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English language varieties

"The United States and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language."

- attributed to George Bernard Shaw

English is the main language in many places, an important language in others, and spoken as a second language in most of the rest of the world. However, there are some significant differences in pronunciation, spelling and word usage around the world. This article aims to provide a list of some of these differences that may be useful to travellers.

The clearest distinction is between what can be loosely called the British (or "Commonwealth", abbreviated "UK" in this guide) and American (abbreviated "U.S." in this guide) varieties of English.
 * Many former British colonies (not all of them Commonwealth members) generally follow British rather than American usage: Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and other former British possessions in Africa, Hong Kong, all of South Asia, Malaysia, and current and former British possessions in the Caribbean and Oceania.
 * A few areas are heavily influenced by the U.S. and generally follow American usage, including the Philippines, Liberia, Israel, the Arab states of the Gulf, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, parts of Latin America and current and former American possessions in the Caribbean and Oceania.
 * The European Union has mandated British English as an official language of the EU, and it is generally standard British English that is taught as a foreign language in European schools, though American cultural influence is strong in Europe as well. Some American terms may be better known than their British counterparts (e.g., "truck" vs. "lorry", or "toll-free" vs. "freephone"), and some language schools in Europe recruit American and Canadian English teachers. In general there is a trend to move from British spelling and pronunciation towards American pronunciation, especially among young people, which is fueled in no small part by the increasing availability of American media in the original version.
 * The African Union, just like the EU, follows UK English
 * English speakers without a British background and people in areas without a history of direct colonial or military influence by English-speaking nations are often more familiar with American usage because of the popularity of U.S. films, TV series, music, and spell-checkers. In particular, due to the global economic and military dominance of the U.S., outside the Commonwealth and the European Union, it is usually American English that is taught as a foreign language in schools.
 * Canada mostly follows British spelling conventions ("labour", not "labor") but American vocabulary choices ("elevator", not "lift"). Canadian English is also pronounced similarly to American English; the most common Canadian accent is very close to a Midwestern U.S. accent.
 * Australia mostly follows British spelling; some words are spelled the American way (such as "program", not "programme"), though fewer than in Canada. However, most of the country with the exception of South Australia has a preference for U.S. terminology due to its heavy American influence since the 1970s, and a lot of British terms may not be understood outside South Australia. However, as a traveller, using only US terminology will get you nearly everywhere.
 * Papua New Guinea, being a former Australian territory up until 1975, mostly uses Australian English in an ordinary English context
 * Singapore mostly uses British English, and uses fully British spelling, but has also been significantly influenced by American and Australian English, and a large number of words are pronounced the American way. Singlish is also used, which is an English-based creole with influences from various Chinese dialects, Malay and Tamil.
 * Due to the worldwide popularity of Hollywood films and American pop culture, speakers of British English are more likely to understand American English terms than vice versa.
 * International organisations that both the U.S. and UK are members of (such as the United Nations) typically follow British Oxford usage as homage to the "senior" variety of English.

Regardless of which variety is more popular locally, a good course in English as a foreign language will at some point teach the key differences between British and American English. Most reasonably fluent second-language speakers should at least be aware of the most well-known vocabulary differences.

Some exceptions to the purely dichotomous treatment of English are noted in comments in the tables below, but this guide is meant to be a practical aid for travellers, not an exhaustive compendium of English usages.

Spelling
Noah Webster, compiler of the first major dictionary of American English in the early 19th century, made a number of simplifications in the spelling. These are now standard in American English, but generally not used in other varieties.

British English doubles the final consonant in some words when adding an ending, for example in "traveller". American English usually spells it "traveler".

American English drops the "U" in "-our" endings: However, the word "glamour" is always spelled with the "U".

Words borrowed from French keep the French "-re" ending in British English, but get changed to the more phonetic "-er" in American English:

British English changes a "C" to an "S" to distinguish a noun from a verb. James Bond has a "licen c e" to kill, and was "licen s ed" after qualifying as a spy. The American form always uses the "S" in most such pairs, but always has a "C" in "practice". In a few cases, such as "advice"/"advise", the distinction is retained in all varieties of English.

American English uses an "S" in some words, while British English uses a "C". The adjective forms, "defensive" and "offensive", are always spelled with an "S".

Some varieties of English change the "S" to a "Z" in some "-ise" and "-yse" endings. American English does this universally, while British spelling choice varies by dictionary; the Oxford English Dictionary recommends using the Z, while most other dictionaries opt for the S:

Canadian spelling as well as the British Oxford Dictionary generally uses the American -ize endings, although the UK Oxford Dictionary uses -yse endings.

In some words, British English retains the -ae or -oe spellings while American English simplifies it to an -e.

When adding a suffix for some words ending with a silent "E", American English sometimes drops the "E" while British English retains the "E": Some words, such as "bathing" and "usable" drop the "E" everywhere, while some others, such as "dyeing" and "changeable" retain the "E" everywhere. Canada and Australia generally follow U.S. usage here.

Some words have silent letters dropped in American English or are just spelled differently:

And a few words are both pronounced and spelled differently:

Canadian usage tends to be mixed in the last two categories, with British spelling being followed for words such as "cheque", "storey", "enquiry" and sometimes "programme", but American spelling being followed for words such as "aluminum", "mom", and "tire". Similarly, Australian usage tends to be mixed as the same categories as Canada, with British spelling being used for such words like "mum", "cheque", and "aluminium", but American spelling being followed for words such as "specialty", "program" (in all contexts), "licorice" and sometimes "inquire". Other Commonwealth English-speaking countries, such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Singapore or India, tend to fully use British spelling.

Incidentally, punctuation usage differs slightly as well, but doesn't follow the same division between British and American English. Quotations are marked by double quotation marks (“…”) in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, while single quotation marks (‘…’) are used in all other varieties.

Grammar
There are many minor differences in grammar and usage, which may be interesting if you are studying or teaching English; however, they are almost never a cause for confusion. We list a few that may cause confusion below.

Plural "you"
The second person pronoun "you" can be either singular or plural in standard English, but in many dialects of colloquial spoken English there are separate plural forms:
 * "y'all" in the American South and African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

 * "youse" (also spelled "yous") in Ireland, the Glasgow area in Scotland, the Liverpool area in England, and parts of the U.S.
 * "you lot" in parts of the UK
 * "you guys" in much of Canada and parts of the US. This is gender-neutral; a group of women can be addressed as "you guys".

