Differences in the Usage of English in the
British and American Versions of Amazon Online Bookstore
Pia Koivisto (December 2005)
FAST-US-1 (TRENAK2) Introduction to American English (Hopkins)
The FAST Area Studies Program
Department of Translation Studies, University of Tampere

Many Internet services are available with parallel versions for different nations or world regions. One such service is the popular Amazon bookstore, which has seven country-specific versions, for the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, China and Japan.

The different versions are localized to meet customer expectations in each area. The localization includes language. For distinct languages (French, German, Chinese or Japanese vs. English in the case of Amazon), the difference is clear, but for variations of English in the United States, Great Britain and Canada, the dissimilarities are often not easy to spot. In this paper selected texts from the U.S. and British Amazon websites are studied to determine what usage differences they present. The Canadian variant of English is not included in the study.

The study concentrates on the language of editorial review material, in particular the book descriptions put online by the publisher (i.e. Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.) The study does not include customer reviews, general book or pricing information, advertisements and other such material, which are more different both in layout of the page and in content. Customer reviews may also reflect more the sociolect of the individual than general language conventions; their credibility as source information would thus be more difficult to evaluate.

The main differences expected to be found were variation in spelling and punctuation, as well as vocabulary differences and editorial modifications which reflect cultural differences. It was expected that the reviews which involved local cultural viewpoints, such as travel, would differ more than those on more universal concepts, such as scientific work.

The research question this paper poses is: Can distinctions between the British and the American English variants clearly be seen by looking at the material on the British and American versions of the Amazon website?

Methodology and Selection of Material

From the abundance of editorial review material, a selection of texts was made using the following criteria:
  • The review had to be for a book; other formats, such as DVDs, CDs, etc. were excluded to limit the source material;
  • The "core" of the text had to be the same on both sites — to better isolate the language variation from other variation within the text;
  • The text had to be sufficiently long — more than a few sentences — to reveal structural differences;
  • The editions of the book had to be the same whenever possible — to ensure the reviewed items were equivalent.

The set of books was selected to include works by both British and American authors, as well as authors from other nationalities, fiction from different time periods, and also non-fiction, to find out possible variation between these genres. Many of the books chosen for the initial selection were well-known — either classics or best-sellers in their category. Others were selected for general interest reasons (e.g. the travel guide to Finland).

The final selection of books was made on the basis of the editorial material available. For most of the thousands of books included in the two Amazon websites, there was not enough material to meet the criteria for this study. Many books had no editorial reviews on either one or both of the websites; for some the included reviews were different. These factors alone narrowed the selection of qualifying material considerably.

Because the scope of this study is limited, the collection of reviews also excludes many otherwise interesting types of books, such as cook books (or "cookery books" in BrE). Such reviews would likely have expressed an abundance of different language items and cultural viewpoints between the British and American variants, but might be considered too obvious for the study.

In the following sections, the studied editorial texts are presented in their entirety, with differences marked in the text: structural differences, such as punctuation and different wordings, are marked with underlining, and single words differing between the variants, mainly with different spelling, are marked with bold type. Differences in the pronunciation of words between British and American English are excluded from this study, since the source material is exclusively in written form.

The information sources used for distinguishing between the British and American English characteristics were the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary1 and the FAST Area Studies reference material at the University of Tampere website.

The final selection of books comprised the following categories:

  • Fiction (2 books)
  • Arts and crafts (1 book)
  • Science (2 books)
  • Travel guides (3 books)
  • Biographies and memoirs (3 books)

The key findings of the study were that the differences between the British and American variants of the text were not as clear as expected. The differences in spelling and sentence structure were noticeable, but not consistent; the extent of the localization varied considerably within the studied material. The inconsistency may in part result either from the nature of web publishing itself, where getting the material online swiftly might be considered more urgent than refining the text thoroughly, or from Amazon's particular implementation of such web publishing.

The observed differences are presented in a table for each book. A summary of all the findings is included in the study's concluding section.

General Observations

Going through the book entries on www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk, it became clear that there were great differences in the way the same book was presented on each site.

In many cases there was no editorial review at all on one site, while on the other even several extensive reviews were cited. For most items, though, there were no editorial reviews on either site. The entries for different editions of the same book also varied considerably.

Fiction

Lesley Castle

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Lesley Castle (Hesperus Classics) Lesley Castle (Hesperus Classics Series) (Paperback)
Author Zoe Heller (Foreword), Jane Austen Zoe Heller (Foreword), Jane Austen
Edition Paperback 112 pages (February 25, 2005) Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher Hesperus Press Ltd Hesperus Press (March 30, 2005)
ISBN 1843911159 1843911159

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Book Description

'Lesley Castle' is Jane Austen's inspired novella in letters. In it she presents a series of outrageously superficial characters, brilliantly showcasing her comic genius.

As Miss Margaret Lesley and Miss Charlotte Lutterell divulge their innermost secrets through a series of letters, each reveals where her true priorities lie: if a bridegroom is fatally wounded the night before his wedding, the first concern must inexorably be for the luxurious food that will be laid to waste. As one plot gives way to the next, and as the heroines exchange wisdom on adultery, elopement, divorce and remarriage, they increasingly become prey to the merciless and lambasting sword of Jane Austen's wit.

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Book Description

This inspired novella, with its outrageous cast of superficial characters, brilliantly showcases Jane Austen's comic genius. Presented here with A History of England and Catharine. With a Foreword by Zoë Heller.

As Miss Margaret Lesley and Miss Charlotte Lutterell divulge their innermost secrets through a series of letters, each reveals where her true priorities lie: if a bridegroom is fatally wounded the night before his wedding, the first concern must inexorably be for the luxurious food that will be laid to waste. As one plot gives way to the next, and as the heroines exchange wisdom on adultery, elopement, divorce, and remarriage, they increasingly fall prey to the merciless and lambasting sword of Jane Austen's wit.

