Author: TeenMick

Are you planning to move to the United Kingdom? Or do you have no concrete plans, but have a dream of maybe moving here someday? Although the stately island is close - especially when you look at the map - best get ready for a culture shock. These 10 things you'll definitely experience when you move to England.

Continue reading 10 things you are likely to experience when living in England

Are you looking for ways to train your memory and store new information more easily? From science, several studies have been conducted and theories formed on how to effectively improve your own memory and that of your children. In this article, we will give you an overview of some of the important results of such studies. Take advantage of them! Continue reading Tips and tricks to playfully improve your memory and store new information

The moment you first start working with English, you soon find out that English is not spoken the same all over the world and therefore does not sound the same. Especially between British-English and American-English there are big differences - not only in pronunciation, but also in spelling and vocabulary. In this article, we'll tell you why.

1. The pronunciation of British and American English developed differently

You may have already learned about the colonization of the Americas in school. If not, we'll give you a brief summary first.

Columbus' voyage of discovery

In the year 1492, the explorer Christopher Columbus set out with three large ships. The goal? To discover the Indies! When land finally came into sight after months of sailing, Columbus thought he had achieved his goal. So he decided to call the inhabitants of this new land "Indians. However, it later turned out that he had not arrived in the Indies, but in America. By now we no longer call the original inhabitants Indians, but for example Native Americans or First Americans, making it clear that these were the first inhabitants of America.

The colonization of the Americas

After Columbus' discovery, all kinds of European countries decided to settle in America in search of wealth. The British also came to America, settling on the east coast. They took their language, (British) English, with them. This language was based on "rhotic speech. This means that the letter 'r' is pronounced clearly.

A new statement

Meanwhile, however, a change was noticeable in Britain. There, people in the upper classes began to pronounce the 'r' less and less often. For example, "winter" was increasingly pronounced "win-tuh. They thought that sounded fancier. In this way, the pronunciation of British English and American English grew further and further apart.

2. British English was influenced by neighboring France

In the year 1066, a profound event took place in Great Britain: William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, invaded England with as many as 700 ships. He overthrew King Harold II and became king of England. He took Norman French with him and introduced this language to the upper classes. This had a major influence on the creation of Middle English.

Some examples of the French influence on British English

The French influence mentioned above is still visible today. For example, Britons call a line (for example, in front of the checkout) a "queue. This is a French word. Americans do not use this word: in the United States the word 'line' is mainly used. Also, for example, the British use the word "movie," while Americans mainly say "movie.

3. The Americans and British use different loan words

Even today, we see many influences from other languages in English: English makes extensive use of loanwords. Curiously, these loanwords are not always the same in the United States and the United Kingdom. For example, for coriander, the British use the word "coriander," borrowed from French, while Americans use the word "cilantro" - derived from Spanish, which is mainly spoken in Central and South America.

4. American English has a different spelling in protest

We have already seen above that American English and British English use very different words. However, even when the same words are used, differences can sometimes be seen. In fact, different spellings are often used in American and British English.

A few examples of the differences in spelling

The differences in spelling are easy to spot. For example, Britons often use an 's' in words ending in '-ise', while Americans often replace this 's' with a 'z'. For example, the word "signalise" or "characterise," this becomes "signalize" and "characterize" in American English. You will also often encounter words with 'ou' in British English, such as 'color' and 'honor'. In American English, the "u" is omitted from these types of words and the word changes to "color" and "honor.

Why is a different spelling used?

The American and British dictionaries were both compiled by different authors. When compiling the American dictionary, lexicographer Noah Webster (of the famous Webster dictionaries) chose to adapt American spelling. He felt this was a good way to show America's independence. He also felt that the American spelling was easier to understand, as it better matched the pronunciation of the words.

5. In American English, words are more likely to be omitted

The speaking habits of Americans and British also seem to differ. For example, American-English often omits words. If you ask an American if he or she wants to go to the movies with you, it is quite possible that he or she will say "We could" back. However, if you were to ask this question to a Briton, chances are he or she would say back 'We could go'. This may be caused by cultural differences.

Summer Camp: learning English has never been so much fun!

This article was about English in the United Kingdom and in the United States. However, English is spoken in many more countries. In fact, it is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world! Would you like to get involved with English with your peers? At Summer Camp you will learn English in a playful, relaxed way through sports, music and crafts. Useful for vacations and for later!

You went to summer camp and had a fantastic time learning a lot. Of course, the language development doesn't stop after that and you want to continue developing. Even at home you have numerous opportunities to continue practicing the new language. You can consult the Internet, stay in touch with your study buddies or take an additional course, for example.

What kinds of study materials are there to help you learn a language

In this day and age, using the Internet is an obvious option to further develop your language knowledge. There are many websites where, for example, you can keep your grammatical knowledge up to date and test it. Here you can search specifically for exercises that will help you learn rules that you do not yet understand very well.

