Question

When did American English start developing as a distinct variety?

• A. After the British colonization of Australia
• B. After the American War of Independence
• C. After World War I
• D. After the Renaissance

Answer 1

Answer:

B. After the American War of Independence

American English started developing as a distinct variety after the American War of Independence (1775–1783).

Key Reasons for the Divergence:

1. Noah Webster’s Influence → After independence, Noah Webster promoted spelling reforms to distinguish American English from British English. His American Dictionary of the English Language (1828) standardized many differences, such as:

   • Colour → Color

   • Centre → Center

   • Defence → Defense

2. Isolation from Britain → With political separation, linguistic changes in Britain (such as Received Pronunciation) did not affect Americans as much.

3. Influence of Other Languages → American English absorbed words from Native American languages (raccoon, moccasin, squash), Spanish (ranch, canyon, tornado), Dutch (cookie, boss, sleigh), and others.

4. Westward Expansion → The movement across North America introduced new vocabulary related to geography, wildlife, and culture.