Abstract:American English and British English are the two most important variants of the English language. They influence each other and are mutually complementary. Due to the historical, political, cultural and environmental factors, the two language variations have some differences in various aspects. Relatively speaking, British English is more conservative. Subject to the influence from foreign culture, however, American English is much more capable of absorbing and creating. Nowadays, American English and British English have some differences in pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and usage. Therefore, to understand the differences between American English and British English and to grasp their rules are very important. This thesis will analyzes these differences and regularity so as to help English learners avoid unnecessary misunderstanding and to enhance their practical ability of using English.

Key words: language variation; American English; British English; the differences

摘要:美式英语和英式英语是英语里两种最重要的语言变体，二者相互影响，互为补充。美式英语和英式英语在发展中受到各自历史、政治、文化环境等因素的影响，使得美式英语和英式英语这两种语言变体在各个方面存在着差异。相对来讲，英式英语更保守一些；然而受其外来文化的影响，美式英语更擅于吸收和创造。如今的美式英语无论在发音、词汇，还是在拼写、语法上都与英式英语有许多的不同之处。因此，认识美式英语和英式英语的差异，掌握其规律是十分重要的。本文将对这些差异和规律进行讨论， 目的是帮助英语学习者更好地交流和提升英语的实际应用能力。

关键词: 语言变体；美式英语；英式英语；差异