Verb forms
Some verbs take different forms in different varieties of English.

The past participle form "gotten" is still common in American English but in British English it has almost entirely vanished; the participle is just "got".

For past forms of some verbs, the older irregular spellings are more common in British English but the regular "-ed" forms predominate in American English. The verbs "dive" and "sneak", however, have the opposite pattern.

Some verbs retain the older form in all dialects, for example "slept", "built" and "wept".

 * Australia uses both spellings, although words like "leant" (instead of leaned), "sneaked" (instead of snuck), and "dreamt" (instead of dreamed) are no longer used and others such as "learnt" (instead of learned) are rare, and in general, there's a move towards the US spelling.
 * Similarly Canada also uses a mix of the two spellings, and similar to Australian usage, it depends on word.
 * New Zealand follows UK usage except for "snuck" in which the US form is used.

Some subjunctive forms are less used in British English. Many in the UK could say "I suggest that he is fired" but in North America it must be "I suggest that he be fired".

Pronunciation
"You like po-tay-to and I like po-tah-to You like to-may-to and I like to-mah-to"

- lyrics from the song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"

Educated people from almost anywhere in the English-speaking world can talk to each other without difficulty. Consider an international crew on an oil rig somewhere. The engineers and managers would almost certainly be able to talk to each other without any real problems, whether they studied in Edinburgh or Edmonton. However, two working guys from the same two countries — say working class Glasgow and a Newfoundland fishing village — would be quite likely to find communication a bit difficult due to stronger regional accents and use of dialectical words.

An important difference in English dialects is whether "R" is pronounced after a vowel. Words such as "fo r k", "wo r d" or "mothe r " are quite different in the two types, though everyone pronounces the "R" in other contexts, for example in "rabbit" or "area". Linguists call dialects with the "R" rhotic and those without non-rhotic.

 * Dialects with the "R": Some parts of western and northern England, Scotland, Ireland, the Otago and Southland regions of New Zealand, the Philippines, Canada, most of the U.S., Aboriginal Australian English and parts of South Australia.
 * Dialects without "R": Most of England, Wales, most of Australia, most of New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, parts of New England, parts of the Southern U.S., some New York City-area accents, and African American Vernacular English (used by many African Americans interchangeably with the standard dialect of their region).

People not familiar with dialects other than their own sometimes lump all "R"-less dialects together, as when an American takes a New Zealand accent for British, and others make the opposite error, like an Englishwoman taking a Canadian accent for Irish. The pronunciation of the R can also vary between speakers; in Scotland, India and among black people in South Africa, the R is often trilled like in Spanish and Italian.

Another noticeable difference is the "A" sound in words such as "bath", "laugh", "grass" and "chance"; many dialects pronounce them with the "short A" as in "trap", but southern England, South Africa, New Zealand, some parts of Boston and some parts of Australia pronounce them with the "broad A" as in "palm".

In Ireland, the Caribbean, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, people tend to pronounce the "th" sound as a "t", so "three" and "tree" would be pronounced the same way.

In this list below, assume that Australia and Canada follow U.S. pronunciation and Singapore and other Commonwealth countries follow UK pronunciation unless indicated otherwise.

Certain words are pronounced very differently:

Also, the sweet nougat is pronounced NOO-guht in the United States and Singapore, but follows the original French NOO-gah in Australia and New Zealand while in the UK, it's pronounced as nʌɡɪt.

Sometimes two places whose names share the same spelling can be pronounced rather differently. For instance, the village of Berkeley in England is pronounced BARK-lee but the city of Berkeley in California is pronounced BURK-lee. Birmingham in England is pronounced with a silent H and unstressed ending (BUR-ming-um), while Birmingham, Alabama has a pronounced H and stressed ending (BUR-ming-HAM). "Houston" is pronounced HOO-stun if it's the village outside Glasgow, HOW-stun if it's the street in New York City, and HYOO-stun if it's the city in Texas. Conversely, two places with rather different spellings can sometimes share the same pronunciation. For instance, an American's pronunciation of Oakland and a New Zealander's pronunciation of Auckland are so similar that there was an incident where an airline passenger ended up on the wrong side of the Pacific Ocean.

Vocabulary
"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."

- James Nicoll

All dialects of English include words borrowed from other languages, and many of those such as "bungalow" (Hindi), "canoe" (Carib), or "typhoon" (Chinese) are now standard in all dialects. However, many dialects also include loanwords that are non-standard. Canadians use more terms of French origin than other dialects and are more likely to pronounce them as French speakers do, New Zealanders occasionally mix Māori terms into their English, Indian English has Hindi or Urdu words, and so on.

Non-native English speakers may on occasion use false friends, words that make sense in their other language but have a different meaning in English; one example is that French librairie means "bookstore", not "library". Manga in Japanese refers to any type of comics, but the word borrowed into English is used to refer specifically to Japanese comics. In some cases, particularly when pseudo-English words like Handy (German for "mobile phone") are used, confusion may arise.

Get in/around

 * depot:
 * In most of the English-speaking world, this is a place where public transport or goods vehicles such as buses, trains and trucks are stored when not in operation.
 * In the U.S., this word refers to a bus or train station.

By car
For historical reasons, cars and roads have developed a lot of differing terminology between American and British English.

For terms related to motor vehicles, Canadian and Australian English use American terminology and spelling extensively. An exception is the Australian state of South Australia, which tends to be more conservative and mostly use British terminology. Additionally, the British spellings of "tyre" and "plough" are exclusively used in Australia.

 * roundabout: The term "roundabout" is standard everywhere, but Massachusetts uses "rotary". New York State distinguishes roundabouts from "traffic circles", which are usually larger in size and where traffic rules regarding right-of-way, etc., are somewhat different.
 * service station:
 * U.S. — a filling station attached to a repair garage
 * UK — motorway service area, a service centre or rest area
 * Australia — a service station or a "servo" is any fuel station.
 * truck: U.S. "truck" can refer to several different vehicles:
 * A pickup truck
 * An SUV (sport utility vehicle), known elsewhere as an "off-road vehicle", "4x4" / "four-by-four", or by brand names like "Jeep" or "Land Rover"; sometimes marketed as a "crossover" for light-duty vehicles with no off-road capability
 * A heavy-duty vehicle for moving cargo (includes articulated semi-trailers [UK: "lorry"] and box/straight trucks) or specialized jobs (fire trucks, tow trucks, garbage trucks, etc.)
 * In casual conversation in the U.S. or Singapore, "truck" on its own will generally be assumed to mean a large vehicle like a semi-trailer unless you specifically use the term "pickup [truck]".