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 'Lesley Castle' is Jane Austen's This Demonstrative pronoun in AmE instead of personal noun Sentence structure
2 she presents a series of outrageously superficial characters with its outrageous cast of superficial characters a "possessive clause" in AmE instead of active sentence
"cast" used in AmE instead of "series"		 Sentence structure
Different word
3 showcasing showcases Active verb form in AmE instead of a gerund Sentence structure
4 - Presented here with A History of England and Catharine. With a Foreword by Zoë Heller. Text added to American version Omission/addition
5 divorce and divorce, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
6 become prey fall prey Verb changed Different word

The main differences between the texts are in the structure of the sentences and phrases used. These differences can not be explained by the language variants as such. It can be assumed that they reflect the preferences of the individual editors responsible for the publication of each entry.

In the American text it is mentioned that the book includes a history of England whereas in the British text this is omitted, even though the edition of the book is the same. For British readers the information is perhaps considered to be less relevant as it is more general knowledge to them, unlike to the American readers.

There are no spelling differences in the text.

The Da Vinci Code

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title The Da Vinci Code The Da Vinci Code (Hardcover)
Author Dan Brown Dan Brown
Edition Paperback 560 pages (April 1, 2004) Hardcover: 454 pages
Publisher Corgi Adult Doubleday; 1st ed edition (March 18, 2003)
ISBN 0552149519 0385504209

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk Review

With The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoterica culled from 2,000 years of Western history. A murder in the silent after-hours halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his granddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle.

The duo become both suspects and detectives searching not only for Neveu's grandfather's murderer, but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England and history itself. Brown has created a page-turning thriller that also provides an amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with the veracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da Vinci Code is an enthralling read that provides rich food for thought. --Jeremy Pugh, Amazon.com

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com

With The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoteria culled from 2,000 years of Western history.

A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his granddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects and detectives searching for not only Neveu's grandfather's murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself. Brown (Angels and Demons) has created a page-turning thriller that also provides an amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with the veracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da Vinci Code is an enthralling read that provides rich food for thought. --Jeremy Pugh

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 not only for for not only location of "only" Sentence structure
2 murderer, but murderer but no comma before "but" in AmE Punctuation
3 England and England, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 esoterica esoteria c missing in AmE text, an editing error Spelling

The texts are identical except for punctuation, a small re-ordering of words, and an editing or typing error in the American text (esoteria). The equivalence is very understandable as the author of the text, Jeremy Pugh, is identified.

The original text was, according to the note in the British version, written for the American Amazon and the punctuation was edited for the British entry.

Non-Fiction

Arts and Crafts

Building Garden and Patio Furniture

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Building Garden and Patio Furniture: Classic Designs - Step-by-step Projects Building Garden & Patio Furniture (Paperback)
Author Rick Peters Rick Peters
Edition Paperback 128 pages (January 2003) Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher Sunset Books Sunset Publishing Corporation (November, 2002)
ISBN 0376010274 0376010274

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Synopsis

Family, friends, kids - everyone enjoys hanging out in the backyard or garden. Just think how impressed they'll be when they find out it was you who built the furniture. Sunset have commissioned a master woodworker to design these 18 up-market, elegantly simple pieces of outdoor furniture. * 18 timeless outdoor furniture projects for DIY beginners and advanced woodworkers, including: - chairs - benches - planters - tables - dog kennel - window boxes - * Full colour step-by-step photographs showing the beautiful design and craftmanship of the completed projects, plus materials lists and illustrated plans. * Choosing the right material and finishing techniques for each outdoor project, which encompasses the use of outdoor-resilient wood, such as pine, teak, mahogany, and recycled plastic lumber. * Build garden furniture of far better quality than the flat pack items you would buy from your local garden centre!

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Book Description

Family, friends, kids-everyone enjoys hanging out in the backyard or garden. Just think how impressed they'll be when they find out you built the furniture. Sunset commissioned a master woodworker to design these 18 high-end, elegantly simple pieces of outdoor furniture. Full-color photography shows off the beautiful design and craftsmanship of the completed projects. Several kinds of outdoor-resilient wood are used, such as pine, teak, mahogany, and recycled plastic lumber.

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 it was you who you Phrase shortened in AmE Omission/addition
2 have commissioned commissioned Past tense instead of past present in AmE
(Plural verb use with collective noun in BrE)		 Sentence structure
3 up-market high-end   Different word
4 photographs showing photography shows off active sentence in AmE instead of a clause
"off" added in AmE 		Different word
Omission/addition
5 encompasses the use of outdoor-resilient wood Several kinds of outdoor-resilient wood are used Passive sentence in AmE instead of active Sentence structure

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 DIY - Typically BrE abbreviation, "do-it-yourself" in AmE Typically British expression
2 dog kennel - Typically BrE expression, AmE would use "doghouse" Typically British expression
3 Full colour Full-color Hyphen used in compound noun in AmE; -or instead of -our in AmE Hyphenation; Spelling
4 craftmanship craftsmanship crafts- instead of craft- in AmE Spelling
5 flat pack - Typically BrE expression, no equivalent in AmE Typically British expression
6 centre (center) -er instead of -re in AmE Spelling

These texts represent their variants of the English language quite distinctively, mainly due to the typically British vocabulary used in the Amazon.co.uk text but omitted from the American entry, as well as replaced words. There are also some structural differences, mainly regarding verb forms.

Typical word scale differences can be observed, such as the AmE omission of u in the word colo(u)r and the order of e and r in centre/center. Compound noun form is also dissimilar in the texts.

The original text is assumed to be British, although it is not stated in the context, because the British version contains considerably more text and many typically British terms (such as DIY, up-market, flat pack) are used. Most of these sentences have simply been edited out of the American version, or modified so that the British expressions could be omitted or replaced.

Science

Earthshock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes and Other Forces of Nature

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Earthshock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes and Other Forces of Nature Earthshock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes, and Other Forces of Nature, Revised Edition (Paperback)
Author Andrew Robinson Andrew Robinson
Edition Paperback 304 pages (March 1, 2002) Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher Thames and Hudson Ltd W. W. Norton & Company; Revised edition (March, 2002)
ISBN 0500283044 0500283044

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Synopsis

What causes an earthquake? When will another big shock shake Tokyo or Los Angeles? Can people create deserts and eventually wipe out a civilization? Or are deserts and droughts entirely beyond human control? How are ozone layer and greenhouse effect interlinked? Is global warming a force of Nature - or of man? This revised edition comes complete with key websites, illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned artwork, and presents the updated scientific insights into these fiercely debated, life-and-death questions. Our predecessors, such as Newton and Einstein, built science gradually upon their faith in some fundamental simplicity in Nature: what they called Nature's laws. Today our view is one of chaos and complexity, as we grapple with the intricacies of how everything - natural and human - interacts. But understanding these interactions has never been more urgent: for we now find ourselves increasingly at the mercy of plan et-threatening upheavals unleashed by our own actions.

