A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF VOCABULARY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH
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Polysemy##common.commaListSeparator## Semantic shift##common.commaListSeparator## British English##common.commaListSeparator## American English##common.commaListSeparator## Lexical Variation##common.commaListSeparator## Meaning ChangeAnnotatsiya
This article examines the role of polysemy and semantic shift in shaping vocabulary differences between British and American English. Polysemy refers to the phenomenon in which a single word carries multiple related meanings, while semantic shift involves changes in word meaning over time. Although British and American English share a common origin, their vocabularies have developed differently due to historical separation, cultural influence, and social change. As a result, many words have acquired new meanings or expanded their semantic range in one variety but not in the other. This research analyzes selected lexical items to illustrate how polysemy and semantic shift contribute to variation between the two varieties. The findings highlight the importance of semantic awareness for language learners, translators, and researchers, as meaning differences may affect communication and interpretation