 * freeway, motorway, expressway, etc.:
 * The technical term for this type of road is a controlled-access highway, though this is rarely if ever used in everyday speech.
 * U.S. — Can be called a "highway", "freeway" or "expressway". While there may be technical legal distinctions between the terms depending on state, they are largely synonymous in everyday speech. "Interstate" is the name of a specific U.S. highway system, not a general term for any freeway or numbered road. "Turnpike" is a somewhat old-fashioned term still used in some states to refer specifically to expressways where tolls are charged, though you'll also occasionally see the word (and its shortened form "pike") fossilized in the proper names of ordinary roads that once levied tolls on travellers.
 * UK — Known as a "motorway". Some specific motorways use the term "expressway" in their name, e.g. M6 Toll is known as the Midland Expressway. "Highway" refers to all publicly-owned roads of any size.
 * Australia:
 * Australian Capital Territory – no specific usage. The only freeways in the ACT are either called parkway or avenue, but they can refer to any road
 * New South Wales – motorway, freeway, expressway and highway (even if it's a freeway grade road) are all used.
 * Queensland – Mostly uses motorway, with the exception of Western Fwy, and highway even if it's a freeway grade road
 * South Australia – uses freeway and expressway interchangeably, with freeway being more common. The term "motorway" is only used in proper names and only on the North-South Motorway which is classified as an expressway.
 * Victoria/Western Australia and a general Australian context – exclusively uses "freeway"
 * Tasmania – just called a highway
 * Philippines - "expressway" is used for any controlled-access tolled highway.
 * Papua New Guinea – the term "freeway" is only used when referring to the Poreporena Freeway in Port Moresby, but it is hardly a freeway.
 * Canada — Commonly known as a "highway" or "expressway". "Autoroute" is used in Quebec (in English and in French).
 * New Zealand — Both "expressway" and "motorway" are used.
 * Singapore, Hong Kong — Known as an "expressway". In Singapore, the term "parkway" is only used in the proper name "East Coast Parkway", the main expressway from the city to Changi Airport.
 * Malaysia, Brunei — May be called a "highway" or "expressway" in English. On road signs, the Malay term "lebuhraya" is used.
 * Outside North America, the term "highway" is often used to refer to any major sealed public road.
 * passing bay / lay-bys
 * New Zealand, sometimes colloquially in Australia – a passing bay refers to a bay on the side, usually on one-lane shared bridges, to let oncoming traffic pass.
 * Australia, the Nordic countries, United Kingdom – lay-by has the same definition, but can also be found on narrow two-lane roads.

See and do
For sports, the International Olympic Committee and most international sports federations follow British usage.

 * football refers to the most common game in the respective country.
 * In the UK, India, Hong Kong and the Caribbean, that would be association football. Although "soccer" was originally an Oxfordian word formed from association football, much like "rugger" was formed from rugby football, most Brits today insist that "football" is the one true name for this sport.
 * In Australia, the usage varies by region; "football" or the slang term "footy" refers to rugby league in Queensland and most of New South Wales, but refers to Australian rules football (AFL) everywhere else. However, "football" never refers to soccer.
 * In the U.S. (except Puerto Rico), American football is meant when referring to "football" unqualified. Other countries may know it better as "gridiron football", of which American football is one variety; in North America, "gridiron" refers to the field itself.
 * In Canada "football" refers to either the Canadian or the American variety of gridiron football (very similar to each other).
 * In Ireland, "football" may refer to association football, Gaelic football, or sometimes rugby union. National media typically avoid confusion by not using "football" by itself to refer to any sport, respectively using "soccer", "Gaelic football", and "rugby" to refer to the three aforementioned sports.
 * In New Zealand, "football" historically referred to rugby union, but since 2005 this has dramatically changed, with "football" now referring almost exclusively to association football (soccer).
 * In South Africa, "football" would be understood to mean association football. However, the word is rarely used outside of official contexts (such as the name of the national governing body for the sport, the South African Football Association). All cultural groups in the country, when speaking English, refer to the sport as "soccer"; this is reflected in national media usage.
 * In Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, "football" refers to soccer, though the term "soccer" is also widely used and understood.
 * The unqualified word rugby usually refers to rugby union, but refers to rugby league in the north of England.
 * Although "football" refers to rugby league in the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales, the word "rugby" always refers to rugby union throughout the whole of Australia.
 * When describing matches between two teams, the home team is typically stated first in the UK (e.g. "Manchester United vs Liverpool" means Manchester United hosting Liverpool), while it is typically stated second in the U.S. (e.g. "L.A. Lakers vs (or "@") Chicago Bulls" means L.A. Lakers visiting the Chicago Bulls). Australia mostly follows British convention.
 * Billiards is technically a generic term for all sports played with billiard balls and cue sticks, but more often refers to specific games or groups of games.
 * In the UK, "billiards" usually refers to English billiards.
 * In North America and Oceania, "billiards" usually refers to pool.
 * Billiard balls are divided into "spots and stripes" in the UK, "solids and stripes" in the U.S., and "smalls and bigs" in Australia.
 * Bowling, without further qualification, usually refers to indoor ten-pin bowling worldwide, but in the UK and some Commonwealth countries it can also refer to lawn bowls.
 * The strategy board game called Go in Japanese is known as such by most English speakers worldwide, but is known by its Chinese name "weiqi" in Singapore and Malaysia.
 * The strategy board game called Go in Japanese is known as such by most English speakers worldwide, but is known by its Chinese name "weiqi" in Singapore and Malaysia.

Buy

 * ATM, which stands for "automated teller machine", is the standard word in all English-speaking countries except the UK.
 * UK — "cash point / cash machine / hole-in-the-wall". Unrelatedly, U.S. "hole-in-the-wall" means a place lacking ambience that sells cheap (but not necessarily bad) food.
 * U.S. Midwest — Some areas also use "TYME machine" (an acronym for "Take Your Money Everywhere", the brand name of a former regional interbank network).
 * Flip-flops go by various local names: Australia: "thongs"; New Zealand: "jandals" (short for "Japanese sandals"); South Africa: "slops"; Hawaii: "slippa" (the local pronunciation of "slippers"); Philippines/Singapore: "slippers". They're also just called "sandals", but this term can cause confusion since there are various other types of sandals.
 * Senior [citizen] is a fairly universal term for elderly people, who are typically retired and on a fixed income, and consequently extended discounts at many restaurants and attractions.
 * UK, Ireland — "OAP" (which stands for "old age pensioner") is also used
 * xerox — although technically a trademarked brand name, in India, the Philippines, and sometimes the United States it is used both as a verb and a noun as a synonym for "photocopy", and a photocopier is often called a "xerox machine".

