Australian English vs British English vs American English

Anyone who thinks English is English when travelling is in for a surprise. Not only is there spelling differences, there are whole word differences and phrase differences. Here is a sample of some of the differences:

Australian English British English American English
a bag of sugar, flour etc a bag of sugar, flour etc a pack of sugar, flour etc
Aluminium Aluminium Aluminum
autumn autumn fall
backpack knapsack rucksack
Barman / Bartender Barman Bartender
Bath Bath Bathtub
bill (at resturant) bill (at resturant) check (at resturant)
biscuit biscuit cookie
Bonnet (of car) Bonnet (of car) hood
Boot (or car) Boot (of car) trunk
bottle shop off-licence liquor store
Camp bed Camp bed Cot
Candy floss Candy Floss Cotton Candy
car park car park parking lot
Caravan Caravan Trailer
chemist chemist drug store
cheque cheque check
Chips Crisps Chips
chips / potatoe chips chips french fries
city centre city centre downtown
clothes shop clothes shop clothing store
Cobweb Cobweb Spider web
colour colour color
Corn Maize Corn
Cot Crib Crib
Dial tone Dialing tone Dial tone
dinner jacket dinner jacket tuxedo
do the dishes do the dishes do the washing up
Doll’s house Doll’s house Doll house
Draught Draught Draft
Draughts (game) Draughts (game) Checkers
dressing gown dressing gown robe
Eggplant Aubergine Eggplant
First floor First floor Second floor
flat flat appartment
football Australian Rules football Australian rules football
freeway motorway highway
fully booked fully booked booked up
garden garden yard
gridiron gridiron football
Ground floor Ground floor First floor
g-string thong thong
Guard (on train) Guard (on train) Conductor
Herb Herb Curb
high school secondary school high school
Hockey Hockey Field Hockey
holiday holiday vacation
Jelly Jelly Jello
Jewellery Jewellery Jewelry
Kerosene Paraffin Kerosene
Lift Lift Elevator
Manoeuvre Manoeuvre Maneuver
Mark (for exam) Mark (for exam) Grade
maths maths math
Mince (meat) Mince (meat) Ground beef
mobile mobile phone cell phone
Moustache Moustache Mustache
nappy nappy diaper
neighbour neighbour neighbor
pantyhose tights pantyhose
Pay rise Pay rise Raise
Pedestrian crossing Pedestrian crossing Crosswalk
petrol petrol gas
petrol station petrol station gas station
Postcode Postcode Zip code
Pram Pram Baby carriage
primary school primary school elementary school
queue queue line
recess break recess
rubbish rubbish carbage / trash
runners trainers sneekers
shop shop store / shop
shop assistant shop assistant sales clerk
singlett vest undershirt
soccer football soccer
subway subway underpass
Suspenders Braces Suspenders
sweets sweets candy
takeaway takeaway take out
thong flip-flop (worn on feet) flip-flop (worn on feet)
tick (✔) tick (✔) check (✔)
timetable timetable schedule
toilet toilet restroom
torch torch flashlight
trousers (for a male) trousers pants
TV program TV programme TV program
underground underground subway
waistcoat waistcoat vest
wardrobe wardrobe closet
zip zip zipper
Zucchini Courgette Zucchini
Undies men or women knickers men or women panties
Underdacks men’s knickers men’s panties
dacks trousers pants
gday good day good day
bottler very good / excellent very good / excellent
Rubber Rubber Eraser
Pissed Pissed Drunk
Angry Angry Pissed
Bum Bottom/Bum Fanny
Dummy Dummy Pacifier
Bucks party Bachelor party Stag night
knickers knickers panties
prang car accident car wreck
arvo afternoon afternoon
plonk cheap wine cheap wine
drongo idiot idiot
to gander to have a look to have a look
grog alcohol liquor
berko angry angry
jocks men’s knickers men’s panties
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