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Book Description

What causes an earthquake? When will another big shock shake Tokyo or Los Angeles? Can people create deserts? How are the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect interlinked? Is global warming a force of nature-or of man? This compelling and informative book, illustrated with marvelous photographs and specially commissioned artwork, explains the latest scientific insights into these questions. Each force of nature is separately fitted into the jigsaw puzzle of global environmental change. The revised edition of this widely praised book draws on the dramatic evidence of recent years to evaluate the state of the planet-and man's effect on it-in the new century. 275 illustrations, 135 in color.

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 ozone layer the ozone layer Use of definite article in AmE Sentence structure
2 greenhouse effect the greenhouse effect Use of definite article in AmE Sentence structure
3 with photographs with marvelous photographs Addition of adjective in AmE Omission/addition
4 presents the explains the   Different word
5 updated latest   Different word
6 these fiercely debated, life-and-death questions these questions   Omission/addition

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 civilization, (civilisation) (civilization) Can be spelled with s instead of z in BrE; z used in this text (word not used in the AmE text) Spelling
2 Nature nature   Capitalization
3 (marvellous) marvelous -l- instead of -ll- in AmE (word not used in the BrE text) Spelling
4 (colour) color -or instead of -our in AmE (word not used in the BrE text) Spelling

Compared to the other items selected for this study, this is the one with the most noticeable differences between the British and American versions. Only the beginning of the text is roughly the same; the discussion on the effects of the phenomena on mankind, and vice versa, is presented in a very dissimilar way in the British and American texts. Whether this is a coincidence reflecting the personal views of the editor of the text or a cultural difference can not be explicitly ascertained. It might be assumed that the American readers, who are perhaps more likely to have an optimistic outlook on life, would prefer to read a more positively loaded description instead of the "doomsday" vocabulary of the British text. However, that is pure speculation without knowing the facts behind the editorial decisions.

Setting aside the obvious distinction in the focus of the texts, some structural differences can be observed. The American text used the definite article in conjunction with the abstract entities such as ozone layer and greenhouse effect, whereas the British text leaves the definite articles out. There are also some different wordings, which can not be explained by the American or British variant use as such. The addition of a positive adjective to the depiction of the photographs is a typically American thing.

Metabolism at a Glance

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Metabolism at a Glance (At a Glance S.) Metabolism at a Glance (At a Glance) (Paperback)
Author J.G. Salway D. K. Granner (Foreword), J. G. Salway
Edition Paperback 128 pages (November 30, 2003) Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher Blackwell Publishing Blackwell Publishers; 3rd edition (January, 2004
ISBN 1405107162 1405107162

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Book Description

Metabolism at a Glance is a complete review course of metabolism in health and disease and offers a unique approach to the study of this difficult discipline.

Metabolism is a complicated subject involving complex molecules and interrelated pathways. These metabolic pathways are usually taught separately with the result that the student develops a detailed but compartmentalised approach to metabolism and frequently fails to see the overall picture and its physiological significance.

Using the at a Glance format, the book takes the student through a complete course in intermediary metabolism in an integrated manner. The same chart is repeated throughout the book with the individual pathway under study highlighted.

The book is an ideal text for introductory biochemistry courses and has established itself as an enormously popular book amongst lecturers and students alike. This third edition is fully updated and includes five new chapters:

  1. Metabolic Channelling
  2. Glucose homeostasis and Reye's Disease
  3. Pentose phosphate pathway and the prodcution of NADPH
  4. Tryptophan metabolism in health and disease
  5. Tyrosine metabolism in health and disease

Synopsis

"Metabolism at a Glance" is a complete review course of metabolism in health and disease and offers a unique approach to the study of this difficult discipline. Metabolism is a complicated subject involving complex molecules and interrelated pathways. These metabolic pathways are usually taught separately with the result that the student develops a detailed but compartmentalised approach to metabolism and frequently fails to see the overall picture and its physiological significance. Using the at a glance format, the book takes the student through a complete course in intermediary metabolism in an integrated manner. The same chart is repeated throughout the book with the individual pathway under study highlighted. The book is an ideal text for introductory biochemistry courses and has established itself as an enormously popular book amongst lecturers and students alike. This third edition is fully updated and includes five new chapters: Metabolic Channelling, Gluco se homeostasis and Reye's Disease, Pentose phosphate pathway and the prodcution of NADPH, Tryptophan metabolism in health and disease, and Tyrosine metabolism in health and disease.

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Book Description

Metabolism at a Glance is a complete review course of metabolism in health and disease and offers a unique approach to the study of this difficult discipline.

Metabolism is a complicated subject involving complex molecules and interrelated pathways. These metabolic pathways are usually taught separately with the result that the student develops a detailed but compartmentalised approach to metabolism and frequently fails to see the overall picture and its physiological significance.

Using the at a Glance format, the book takes the student through a complete course in intermediary metabolism in an integrated manner. The same chart is repeated throughout the book with the individual pathway under study highlighted.

The book is an ideal text for introductory biochemistry courses and has established itself as an enormously popular book amongst lecturers and students alike. This third edition is fully updated and includes five new chapters to mirror those topics currently taught at undergraduate level:

  1. Metabolic Channelling
  2. Glucose homeostasis and Reye's Disease
  3. Pentose phosphate pathway and the prodcution of NADPH
  4. Tryptophan metabolism in health and disease
  5. Tyrosine metabolism in health and disease

Book Info

Univ. of Surrey, Guildford, UK. Provides an overview of separate inter-related pathways as well as 'the big picture' of metabolisms. Features six new chapters on metabolic channeling, tryptophan metabolism, tyrosine metabolism in disease, and Reye's syndrome. Extensively illustrated. Previous edition: c1999. Softcover.