Eat

 * While breakfast, lunch and dinner refer to the morning, midday and evening meals respectively in most countries, parts of the UK refer to the midday meal as "dinner", and to the evening meal as "supper" or "high tea". Outside the UK, "supper" may be another name for the evening meal, or may be a small late-night meal after dinner.
 * bacon — In English-speaking countries, the term refers to a type of cured pork product usually served in slices. However, countries differ on the meaning of the unqualified word:
 * U.S., Canada, Singapore — "Bacon" by itself refers to a product prepared from the pork belly. In the UK and Ireland, this product is called "side bacon" or "streaky bacon", with the latter term coming from the streaks of fat across the strips of meat.
 * UK, Ireland — The unqualified term "bacon" refers to a different and much leaner product taken mainly from the loin, cut into "rashers" which include part of the belly or "medallions" which are just the trimmed eye of loin meat. North America calls this product "back bacon". In the U.S. only, "Canadian bacon" refers to a form of back bacon that is cut from the lean eye of the loin and sold ready to eat. In parts of Canada (mainly southern Ontario), a form of back bacon rolled in cornmeal known as "peameal bacon" (from the former use of dried peas as a coating) is popular.
 * Australia — Standard "bacon" is something of a cross between the above types, being prepared mainly from the belly, with a piece of loin attached.
 * barley
 * In most of the English-speaking world refers to a type of cereal grain, comprising the seeds of the plant Hordeum vulgare.
 * In Singapore, this refers to the seed of the tropical plant Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), which is used to make drinks and desserts.
 * chips / crisps / fries:
 * UK — "chips" refers almost exclusively to deep fried, elongated strips of potatoes; crispy, thin slices of potatoes are referred to as "crisps".
 * U.S., Canada — "chips" refers almost exclusively to crispy, thin slices of potatoes, while deep fried elongated strips of potatoes are referred to as "fries" or "French fries". However, the British dish "fish and chips" is still referred to as such, and in Canada, "chip trucks" sell French fries.
 * Australia, New Zealand — Both the aforementioned fried-potato dishes are referred to as "chips"; the meaning is generally inferred from context. However, the term "fries" is used in American fast food chains such as McDonald's, and is also beginning to see some use outside of that in Australia.
 * Singapore — Mostly follows U.S./Canadian usage, but the British sense of "chips" is also common in certain contexts.
 * Some Commonwealth nations use "fries" for the thinner style as typically found at McDonald's and "chips" for the thicker style as typically found in fish and chips.
 * coriander: In the UK, refers to both the seeds and leaves of Coriandrum sativum. In North America, "coriander" refers only to the seeds; the leaves are called "cilantro".
 * corn:
 * North America, Oceania, Singapore — A cereal that grows on tall stalks, with the edible grains (most often yellow or white, though other colors exist) forming "ears" growing from the stalk. This plant and its grain are called "maize" in the UK and Ireland, and by botanists worldwide (at least within a scientific context).
 * England and Wales — "Corn" can refer to any cereal, but most often to wheat.
 * Scotland and Ireland — Similar to England and Wales, except that the most common reference is to oats.
 * However, in culinary contexts, "corn" with an additional word (e.g. "popcorn", "sweet corn", or "corn flakes") always refers to maize, even in the UK and Ireland.
 * crayfish:
 * U.S. (except Louisiana), Canada: refers to small freshwater crustaceans resembling lobsters, known as a crawfish in Louisiana, and a yabby in Australia
 * Australia, New Zealand: refers to rock lobsters (i.e. lobsters without pincers)
 * Singapore: usually refers to a type of slipper lobster, known as a Moreton Bay bug in Australia. Can also be used in the North American sense, though these are rarely eaten in Singapore.
 * mutton:
 * In most of the English-speaking world, refers to the meat of adult sheep.
 * India, Malaysia, Singapore — can also refer to goat meat.
 * flapjack: In the U.S., this is an informal word for a pancake. In the UK, it's a simple pastry made from oats.
 * porridge: Across the English-speaking world, this is a soft dish made of heated grain or legumes that can be eaten with a spoon. Different countries have local variations, like oatmeal in the UK or congee in Singapore.
 * yam:
 * UK, Ireland — refers exclusively to true yams, a usually white-fleshed root vegetable.
 * North America — may also be used to refer to the orange-fleshed sweet potato.
 * New Zealand — refers to oca, a small, usually red-skinned root vegetable. Sweet potatoes are sold under their Māori name, kūmara.
 * Malaysia, Singapore — refers to taro, a small white- or slightly purple-fleshed root vegetable.
 * The Greek dish consisting of meat roasted on a vertical rotisserie is called a gyro (often pronounced "YEE-roh") in the United States, but yiros (pronounced the way it is spelt) in Australia.
 * The Chinese dish known as hot pot in most of the English-speaking world is known as steamboat in Singapore and Malaysia.
 * monosodium glutamate (MSG, flavor enhancer 621) — while this term is standard across the English-speaking world, in many Asian countries it is better known as Ajinomoto after the Japanese company that first commercially synthesized it.

Drink

 * pop, etc.
 * U.S., Canada:
 * In the U.S., "pop" is used in Western New York, western Pennsylvania, most of the Midwest, the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Northwest, and most of Alaska. It is also the preferred term throughout most of English-speaking Canada.
 * "Soda" is used in New England, the coastal Mid-Atlantic, California, most of the Southwest, eastern Wisconsin, South Florida, Hawaii, and anywhere within a roughly 150-mile (240 km) radius of St. Louis.
 * "Coke" predominates in the southern tier of the U.S. between New Mexico and Florida. The word is used generically, not just in reference to Coca-Cola: the answer to the question "what kind of coke would you like?" could very well be Pepsi.
 * Australia, New Zealand – generally synonymous with "soft drink", which is the common term and the equivalent of the UK/Ireland "fizzy drink".
 * UK, Ireland — "Fizzy drink" is the most common term throughout all of these countries, though you might also hear "mineral" in Ireland. In the UK, "soft drink" more commonly refers to any non-alcoholic beverage.
 * South Africa — "Cooldrink" is the most commonly used term.
 * Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines — "Soft drink" is the most commonly used term.
 * Nigeria — "Mineral" is the most commonly used term.