When you have purchased course materials such as textbooks and workbooks, these days you often also receive a link or login code with them, where online depth is offered. Additional exercises and learning materials can usually be found here as well. It is also possible to track your progress online.

In addition, you probably know of apps that allow you to spend a few minutes or even hours a day brushing up on your new language. These apps also allow you to work on your pronunciation. Very handy!

In what ways might movies/books/podcast or other media help you

To make it even easier on yourself, reading a book or watching a series in another language can also have a great impact on your language development. You expand your vocabulary in this way and get a better sense of sentence structure. You also notice in this way what colloquial language sounds like and what common expressions are, as this is different from written language which is often more formal.

By the way, listening to podcasts is also convenient method to improve your language skills. You can do this at any time of the day while being busy with another activity such as cooking or sports. You will experience what is realistic language use and you can also learn more about the culture and background of a language if you find that interesting. Following a dialogue teaches you to shift gears faster, absorb information and listen more attentively.

How do you stay in touch with your study buddies after summer camp?

If you went to summer camp, you will probably have many contacts and friends left over from this fun time! These are the people you can work with to further develop your language skills. Check each other's assignments and schedule get-togethers or online meetings where you test each other's knowledge.

When you meet with others, you can agree to speak only English or the other language you are learning at that time. This way you can motivate each other and challenge each other well! To make it even more fun, you can also add a game element. For example, you can agree that the first one who accidentally speaks Dutch has to treat for example ?

How can you keep setting goals after your language camp so you can continue to learn the language?

Setting goals is important for further language development. For example, make a planning with your fellow students in which you set longer-term goals. These can be small or large goals that you want to achieve in a year. By testing in between, you will know whether you have made enough progress and where you stand in your development. You can also choose to take an extra course back home or hire a coach to motivate you to reach your further goals.

Going to summer camp for the first time is pretty exciting. How do you best prepare? What equipment should you bring? To get you started, we have prepared a packing list for you. With this packing list in hand, you can be sure you won't forget anything important. That way you can hit the road carefree!

 

What should you really not forget when you go to camp?

 

Everyone forgets something sometimes - that's not a bad thing at all! You can do without some items for a while. Of some items, however, it is handy to have them with you. We have listed some essential items for you.

1. Your ID and health card
You probably won't need them, but it's still important to bring your ID and health card - just in case! You can also bring a passport instead of an ID.

2. Any medication
Are you taking any medications? Then don't forget to put them in your bag. Are you afraid you will forget to take your medication? Please inform the staff about your medication upon arrival. We will be happy to remind you!

3. Your phone and charger
You won't have much time to spend on your phone, but it's still nice to be able to send your parents or your friends an app every now and then. So don't forget to bring your phone and charger!

4. Personal grooming
Teeth need to be brushed at our summer camp, too, of course! In addition to a toothbrush and toothpaste, it is also important to bring shower gel, shampoo, mosquito spray and a hairbrush. Also consider (if necessary) facial care, deodorant, hair elastic bands, sanitary pads and tampons.

5. Clothing and shoes
Of course, clothes and shoes should not be forgotten either! Bring plenty of underwear, socks and summer clothes. It is also handy to bring a warm cardigan or sweater - after all, in the Netherlands you never know what the weather will do!

6. Study stuff
Every day we will work on English grammar, spelling and vocabulary. It's handy to be able to take notes! It is therefore important to bring a notebook and some pens and pencils. Do you prefer taking notes on a tablet? That too is of course possible.

7. Sun protection and sunglasses
It is incredibly important to protect your eyes and skin from the sun. Therefore, always bring sunscreen and sunglasses. You might also want to bring a cap.

 

What things are handy to bring?

 

1. Earplugs
Do you have trouble falling asleep? Then it might be nice to bring earplugs. Especially if you end up in the room with a snorer!

2. A camera
Those beautiful moments at summer camp are something you want to capture forever, of course. For that reason it might be fun to bring a camera. Of course, you can also use your phone's camera.

3. Reading
Fancy a moment to yourself? Reading a book or magazine is a great way to unwind. This also comes in handy when you have a time when you can't sleep or wake up early.

4. Games
Games are played regularly during summer camp. Do you have a nice game at home? Bring it with you! That way you have lots of games to choose from. This is also an excellent way to make new friends!

 

How can you prepare for learning a new language at home?

 

Our summer camp is suitable for all skill levels. Everyone is welcome! It is not obligatory to prepare for our English classes, but you are welcome to do so. Below are some ways to work on your English.

1. Time for a Netflix marathon!
A fun way to expand your English vocabulary is to watch English-language Netflix series. If this is too easy with Dutch subtitles, you can also choose to turn on the English-language subtitles.

2. Read an English-language book
Reading an English-language book is also a good way to work on your vocabulary. Don't feel like surfing to Google Translate every time? On an e-reader, you can often see the translation of a word right away when you click on it. If you're not so into books, you can also opt for an English-language blog.