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 chapters chapters to mirror those topics currently taught at undergraduate level Specifying clause added in AmE Omission/addition
2 "Metabolism at a Glance" Metabolism at a Glance Use of quotation marks in BrE Punctuation
3 Reye's Disease Reye's Disease / Reye's syndrome   Different word (Capitalization)

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 compartmentalised *compartmentalised (compartmentalized) -ize- instead of -ise-AmE; BrE form used in both these texts Spelling
2 a Glance, a glance a Glance   Capitalization
3 amongst amongst (among) Typically British word form; among normally used in AmE Typically British expression
4 Channelling Channelling, channeling -l- instead of -ll- in AmE Spelling; Capitalization
5 interrelated interrelated, inter-related Hyphen used in compound noun in AmE Hyphenation
6 Tryptophan tryptophan   Capitalization
7 Tyrosine tyrosine   Capitalization

This text is an exception among scientific book descriptions, which are generally written for the American editions. This text is clearly written for the British edition. The reason is probably that the book was originally published in Great Britain and thus the material was also prepared there.

There is variation in the use of British and American words in the Amazon.com texts. By the use of British word forms, it can be assumed that the Book description was directly copied from a British source, and the Book Info section was written in America (using the same source text). However, there is an addition in the Book description text about the undergraduate level study topics, which suggests some editing has been done, even though the word forms have not been changed, and the typing error in the word "production" (to "prodcution") is preserved in the American version as well as in both British texts. In most cases, the typically British characteristics of the text have been retained as such.

Just as with "tryptophan" and "tyrosine", the capitalization of "pentose" is probably also different, but this can not be determined by this text as the word is only used at the beginning of a sentence.

Travel

Finland Insight Guide

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Finland Insight Guide (Insight Guides S.) Insight Guide Finland (Insight Guides) (Paperback)
Author Zoe Ross (Editor) Zoe Ross
Edition Paperback 300 pages (July 25, 2003) Paperback: 325 pages
Publisher Insight Guides Insight Guides; 4th edition (December, 2003)
ISBN 9814120391 9814120391

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Synopsis

This book includes a section detailing Finland's history, 10 features covering the country's life and culture, ranging from its vast forested terrain to its top Formula One driver Mika Hakkinen, a region by region visitor's guide to the sights, and a comprehensive Travel Tips section packed with essential contact addresses and numbers. Plus hundreds of top-notch photographs and 14 maps.

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Book Description

Insight Guide Finland includes a section detailing Finland's history, 10 features covering aspects of the type's life and culture, ranging from A Wilderness Experience to Music and film, a region by region visitor's guide to the sights, and a comprehensive Travel Tips section packed with essential contact addresses and numbers. Plus 14 mpas and many high quality photographs.

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 This book Insight Guide Finland The name of the book used instead of demonstrative phrase in AmE Sentence structure
2 the country's life aspects of the type's life   Different phrase
3 from its vast forested terrain to its top Formula One driver Mika Hakkinen from A Wilderness Experience to Music and film   Different phrase
4 hundreds of many   Different phrase
5 top-notch high quality   Different word

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 maps mpas Typing error in AmE text Spelling

This short text is interesting in showing the cultural environment of the readers in Great Britain and United States. Judging by the publishing dates of the issues and the contents of the text, it is assumed that the British version is the original, and the American version was edited from that.

Cultural differences can be clearly seen from the description of the book contents, where in the British version Mika Häkkinen is mentioned, but in the American text the passage has been replaced with (apparently) chapter titles because Formula One drivers do not interest the average American audience. Without seeing the book itself it can not be determined why the specific chapter titles have been selected.

Some words and phrases have also been replaced in the editing process. The reason for these replacements is not clear; possibly they are just personally preferred by the editor. One of the replaced words, however, sounds peculiar: "type" used instead of "country". None of the definitions of "type" correspond with the use of the word in this text ("typical" would fit better into the sentence). Perhaps the editor was about to change the sentence more radically but never finished the task, and overlooked the mistake when proofreading the text.

Luxor and the Valley of the Kings

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Luxor and the Valley of the Kings Luxor and the Valley of the Kings (Hardcover)
Author Alessandro Bongioanni Alesandro Bongioanni
Edition Hardcover 192 pages (September 30, 2004) Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher White Star White Star; Book&Map edition (November 6, 2004)
ISBN 8854400092 8854400092

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Synopsis

This volume is dedicated to the monuments of Luxor and the vast region known as the Valley of the Kings. With a review of the most important sites and the splendid works of art contained in the tombs, it described the most recent archaeological discoveries and reconstructs historical events buried for centuries under the sand.

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Book Description

Among the open-air museums along the banks of the Nile River are the archaeological district formed by Luxor (ancient Thebes) and the Valley of the Kings, "rediscovered" a century ago. The two sites form an exceptional repository of historical and artistic riches still awaiting complete exploration.

This volume is dedicated to the monuments of Luxor and the vast region known as the Valley of the Kings. Through tours of all the most important sites, analysis of the finds and the splendid works of art contained in the burial chambers, and explanation of the latest archaeological discoveries, this book reconstructs historical events buried beneath the sands for thousands of years. It offers the reader, with the help of magnificent photographs and detailed maps, a fantastic voyage through the Ancient Egypt of the pharaohs.

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 With a review of Through tours of all   Different phrase
2 tombs burial chambers   Different word
3 it described the most recent and explanation of the latest   Sentence structure
4 and , this book   Sentence structure
5 buried for centuries under the sand buried beneath the sands for thousands of years location of the "temporal phrase"
beneath instead of under
sands instead of sand 		Sentence structure
Different word
Other difference

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 archaeological archaeological, (archeological) In AmE, the word can be spelled archeo- without the second a (version not used in this text) Spelling

The first thing that can be noticed when looking at these texts is that the first paragraph is missing from the British version. For the scope of this study, this is not very relevant; it may be considered unnecessary for a synopsis but useful background info in a book description, or personal choice of the editor, or simply an editing error.

