The English language is the language which is used most widely in the world. Learning British English or Australian English could well depend on where you live or where you would like to go and work. There are many similarities but here are some differences between British English versus Australian English:
Different words with the same meaning
British English Australian English
Accident Prang
Cheap wine Plonk
Excellent Ace
How are you? How are you going?
English person Pom or Pommie
New Zealander Kiwi
Postman Postie
Vegetables Vegies
Lady Sheila
Accents
British settlers went out to Australia to live with the majority coming from either London or from Ireland. Australian English then began to be influenced by Americans which is the reason that the Australian accent began to change. Australians have an accent which is recognized all over the world.
Pronunciation
Both Australian English and British English follow received pronunciation. Oxford University recognizes this as the most common form of pronunciation. The British English accent uses both vowel and consonant phonics whereas Australian English is predominantly vowel based phonics.
Invention
British English developed from a society divided into a class system which is still obvious today. Although this is less obvious now in Great Britain, it is still a difference between British English and Australian English. Australia was originally founded with immigrants and they have a classless society. In the 19th century Australians started using Aboriginal names and words, which could have affected pronunciation based from the Aboriginal people that have and continue to live there.
The diminutive
Whereas British English speakers will use the full words, Australian English speakers use words in the diminutive. These diminutive words are shortened form of the British words often with a vowel added at the end. An example of this is afternoon which is used in British English and arvo being used as a shortened form of afternoon in Australian English. There are about 5,000 diminutive words used by Australians.
Spellings
The spellings of Australian English are a mix of British English and American English. Shorter words are spelt more like British spellings and longer words tend to be spelt like American English.
Grammar
Australian grammar is a mixture of American English and British English due in part to America television and computer software mixed in with British grammar.
Collective nouns
In British English, these collective nouns combine with verbs and are used in the plural form, so for example the staff have decided the date of the summer play. In Australian English, these collective nouns combine with verbs and are used in the singular form, so for example, the staff has decided the date of the summer play.
British Australian lexicon of words which British English do not use
Many of these lexicons of words in British Australian are derived from the Aborigines and these include cobber (otherwise known as a friend in British English), a battler (a person of note who is trying hard to survive in British English) and a bludger (meaning a person who lives off work done by other people in British English).
Computer keyboards
Australians use American keyboards to their computers and keyboards. Australian and American keyboards have punctuation symbols in different positions to British keyboards. Also, Australian and American keyboards do not have the symbols for the British pound or the symbol for the currency of the Euro.
Enjoy reading about the differences between British English and Australian English. The difference in accents is the first noticeable difference between the two different English languages. The Australian accent is well known throughout the world. Remember also that it is night time in Australia when it is day time in Britain and vice versa. Also, when it is summer in Australia it is winter in Britain and versus versa and the same with spring and autumn.