Separated by a Common Language/Quotes

"England and America are two countries separated by a common language."

- George Bernard Shaw

"They say that Britain and America are two countries separated by the Atlantic Ocean. And it's true!"

- Eddie Izzard

"Firebolt: Ms. Rowling, after the first book, you stopped converting English words to American words. Is there any reason for this?

J. K. Rowling: Actually, we didn't stop, but the number of words that were changed has been greatly exaggerated! We only ever changed a word when it had a different meaning in “American,” for instance, the word “jumper,” which in England means “sweater” and here, I believe, is something that only little girls wear!"

- AOL interview with JK Rowling October 19, 2000

"In Canada we have enough to do keeping up with two spoken languages without trying to invent slang, so we just go right ahead and use English for literature, Scotch for sermons and American for conversation."

- Stephen Leacock

"The Americans are identical to the British in all respects except, of course, language."

- Oscar Wilde

"The American language differs from the English in that it seeks the top of expression while English seeks its lowly valleys."

- Salvador de Madariaga, Americans are Boys

"One of the strongest prejudices that one has to overcome when one visits Australia is that created by the weird jargon than passes for English in this country"

- Valerie Desmond