Learn
Education is among the areas where differences between UK and U.S. English are most profound.

 * college:
 * U.S. — Generic term for post-secondary undergraduate education. An American student will "go to college" regardless of whether his or her particular institution is formally called a "college", "university", or some other term, and whether or not the school awards bachelor's degrees. This usage of "college" does not extend to graduate education, which is usually called "grad school" (or for professional degrees, "law school", "med (medical) school", etc.).
 * Canada — Mainly refers to a technical, career, or community college (U.S.: "community college" or "junior college"). Canadians draw a sharp distinction between "going to college" (implying a community, technical or career college diploma) and "going to university" (studying for a bachelor's or postgrad degree). College mostly offers two or three-year programs which prepare students for practical employment. A few exceptions:
 * Quebec inserts two years of community college, locally known as CÉGEP, between its secondary education and university. Quebec students graduate from high school after grade 11, as opposed to grade 12 in Anglophone North America. Undergraduate degrees from Quebec universities are completed in one less year than in Anglophone North America, as the first year will have been completed at a CÉGEP.
 * In Ontario, a "CVI" (Collegiate and Vocational Institute) is a secondary/high school facility (not a college) which offers technical or machine shops
 * UK — Can refer to any post-secondary institution that is not a university, or sometimes to a secondary school. Students studying for their bachelor's or postgraduate degree will say that they are "going to university" (or "uni") instead of U.S. "college", regardless of the formal title of their school (e.g. King's College London is also considered a university as it provides higher education).
 * Ireland — Similar to U.S. usage but slightly broader (i.e. includes postgraduate education) for historical reasons unique to that country. Before 1989, no Irish university provided teaching or research directly; they were instead offered by a constituent college of a university.
 * Australia — Usually refers to a private (i.e., non-government) primary, or especially secondary, school.
 * New Zealand — Normally refers to secondary schools; used interchangeably with "high school".
 * Philippines — usage is the same as the US. But the term can also be used in the name of an educational institution that offers primary/elementary or secondary education in addition to tertiary education.
 * Singapore — Generally refers to government high schools. Short for "junior college".
 * In all countries, can also refer to a constituent college of a university.
 * graduation / to graduate:
 * U.S., Australia — Most commonly refers to having earned a high school diploma or an undergraduate (bachelor's or associate) degree.
 * UK — Only refers to the completion of a university degree programme (i.e. bachelor's, master's or doctorate).
 * prep school:
 * U.S. — a secondary/high school that prepares students for college.
 * UK — a primary school that prepares pupils for fee-paying public (private) secondary schools

 * public school:
 * U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand — A government-owned, publicly-funded school; most often used to refer to an elementary or secondary school open to all students within the geographic boundaries designated for that school.
 * UK — Can have several meanings:
 * "Public" education as opposed to "private" education by a tutor
 * Exclusive fee-paying secondary schools, typically boarding schools (which are "public" because they aren't restricted based on home location, religion, etc.)
 * Any independent school (also called "private schools" following U.S. usage); this usage of "public school" is rare in Scotland and Northern Ireland
 * state school:
 * U.S. — Used exclusively to refer to publicly-funded universities operated by state governments.
 * UK — A publicly-funded school for students aged between 5 and 18. Universities are not called schools in the UK, although the term may be used for departments within a university ("School of Chemistry").
 * New Zealand – refers to publicly-funded primary and secondary schools, often to the exclusion of state integrated schools, i.e. former private schools that have become state schools while retaining their private school character.
 * student:
 * UK, Ireland — Traditionally refers exclusively to those attending university-level institutions. Attendees of primary and secondary institutions are generally called "pupils". However, the North American sense of the term (see below) is beginning to see some use.
 * New Zealand — Broader than in the UK and Ireland; "pupils" refers only to children in primary school (years 1–6). "Student" is used for all higher levels, from intermediate to postgraduate.
 * Philippines — Usage is similar to New Zealand. In formal documents or memoranda issued by the Department of Education (DepEd) or Commission for Higher Education (CHED), "students" refer to learners in the secondary level (starting at grade 7) or higher, whereas "pupils" refer to learners in the elementary level. For most schools, "student" is more widespread although the word "pupil" is sometimes used.
 * U.S., Canada, Australia — Refers to learners attending educational institutions at any level, from primary to postgraduate. The term "pupils" is generally understood in North America but considered something of an archaic term.
 * Singapore — Follows U.S. usage, but also used interchangeably with "pupils" up to the secondary school level.
 * student union or students' union:
 * U.S. ("student union" only) — One of several terms used to describe a college/university building intended for student recreation and socializing. Synonyms include "student center" and "student activity center".
 * Other English-speaking countries — A college/university student organization devoted to representing the interests of the students before the administration. The recreational aspect is also looked after by the unions as in the U.S., but their political role is often emphasized. The most common U.S. equivalent is "student government", with "student senate" also seeing some use.

Connect

 * postal code:
 * Canada, Pakistan, Singapore — "postal code"
 * UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia — "postcode"
 * In many countries around the world they're known by the name of the local system:
 * U.S. and its former colonies — "ZIP code"
 * Ireland — "Eircode"
 * India — "PIN" (Postal Index Number), sometimes redundantly called a "PIN code"

