Here's a breakdown of some key differences:
Pronunciation:
* Rhotic pronunciation: Early Americans retained the "r" sound at the end of words and before consonants (e.g., "car," "farther"). This sound was lost in standard British English, contributing to the characteristic "American" accent.
* "Broad a" pronunciation: Words like "father" and "bath" had a broader "a" sound, closer to the "a" in "father" today, rather than the more "short a" sound in contemporary British English.
* Stress patterns: Some words had different stress patterns. For example, "address" was stressed on the first syllable, while today it's stressed on the second.
Vocabulary:
* Borrowings from other languages: Early Americans adopted words from Native American languages (e.g., "tomahawk," "canoe") and from other European languages (e.g., "Dutch" for "German").
* Unique expressions: Many regional dialects developed unique expressions and slang.
* New words for new experiences: Colonists coined new words for their encounters with new flora, fauna, and environments (e.g., "prairie," "backwoods," "skunk").
Grammar:
* Pronoun usage: Early American English often used the pronoun "thee" and "thou" more frequently than contemporary English.
* Verb forms: Some verb forms were different. For example, "gotten" was often used instead of "got."
* Sentence structure: Sentences could be more complex and less concise.
Spelling:
* Inconsistent spelling: Spelling was often inconsistent and varied depending on individual preferences and regional dialects.
* Phonetic spellings: Words were sometimes spelled closer to their pronunciation, resulting in different spellings than today.
Key factors shaping Early American English:
* Isolation from Britain: Colonists developed their own language variations due to geographic isolation and limited contact with the British Isles.
* Multilingualism: The presence of diverse immigrant groups contributed to linguistic diversity and borrowing.
* Innovation and adaptation: Colonists adapted their language to new experiences and environments, creating unique words and phrases.
Overall, Early American English was a vibrant and evolving language with unique features that have shaped contemporary American English. It's important to remember that these differences were not uniform and varied across regions and social classes.