

　　1. composed of adjective phrase made up or formed of something.

　　“Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.”

　　2. proud adjective feeling or showing pride

　　“They were proud of their daughter's success in her exams.”

　　3. distinct adjective easily heard, seen, felt or understood

　　“The footprints are quite distinct; they must be fresh.”

　　4. Brit noun short for British

　　“He must be a Brit because of his accent.”