Numbers
You might expect that numbers would be simple, since they always mean the same thing. Alas, differences in how they're spoken (or even written) can sometimes lead to confusion when you're not expecting it.
 * The number 0 is spoken as "zero" or "oh" in all varieties of English, but Britons are also likely to use "nought" or "nil".
 * When used in the score of a sporting event, British uses "nil" and American may use "nothing" or informally "zip". Hardcore soccer fans and journalists in North America often use "nil" following British usage when discussing soccer (or rather, "football"). Tennis and cricket have unique readings ("love" and "duck", respectively).
 * For decimal numbers like 0.8 and 0.05, Britons would usually say "nought" as in "nought point eight" and "nought point nought five". Americans often omit the leading 0, saying "point eight" and "point oh five".
 * Most varieties of English informally count in hundreds up to 1,900, which is "nineteen hundred" rather than "one thousand nine hundred"; this is common for money or counting things, or when the number is understood to be rounded to the next hundred. (Philippine English is an exception; they prefer the more formal "one thousand nine hundred"; "nineteen hundred" is only spoken in military contexts, e.g. 1900 hours.) But Americans and Australians often continue this trend for even large four-digit numbers above 2,000, so they're likely to read 9,500 as "ninety-five hundred" rather than "nine thousand five hundred".
 * Similarly, all varieties of English group years into two-digit groups. But Americans also apply this to street addresses and sometimes phone numbers or other sequences of digits, as well as some three-digit sequences like road numbers (e.g. I-285 is "eye two eighty-five") and bus routes. The same applies in Australia, but not commonly for road numbers.
 * Meanwhile, Britons tend to use "double" when reading sequences of digits such as phone numbers (which is why James Bond's 007 moniker is "double-oh seven" rather than "zero zero seven").
 * Monetary amounts in the range of one or two major currency units may be spoken differently in the two main forms of English. An American would say that an item costing $1.50 costs "one-fifty", "a dollar fifty", or (slangily) "a buck fifty". In British English, £1.50 would most often be said "one pound fifty". For amounts over one major unit, Americans typically drop the currency unit; $2.40 would most often be said "two-forty". In British, "two-forty" and "two pounds forty" are both commonly used. Australia and New Zealand follow US usage.
 * In British English, whole numbers of pounds (or other currency units) are spoken by their individual digits, especially in radio and TV advertising. "Three nine nine" implies a price of £399; "three ninety-nine" implies £3.99. American English never does this—"three ninety-nine" can mean either $399 or $3.99, with the context determining the meaning.
 * The U.S. has always used the short scale, where a "billion" is 1,000,000,000 (a thousand million). But most other English-speaking countries formerly used the long scale, where a "billion" is 1,000,000,000,000 (a million million). (In that scale, 1,000,000,000 is either "a thousand million" or sometimes a "milliard".) In 1974 the UK formally adopted the short scale, and other countries followed suit, although some use of the long scale persists. Most other European languages continue to use the long scale (including in bilingual countries, e.g. among French speakers in Canada) so you may want to clarify the exact quantity when talking to a non-native English speaker.
 * Indian English follows the Indian numbering system; numbers are grouped completely differently, and spoken using words derived from Indian languages:
 * 100,000 is written "1,00,000" and read "one lakh"; it's sometimes abbreviated "L", as in "₹5L" for "rupees five lakh"
 * 1,000,000 is written "10,00,000" and read "ten lakh"
 * 10,000,000 is written "1,00,00,000" and read "one crore"; it may be written out, as in "₹6 crore" for "rupees six crore"
 * In handwriting, numerals are written the plain way in North America and Oceania: "1" is a vertical line, and "7" is two lines. European handwriting puts the introductory swash on the top of the "1", making it look more like a typeset "1" and avoiding confusion with the capital letter I and with the lower-case letter L. Since the "1" with a swash could be confused with a "7", the "7" often gets a horizontal slash through it, a form that's also common in Australia and Singapore.

Date and time
Most countries use DD/MM/YYYY or something similar as their short date format. The biggest exception is the United States, which almost exclusively uses the MM/DD/YYYY format. The Philippines, which is a former American colony and still heavily influenced by American norms, uses MM/DD/YYYY in English-language publications, but usually DD/MM/YYYY in publications in Filipino languages. In Canada, usage is mixed: English speakers use both formats interchangeably, with newspapers invariably choosing MM/DD, but French speakers exclusively use DD/MM. Therefore, a date written as "01/02/2000" stands for "January 2, 2000" in the United States, but would stand for "1 February 2000" in almost any other country, and could conceivably mean either in Canada and the Philippines. (Note that the long dates are also formatted differently, although with hardly any potential for confusion.)

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recommends the unambiguous and well-defined method of YYYY-MM-DD, primarily because that is the only format that a computer can sort with a straight text-based sort (not a special date-sorting routine) and get the right result. That format is widely used in Sweden, China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, but, apart from South Africa where it is often used, not in English-speaking countries.

Britons in particular often use compact expressions for dates (e.g. "tomorrow week" or "a week [on] Tuesday") and times (e.g. "half eight") that aren't used elsewhere. Their meaning is a cultural convention that's not universal in English, let alone in other languages: for example, "half eight" means 8:30 in English but the equivalent in Dutch means 7:30, and could be taken as either in South Africa. Some of these can be made less ambiguous (for example, Americans usually say "quarter past eight" or "quarter till eight") but others will always have the potential for confusion. Be prepared to clarify, or simply use explicit dates and times.

Weights and measures
The U.S., Liberia and Myanmar, are the few countries that still use non-metric weights and measures (with a few exceptions including medicines, scientific work, and bottled wine, spirits, and soft drinks). The UK is partially metricated, using the metric system for some measures (such as temperature and fuel volume) but not for others (such as road distances and beer volume). Other Anglophone countries (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa) switched to metric beginning in the 1970s, though the imperial system still survives to varying extents in colloquial usage.

A "pint" of beer in many places is now 500 mL. The traditional British pint, which is still legally mandated in the UK, Ireland and Canada, is 568 mL (20 imperial fluid ounces). A U.S. pint is just shy at 473 mL (16 U.S. fluid ounces), although it's almost always sold in a conical glass that must be filled to the brim to contain 16 ounces. Beer in Australia comes in varying sizes with unique names. A "pint" of beer in Australia is 570 mL except in South Australia, where it is 425 mL, and 570 mL is somewhat erroneously called an "imperial pint". A "pint" of beer is not standardised in New Zealand, but most commonly follows the South Australian pint at 425 mL.

UK and Ireland measure body weight in "stone" (always singular after a number) and pounds; 1 stone is 14 pounds (6.35 kg). Someone who weighs "11 stone 6 pounds" weighs 160 pounds (72.6 kg), and rough body weight is often given in stones only. The imperial ton, or "long ton", is defined to be 160 stone (2,240 pounds; 1016 kg), which is somewhat larger than the U.S. ton, or "short ton", at 2,000 pounds (907.2 kg). Both tons are distinct from the tonne, or "metric ton", which is defined as 1,000 kg (approximately 2,200 pounds).