For the parts of the text which are present in both versions, some differences can be observed. There are many cases where a word or a phrase has been changed. The changed items are not especially characteristic to the British or American variants of English, thus they are either the personal preferences of the editors or culturally loaded (e.g. "burial chambers" might be considered more politically correct than "tombs" in the United States).

Venice for Pleasure

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Venice for Pleasure Venice for Pleasure (Paperback)
Author J.G. Links J. G. Links
Edition Paperback 320 pages (July 31, 2000) Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher Pallas Athene Publishers Pallas Athene (UK); 7th Rev edition (April, 2001)
ISBN 1873429401 1873429401

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Book Description

This is the seventh revised edition of a guidebook that has become a minor classic, remaining in print for over 30 years. Its simple object, in the author's own words, is to guide the reader to places he might otherwise miss and, having reached them, to tell him what he might wish to know and then leave him, preferably at a café, to admire, to enjoy, and perhaps be disappointed.

The illustrations show the visitor, as he confronts a view, what his predecessors of a hundred, two hundred or five hundred years ago saw from the same point. Two sections of colour plates have been added, showing how the beauty of Venice inspired the 18th century view painters.

The main part of the book describes four walks, each of which can be completed in one day, although there are points in each at which one can break off and return another day. Maps, old and new are provided for each walk. The introduction deals with the Piazza S. Marco and its neighbourhood, and appendices are devoted to the public boat services, food and drink and books about Venice. One chapter is entitled 'Venice for Children's Pleasure.

Bernard Levin in The Times

Not only the best guide-book to that city ever written, but the best guide-book to any city ever written

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

From the Publisher

Now in its seventh revised edition, Venice for Pleasure has become a minor classic, remaining in print for more than thirty years. "Its simple object," in the author's own words, "is to guide the reader to places he might otherwise miss and, having reached them, to tell him what he might wish to know and then leave him, preferably at a café, to admire, to enjoy, and perhaps be disappointed. The main part of the book describes four walks, each of which can be completed in one day, although there are points in each at which one can break off and return another day. The illustrations show the visitor, as he confronts a view, what his predecessors of a hundred, two hundred, or five hundred years ago saw from the very same point."

Bernard Levin, THE TIMES

"Not only the best guide book to that city ever written, but the best guide book to any city ever written."

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 This is the ... of a guidebook that Now in its ... , Venice for Pleasure   Different phrase
2 over more than   Different phrase
3 Its simple object, "Its simple object," Use of quotation marks in AmE Punctuation
4 hundred or hundred, or comma before "or" in AmE Punctuation
5 the same the very same Addition of adjective in AmE Omission/addition
6 Not ... written "Not ... written." Use of quotation marks and period in AmE Punctuation

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 colour (color) -or instead of -our in AmE (word not used in the AmE text) Spelling
2 neighbourhood (neighborhood) -or instead of -our in AmE (word not used in the AmE text) Spelling
3 30 thirty Numeral in written letters in AmE Spelling
4 guide-book guide book Hyphen used in compound noun in BrE Hyphenation

For this book, two editorial items are chosen; the review by Bernard Levin is included mainly because it shows certain features different in the British and American English variants.

In the text by the publisher, there are some editorial differences. The two last paragraphs in the British text are rephrased and reordered in the American version, and a significant part has been omitted. From this example, one could have the impression that 18th century artwork is not considered very interesting in America… The omission of mentioning children's activities can be explained by the target audience - probably not many American families with young children travel to Venice, but tourists from Great Britain may be more likely to include families.

One typically American feature can be noticed in the last sentence, namely the addition of "very" in the phrase "the same point".

In the Bernard Levin review the differences in the formation of compound nouns in British and American English can be seen. In the British version, a hyphen is used whereas in the American version the words are spelled separately. Also the use of quotation marks is different in the two versions. The omission of period in the British text may be a typing error instead of a deliberate choice.

Biographies, Memoirs

My Life

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title My Life My Life (Hardcover)
Author Bill Clinton Bill Clinton
Edition Hardcover 1024 pages (June 22, 2004) Hardcover: 1008 pages
Publisher Hutchinson Knopf (June, 2004)
ISBN 0091795273 0375414576

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk Review

An exhaustive, soul-searching memoir, Bill Clinton's My Life is a refreshingly candid look at the former president as a son, brother, teacher, father, husband and public figure. Clinton painstakingly outlines the history behind his greatest successes and failures, including his dedication to educational and economic reform, his war against a "vast right-wing operation" determined to destroy him, and the "morally indefensible" acts for which he was nearly impeached. My Life is autobiography as therapy--a personal history written by a man trying to face and banish his private demons.

Clinton approaches the story of his youth with gusto, sharing tales of giant watermelons, nine-pound tumours, a charging ram, famous mobsters and jazz musicians and a BB gun standoff. He offers an equally energetic portrait of American history, pop culture and the evolving political landscape, covering the historical events that shaped his early years (namely the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr and JFK) and the events that shaped his presidency (Waco, Bosnia, Somalia). What makes My Life remarkable as a political memoir is how thoroughly it is infused with Clinton's unassuming, charmingly pithy voice:

I learned a lot from the stories my uncle, aunts, and grandparents told me: that no one is perfect but most people are good; that people can't be judged only by their worst or weakest moments; that harsh judgments can make hypocrites of us all; that a lot of life is just showing up and hanging on; that laughter is often the best, and sometimes the only, response to pain.

However, that same voice might tire readers as Clinton applies his penchant for minute details to a distractible laundry list of events, from his youth through the years of his presidency. Not wanting to forget a single detail that might help account for his actions, Clinton overdoes it--do we really need to know the name of his childhood barber? But when Clinton sticks to the meat of his story--recollections about his mother, his abusive stepfather, Hillary, the campaign trail and Kenneth Starr--the veracity of emotion and revelations about "what it is like to be President" make My Life impossible to put down.