Same words, different meaning

 * Asian, when used by itself to describe people, has different meanings across the English-speaking world.
 * UK — Typically refers to people from the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. People from East and Southeast Asia are often referred to as "East Asians".
 * U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand — Typically refers to people from East Asia or Southeast Asia. People from the Indian subcontinent are referred to as "South Asians". You may also hear the term "East Indians" in Canada for the latter.
 * brew: As a noun, usually refers to a cup of tea in the UK, but to a glass of beer in the U.S. and Australia.
 * elk: In the U.S. and Canada, refers to a very large deer similar to the red deer of Eurasia; this animal is also known by the Native American name "wapiti". There is also a smaller species found in India and known as either "Indian elk" or "Sambar deer".
 * In the UK and Ireland (and also second-language speakers in Europe), "elk" refers to an even larger deer whose males have flattened antlers; this animal is known as the "moose" in North America.

 * fag: A slang term for a cigarette in the UK; a derogatory term for a homosexual man in the U.S.
 * faggots: A traditional dish of pork offal/bacon, herb and gravy meatballs in the UK; same offensive connotation as "fag" in the U.S.
 * Indian:
 * South Asia and Oceania — Refers only to people from the country of India. (The common North American usage of the word to refer to all South Asians, irrespective of nationality, is often considered offensive here.)
 * U.S. and Canada — Can have several meanings:
 * People from South Asia, not always from the nation of India in particular.
 * "East Indian", "American Indian" or "Canadian Indian" are used to avoid the ambiguity.
 * Traditionally referred to indigenous people of the American continent, though this usage is rapidly disappearing in favor of "Native Americans" in the U.S. In Canada, it is offensive to many indigenous people; use "First Nations person" or "Indigenous person" instead.
 * Caribbean — usually refers to the indigenous people. People of South Asian origin are usually referred to as "East Indians".
 * Singapore — usage differs depending on context. Typically includes people from modern-day Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, but excludes people from Nepal when referring to race, but only refers to people from the country of India when referring to nationality.
 * gentlemen's club: Refers to a posh, exclusive private club in the UK; a euphemism for a strip club in the U.S.
 * mad: UK "mad" usually means insane or crazy (as in "barking mad"), while in the U.S. "mad" (at someone) is often used to mean angry (with someone).
 * pissed: UK "pissed" means drunk. U.S. "pissed" is short for "pissed off", which means annoyed or angry in all varieties of English.
 * rubber: Refers to an eraser in the UK; a slang word for condom in the U.S.
 * to table: Has the opposite meaning in the U.S. and the UK
 * U.S. — To postpone or remove something from consideration
 * UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand — To put something up for consideration.
 * thongs almost everywhere (including New Zealand) would mean a type of underwear, but in Australia, it means flip-flops. What would be called "thongs" everywhere else would be called a G-string.
 * hotel
 * In all dialects, refers to a place where you can pay for short-term lodging, but may take on additional meanings in some countries.
 * In Australia, the word is also used to refer to pubs, which may or may not have accommodation on site but often do, especially in rural areas.
 * In India and Pakistan, the word is also used to refer to any dining establishment, regardless of whether they are part of an establishment that provides accommodation.
 * interstate in the U.S., it would refer to a highway system, while in Australia, interstate is the equivalent of the U.S. out-of-state
 * Eskimos has the same meaning in the U.S., Canada and Greenland, but is considered very offensive in Canada and Greenland. In the U.S., it is somewhat acceptable except in Alaska, where it is becoming increasingly offensive.

title: English language varieties


text:
American Canyon

American Canyon is a city in the Napa Valley in California.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: American Canyon


text:
American Samoa

American Samoa is a U.S. territory in the South Pacific Ocean that lies about 100 km (60 mi) east of its neighboring country of Samoa, which is part of the same archipelago. American Samoa consists of five main islands and two coral atolls; the largest and most populous island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands, Rose Atoll and Swains Island also included in the territory.

American Samoa is not well developed for tourism, and there are no five-star hotels. But is is a great place for lounging on a beach, hiking the national park, snorkeling the lagoons, visiting historical World War II sites, or diving in the marine sanctuary.

Cities

 * (pronounced "Pango Pango") - capital city

Other destinations

 * - a tropical reef, filled with all sorts of brightly-colored tropical fish including parrot fish, damselfish and butterfly fish, as well as other sea creatures like lobster, crabs, sharks and octopus.
 * - The Samoan village leaders and the U.S. Congress have set aside the finest samples of the islands' land and seascapes as a national park.

Understand
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States of America. The citizens of American Samoa are US "nationals" and not US "citizens," but they are allowed to travel freely between American Samoa and the U.S. mainland. They are not required to obtain green cards or visas to stay or work in the United States, and they are allowed to serve in the U.S. armed forces (and often do). There are some ways that American Samoa's special status as an unincorporated territory has interesting legal consequences. The U.S. Constitution is not necessarily the supreme law of the land in American Samoa, and Samoan cultural norms, in particular those related to the ownership of property and public displays of religion, actually trump certain well-settled U.S. constitutional rights in American Samoa.

The main city is Pago Pago and the smaller Fagatogo is constitutionally designated seat of government. The governor's office is in the village of Utulei, on the opposite side of Fagatogo from Pago Pago.

The islands are frequently referred to as Samoa, which is the name of a separate island, and independent country, that used to be known as Western Samoa, that lies about 100 km west of American Samoa. Also the whole island group, including Samoa, is often identified as the Samoan islands.

Settled as early as 1000 BCE by Polynesian navigators, Samoa was reached by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany (later Britain) and the U.S. divided the Samoan archipelago. The U.S. formally occupied its portion, a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago in the following year.

American Samoa is warm, humid and rainy year-round, but there is a long, wet summer season (October - May) and a slightly cooler and drier season (June - September). Total annual rainfall is $$ at the Tafuna airport and more than 200 inches in mountainous areas. Such rainfall gave the English writer Somerset Maugham the name for his short story "Rain", based in Pago Pago, which was subsequently turned into a play and movie.

90% of the land in the group of islands is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the U.S. and the greater part of its foreign trade is with the U.S. The private sector is dominated by tuna fishing and the tuna processing plants, canned tuna being the primary export. Monetary transfers from the US Government also add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Since the emergence of U.S. influence and control the government of the United States of America has put up resistance to the emergence of local independence movements. In the early 20th century the American Samoa Mau movement was actively suppressed by the U.S. Navy.