To Clinton, "politics is a contact sport" and while he claims that My Life is not intended to make excuses or assign blame, it does portray him as a fighter whose strategy is to "take the first hit, then counterpunch as hard as I could". While My Life is primarily a stroll through Clinton's memories, it is also a scathing rebuke--a retaliation against his detractors, including Kenneth Starr, whose "mindless search for scandal" protected the guilty while "persecuting the innocent" and distracted his administration from pressing international matters (including strikes on al Qaeda). Counterpunch indeed.

At its core, My Life is a charming and intriguing if flawed book by an intriguing and flawed man who had his worst failures and humiliations made public. Ultimately, the man who left office in the shadow of scandal offers an honest and open account of his life, allowing readers to witness his struggle to "drain the most out of every moment" while maintaining the character with which he was raised. It is a remarkably intimate, persuasive look at the boy he was, the president he became and the man he is today. --Daphne Durham, Amazon.com

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com

An exhaustive, soul-searching memoir, Bill Clinton's My Life is a refreshingly candid look at the former president as a son, brother, teacher, father, husband, and public figure. Clinton painstakingly outlines the history behind his greatest successes and failures, including his dedication to educational and economic reform, his war against a "vast right-wing operation" determined to destroy him, and the "morally indefensible" acts for which he was nearly impeached. My Life is autobiography as therapy--a personal history written by a man trying to face and banish his private demons.

Clinton approaches the story of his youth with gusto, sharing tales of giant watermelons, nine-pound tumors, a charging ram, famous mobsters and jazz musicians, and a BB gun standoff. He offers an equally energetic portrait of American history, pop culture, and the evolving political landscape, covering the historical events that shaped his early years (namely the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and JFK) and the events that shaped his presidency (Waco, Bosnia, Somalia). What makes My Life remarkable as a political memoir is how thoroughly it is infused with Clinton's unassuming, charmingly pithy voice:

I learned a lot from the stories my uncle, aunts, and grandparents told me: that no one is perfect but most people are good; that people can't be judged only by their worst or weakest moments; that harsh judgments can make hypocrites of us all; that a lot of life is just showing up and hanging on; that laughter is often the best, and sometimes the only, response to pain.

However, that same voice might tire readers as Clinton applies his penchant for minute details to a distractible laundry list of events, from his youth through the years of his presidency. Not wanting to forget a single detail that might help account for his actions, Clinton overdoes it--do we really need to know the name of his childhood barber? But when Clinton sticks to the meat of his story--recollections about Mother, his abusive stepfather, Hillary, the campaign trail, and Kenneth Starr--the veracity of emotion and Kitchen Confidential-type revelations about "what it is like to be President" make My Life impossible to put down.

To Clinton, "politics is a contact sport," and while he claims that My Life is not intended to make excuses or assign blame, it does portray him as a fighter whose strategy is to "take the first hit, then counterpunch as hard as I could." While My Life is primarily a stroll through Clinton's memories, it is also a scathing rebuke--a retaliation against his detractors, including Kenneth Starr, whose "mindless search for scandal" protected the guilty while "persecuting the innocent" and distracted his Administration from pressing international matters (including strikes on al Qaeda). Counterpunch indeed.

At its core, My Life is a charming and intriguing if flawed book by an equally intriguing and flawed man who had his worst failures and humiliations made public. Ultimately, the man who left office in the shadow of scandal offers an honest and open account of his life, allowing readers to witness his struggle to "drain the most out of every moment" while maintaining the character with which he was raised. It is a remarkably intimate, persuasive look at the boy he was, the President he became, and man he is today. --Daphne Durham

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 husband and husband, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
2 musicians and musicians, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
3 culture and culture, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
4 Jr Jr. Use of period in honorifics in AmE Punctuation
5 his mother Mother Addition of possessive determiner in BrE Omission/addition
6 trail and trail, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
7 revelations Kitchen Confidential-type revelations Specifying clause added in AmE Omission/addition
8 sport" sport," Use of comma in AmE
Quotation mark after comma in AmE 		Punctuation
9 could". could." Quotation mark after period in AmE Punctuation
10 intriguing equally intriguing adverb omitted in BrE Omission/addition
11 became and became, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
12 the man man Use of definite article in AmE Sentence structure

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 judgments, (judgements) judgments In BrE, the word can be spelled judge-; not used in this text Spelling
2 tumours tumors -or- instead of -our- in AmE Spelling
3 penchant penchant In BrE, the word has "French style" pronouncing Pronunciation
4 mother Mother   Capitalization
5 administration Administration   Capitalization
6 president President   Capitalization

The text was originally written for Amazon.com, and the British version deviates from the American version only as far as the British editor has changed it. Thus, the variation in the language can be seen easily.

The main differences are in the punctuation (and some in spelling); the use of a comma with the last items of lists, the use of a period with honorifics, and the quotation mark location with respect to commas and periods.

Some words have been left out of the British text. The omission of "Kitchen Confidential" is probably due to cultural context; it refers to a TV program only familiar to American audiences. The reasons of the omission of "equally" from "equally intriguing" are not as evident.

The reference made to Clinton's mother is expressed differently in the texts. The American version refers to her as Mother, with a Capital letter but without the possessive determiner, whereas the determiner is added to the British text and "mother" is spelled without capitalization. Perhaps the conventions are different in the two variants.

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" Adventures of a Curious Character

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Surely You're Joking, Mr.Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!' (Adventures of a Curious Character) (Paperback)
Author Richard P. Feynman, Ralph Leighton Richard P. Feynman, Ralph Leighton, Edward Hutchings (Editor), Albert R. Hibbs (Introduction)
Edition Paperback 352 pages (November 19, 1992) Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher Vintage W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (April, 1997)
ISBN 009917331X 0393316041

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk Review

A series of anecdotes, such as are included in Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman, shouldn't by rights add up to an autobiography, but that's just one of the many pieces of received wisdom that Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918-88) cheerfully ignores in this engagingly eccentric book. Fiercely independent (read the chapter entitled "Judging Books by Their Covers"), intolerant of stupidity even when it comes packaged as high intellectualism (check out "Is Electricity Fire?"), unafraid to offend (see "You Just Ask Them?"), Feynman informs by entertaining. It's possible to enjoy Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman, a bestseller ever since its initial publication in 1985, simply as a bunch of hilarious yarns with the author as know-it-all hero. At some point, however, attentive readers realise that underneath all the merriment simmers a running commentary on what constitutes authentic knowledge: learning by underst anding, not by rote; refusal to give up on seemingly insoluble problems, and total disrespect for fancy ideas that have no grounding in the real world. Feynman himself had all these qualities in spades, and they come through with vigour and verve in his no-bull prose. No wonder his students--and readers around the world--adored him. --Wendy Smith

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com

A series of anecdotes shouldn't by rights add up to an autobiography, but that's just one of the many pieces of received wisdom that Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918-88) cheerfully ignores in his engagingly eccentric book, a bestseller ever since its initial publication in 1985. Fiercely independent (read the chapter entitled "Judging Books by Their Covers"), intolerant of stupidity even when it comes packaged as high intellectualism (check out "Is Electricity Fire?"), unafraid to offend (see "You Just Ask Them?"), Feynman informs by entertaining. It's possible to enjoy Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman simply as a bunch of hilarious yarns with the smart-alecky author as know-it-all hero. At some point, however, attentive readers realize that underneath all the merriment simmers a running commentary on what constitutes authentic knowledge: learning by understanding, not by rote; refusal to give up on seemingly insoluble problems; and total disrespect for fancy ideas that have no grounding in the real world. Feynman himself had all these qualities in spades, and they come through with vigor and verve in his no-bull prose. No wonder his students--and readers around the world--adored him. --Wendy Smith

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 anecdotes, such as are included in Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman, shouldn't anecdotes shouldn't Specifying clause omitted in AmE Omission/addition
2 this his Possessive instead of demonstrative determiner in AmE Different word
3 book. book, a bestseller ever since its initial publication in 1985. Location of specifying clause (see 2 lines down) Sentence structure
4 Mr Mr. Use of period in honorifics in AmE Punctuation
5 , a bestseller ever since its initial publication in 1985, simply simply Location of specifying clause (see 2 lines up) Sentence structure
6 the author the smart-alecky author Addition of adjective in AmE Omission/addition

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 realise realize -ize- instead of -ise-AmE Spelling
2 vigour vigor -or instead of -our in AmE Spelling

This text is basically the same in both the British and the American versions. There are a few structural changes; a clause has been moved, one clause has been added to the British text (or omitted from the American, as it is not clear which text is the original - probably the American text was first, considering that Mr. Feynman lived in the United States), and some changes in individual words. There are practically no differences in punctuation.

The difference depicted on the second line of the table "this" vs. "his" may be a typing error instead of an intended different meaning.

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books

Book information amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Title Reading "Lolita" in Tehran: A Memoir in Books Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books (Paperback)
Author Azar Nafisi Azar Nafisi
Edition Paperback 368 pages (February 2, 2004) Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher Fourth Estate Ltd Random House Trade Paperbacks (December 30, 2003)
ISBN 0007178484 081297106X

The compared texts:

Amazon.co.uk Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk Review

An inspired blend of memoir and literary criticism, Reading Lolita in Tehran is a moving testament to the power of art and its ability to change and improve people's lives. In 1995, after resigning from her job as a professor at a university in Tehran due to its repressive policies, Azar Nafisi invited seven of her best female students to attend a weekly study of great Western literature in her home. Since the books they read were officially banned by the government, the women were forced to meet in secret, often sharing photocopied pages of the illegal novels.

For two years they met to talk, share and "shed their mandatory veils and robes and burst into color". Though most of the women were shy and intimidated at first, they soon became emboldened by the forum and used the meetings as a springboard for debating the social, cultural and political realities of living under strict Islamic rule. They discussed their harassment at the hands of "morality guards," the daily indignities of living under Ayatollah Khomeini's regime, the effects of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, love, marriage and life in general, giving readers a rare inside look at revolutionary Iran. The books were always the primary focus, however and they became "essential to our lives: they were not a luxury but a necessity", she writes.

Threaded into the memoir are trenchant discussions of the work of Vladimir Nabokov, F Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen and other authors who provided the women with examples of those who successfully asserted their autonomy despite great odds. The great works encouraged them to strike out against authoritarianism and repression in their own ways, both large and small: "There, in that living room, we rediscovered that we were also living, breathing human beings; and no matter how repressive the state became, no matter how intimidated and frightened we were, like Lolita we tried to escape and to create our own little pockets of freedom." In short, the art helped them to survive. --Shawn Carkonen, Amazon.com --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Amazon.com Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com

An inspired blend of memoir and literary criticism, Reading Lolita in Tehran is a moving testament to the power of art and its ability to change and improve people's lives. In 1995, after resigning from her job as a professor at a university in Tehran due to repressive policies, Azar Nafisi invited seven of her best female students to attend a weekly study of great Western literature in her home. Since the books they read were officially banned by the government, the women were forced to meet in secret, often sharing photocopied pages of the illegal novels. For two years they met to talk, share, and "shed their mandatory veils and robes and burst into color." Though most of the women were shy and intimidated at first, they soon became emboldened by the forum and used the meetings as a springboard for debating the social, cultural, and political realities of living under strict Islamic rule. They discussed their harassment at the hands of "morality guards, " the daily indignities of living under the Ayatollah Khomeini's regime, the effects of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, love, marriage, and life in general, giving readers a rare inside look at revolutionary Iran. The books were always the primary focus, however, and they became "essential to our lives: they were not a luxury but a necessity," she writes.

Threaded into the memoir are trenchant discussions of the work of Vladimir Nabokov, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, and other authors who provided the women with examples of those who successfully asserted their autonomy despite great odds. The great works encouraged them to strike out against authoritarianism and repression in their own ways, both large and small: "There, in that living room, we rediscovered that we were also living, breathing human beings; and no matter how repressive the state became, no matter how intimidated and frightened we were, like Lolita we tried to escape and to create our own little pockets of freedom," she writes. In short, the art helped them to survive. --Shawn Carkonen--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Structural differences:
  British American Difference Category
1 its repressive repressive Possessive determiner added in BrE Omission/addition
2 color". color." Quotation mark after period in AmE Punctuation
3 cultural and cultural, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
4 Ayatollah the Ayatollah Use of definite article in AmE; possible editing error Sentence structure
5 marriage and marriage, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
6 however and however, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
7 necessity", necessity," Quotation mark after comma in AmE Punctuation
8 F Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald Use of period in initials of a person in AmE Punctuation
9 Austen and Austen, and comma before "and" in AmE Punctuation
10 freedom." freedom," she writes. Quotation mark after comma in AmE
Sentence omitted in BrE 		Punctuation
Omission/addition

Differences related to single words:
  British American Difference Category
1 (colour) color -or instead of -our in AmE (BrE form not used in British text) Spelling

The text is almost identical in both versions, apart from punctuation. Some additions and omissions have been made to the British text. The use of the possessive determiner seems to be more common in British English than in the American variant.

Key Findings of the Study: Patterns of Difference Found In the Two Websites

Because one of the criteria for the selection of texts for this study was that the source text had to be the same on both the American and the British sites, all differences found in the texts can be assumed to be editorial; either they were deliberate changes made to adapt the text to a more acceptable form for the target audience, or modifications induced (either intentionally or inadvertently) during the copying of the text onto the other website.

Different patterns of language variation between the British and American texts were evident, but the variations were not consistent; sometimes there were inconsistencies even within a single text version.

The most noticeable distinction between the American and British variants was the use of punctuation. A typical difference was using a comma before the "and last item" of a list in American English, as well as the American English texts separating subordinate clauses with a comma in cases where British English did not. Also the location of quotation marks was often edited to correspond to the convention of the local variant. However, in contrast to such changes, double quotation marks (" — ") were used in all texts instead of single quotation marks (BrE 'inverted commas') regardless of convention, perhaps to ease html coding. (Alternately, it could also reflect Amazon policy, as it is a U.S.-based corporation. Amazon did not respond to questions attempting to clarify this point.)

Another typically distinctive feature was the tendency to add intensifying or illustrative words in the American text. Most often these were adjectives, but there were also some examples of adding an adverb or a phrasal verb form. The definite article was also used in some American texts where it was not present in the British equivalents.

Generally the editorial material for science books was copied without editing from one site to the other, usually from the American to the British site. This was easily noticeable from the spelling. In some cases even typing errors were copied from one site to the other.

Some structural differences, e.g. bulleted list formatting and use of special characters, were different in otherwise identical texts. These were most likely introduced in the html coding stage, possibly as individual preferences of different page formatters, and have nothing to do with language variation and conventions.

There were a number of occasions where the differences between the British and American texts could not be explained by the vocabulary or conventions of the two variants. Whether these reflect the preferences of the editors personally, or a more general distinction in the ways of expression in their cultural environments, can not be determined from the available source material.

The typical differences within single words found in the texts are summarized in the table below:

Summary: Typical Differences Between the British and American Texts
Category Difference British Forms American Forms
Hyphenation Use of hyphen in compound noun Full colour Full-color
Hyphenation Use of hyphen in compound noun guide-book guide book
Hyphenation Use of hyphen in compound noun interrelated interrelated, inter-related
Spelling -er instead of -re in AmE centre (center)
Spelling -ize- instead of -ise- in AmE civilization, (civilisation); compartmentalised; realise civilization; *compartmentalised, (compartmentalized); realize
Spelling -l- instead of -ll- in AmE marvellous; Channelling marvelous; Channelling, channeling
Spelling -or instead of -our in AmE colour; neighbourhood; tumours; vigour color; (neighborhood); tumors; vigor
Capitalization   Nature; a Glance, a glance; Tryptophan; Tyrosine nature; a Glance; tryptophan; tyrosine
Capitalization   mother; administration; president Mother; Administration; President

Cultural differences were generally not clearly visible in the selected texts. This may have been caused by the selection of texts. Because the original texts were the same in both the British and American cases, they represent the cultural viewpoint of the area where the text was originally written. This is often also the case in translations from one language to another; the language is not fully converted into the target culture. Also, the need to publish the material as quickly as possible may have affected the amount of editorial work done on the texts. More differences may have been found if separate original texts from each country had been compared, but such a comparison would have been more difficult, as would have been the finding of a corresponding set of texts close enough in style and content in both language variants.

The policy guidelines and the role of the editors at Amazon in deciding the presentation of the review material would have been interesting to research, but that was not possible within this study.

During the preparation of the paper, a question was sent to the Amazon.com Customer Service (via a feedback form on the Amazon.com website) about the editorial policies at Amazon to get more precise information on the selection process for the reviews and on the localization of the texts. While there was a (personal, not automated) reply from Customer Service saying that the question had been forwarded to the editorial staff, no follow-up had been received by the publishing time of the paper. The reply also indicated that it was possible that the editorial policy would be considered commercially confidential information and thus could not be revealed to outsiders (even for an academic study). If first-hand information on the editorial policies had been available, the depth of the study could have increased correspondingly.

Notes

  1. With the edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary that was used for reference in this study came a software utility called Oxford Advanced Genie, which provides a window showing "instant" word definitions. When using e.g. Microsoft Word, the Genie utility shows in real time the definition of the word under the mouse cursor, with an indication of differences in American and British forms of the word. The Genie utility was very helpful in the processing of the reviews, as each word's usage could be checked quickly while typing.

  2. The Works Cited format differs slightly from the published MLA style and the MLA "house style" of the University of Tampere English Translation Section. MLA style is not designed for the particular kind of references used in this study, where the authors of the book reviews are often not credited. Thus the reviews can not be listed by their authors. They cannot be listed by website either, because the alternative versions of the same text appearing in the different websites would then not be listed together. Thus, the reviews dealing with a particular book would have been difficult to find and compare.

    Therefore the Works Cited entries are listed by the author of the reviewed book. The two different website entries are treated separately, with the book details and the website information given for the review. The publishing locations of the book editions are not included because they were not stated on the Amazon websites.

    Also note that the URLs given below for each review include a unique session number, which is assigned automatically by the Amazon website. Readers of this paper who click the links below will each be assigned their own unique session number; e.g. the website will direct the reader to another, technically-different URL for what should still be the same information.

Works Cited2


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Last Updated 06 May 2010