The Governor of American Samoa is the head of government and exercises executive power. American Samoa is an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. Its constitution was ratified in 1966 and came into effect in 1967.

In both American Samoa and (independent) Samoa there is traditional village political system common to all of the Samoa Islands, the "fa'amatai" and the "fa'asamoa" interacts across the current international boundaries. The Fa'asamoa represents language and customs, and the Fa'amatai the protocols of the "fono" (council) and the chief system. The Fa'amatai and the Fono take place at all levels of the Samoan body politic, from the family, to the village and include regional and national matters.

Visas
American Samoa lies outside federal U.S. immigration and customs jurisdiction. All visitors (except U.S. citizens and green card holders) to American Samoa require a passport valid for six months or more, a return ticket or onward ticket and enough funds to support their stay. U.S. citizens and green card holders traveling from the U.S. may enter without ID, though it is still recommended.

However, since American Samoa has an immigration system independent from the U.S., U.S. Green Card Holders traveling to American Samoa from another country (namely Apia Fagali’i Airport as it is the only foreign gateway) still have to present their passports, and if they are not citizens of any American Samoa Entry Permit Waiver Countries, they still need to acquire an American Samoa entry permit before traveling. The only exception may be passengers on transit to another U.S. destination (Apia-Pago Pago-Honolulu), who are granted to stay in Pago Pago for 24 hours. Regular U.S. visas are not valid for visiting American Samoa.

Passports not requiring visas
Citizens of countries under the federal Visa Waiver Program, plus Canada, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands may visit for up to 30 days with an "OK to board". Citizens of Samoa are permitted to visit for up to 7 days with an "OK to board".

To obtain an "OK to board", travelers must apply online, and upload a copy of their passport (valid for at least 6 months after planned departure from American Samoa) and a copy of their round-trip or onward ticket at least 3 business days before travel. It costs $10 for Samoan citizens, and $40 for all other nationalities, which must be paid when you submit your application.

To obtain a business or residence visa or to extend your stay to 60 days, you must visit the Attorney General's office after arrival.

Passports requiring visas
All other international passport holders intending to visit American Samoa for business or holiday are required to apply for a visa (called an entry permit). This will require a local sponsor in American Samoa to apply and pay the required fees on your behalf. You must obtain a copy of the entry permit in order to check-in for your flight to American Samoa, and your sponsor must present the original copy in person to immigration when you arrive. Alternatively, your sponsor can mail the original copy to you, so you can present it yourself to check-in staff for your flight and at immigration on arrival. If you are joining a package tour, the tour company might be able to arrange this for an extra fee; check with them to be sure.

By plane
There is one international airport, Pago Pago International Airport, with a runway length of 2,750 m (9,000 ft). This is also referred to as Tafuna Airport (or Tafuna International Airport) and is at Tafuna 5 km (3 ml) southwest of the central business district of Pago Pago on the island of Tutuila.
 * Hawaiian Airlines operates 2 return flights per week from Honolulu with Boeing 767 aircraft.
 * Samoa Airways operates services to Pago Pago from Maota airport on Savaii Island in (independent) Samoa.
 * Talofa Airways operates flights to Pago Pago from Faleolo International Airport in (independent) Samoa.

Faleolo International Airport also serves as an international gateway to the region. That airport is 40 km (25 mi) west of Apia, the capital of (independent) Samoa. Daily inter-island flights between the Samoas are operated by Samoa Airways and Talofa. Samoa is in the western part of the Samoan islands archipelago.

The Faleolo airport in nearby Samoa has wider international connections including Air New Zealand to Auckland in New Zealand, Fiji Airways to Honolulu USA and Nadi in Fiji, Samoa Airways to Maota in Samoa and Pago Pago in American Samoa, Tongatapu in Tonga, Polynesian Blue (operated by Pacific Blue) to Auckland in New Zealand, Brisbane and Sydney in Australia.

The 2 airlines operating international services between Pago Pago and Apia, Samoa provide scheduled daily flights.
 * Talofa Airways Operates two 9-seater Twin Commander 690B aircraft.
 * Talofa Airways Operates two 9-seater Twin Commander 690B aircraft.

By boat
The island of Tutuila has the international seaport of Pago Pago. This port is served by a number of passenger carrying cruise ships and cargo ships.

By plane
Samoa Airways is the only airline providing daily domestic air services between Pago Pago and the Manu'a Island of Tau.

 * Flight time between Pago Pago and the Manu'a Islands is approximately 30-40 min. Samoa Airways will generally add additional flights as needed.

Fitiuta Airport, , 975 x 23 m (3,200 x 75 ft) is a public use airport in the village of Fiti‘uta on the northeast portion of Ta‘ū island.

 * Samoa Airways operates flights between Fitiuta Airport on Ta‘ū island and Apia (Faleolo International Airport in (independent) Samoa. Upon arrival at Ta'u airport, locals with boats are available to take visitors to Ofu and Olosega islands.

Ofu Airport has a public airport one 2 km (1.2 mi) southeast of the village of Ofu on the island of Ofu which is not served by a commercial airline.

 * Samoa Airways operates flights to Ta‘ū island

Tau Airport 661 x 30 m (2,170 x 100 ft) is a privately owned, private-use airport 2 km (1 mi) southeast of the village of Ta‘ū in the northwest corner of Ta‘ū island. It is not normally utilized for scheduled services.

Rose Island (Rose Atoll) and Swains Island do not have an airport.

By car
Several car rental facilities are available at or near the Tutuila airport. On Tutuila taxis are available at the airport, and near the market in Fagatogo.

By bus
The island of Tutuila has good public transportation (frequent, but unscheduled) via "aiga" or "family" buses. For 50 cents to a dollar you can be taken around Pago Pago Harbor, and to the more remote parts of the island. Buses originate and terminate at the market in Fagatogo, the village next to Pago Pago. The roads are generally too narrow and the traffic too busy for bicycles.

Hail an aiga bus with a wave of your hand. Many Samoans carry a quarter or two in their ears for bus fare as the wraparound skirts (lavalava) don't have pockets. When you want off, tap the window a few times and the bus will stop and pay the driver by tossing your fare (a quarter up to a dollar depending on the route and distance traveled) onto the dashboard on your way out.

By boat
A weekly ferry service from Pago Pago to the Manu’a Islands is provided by government operated excursion boat. This service travels around Tutuila, calling at the north coast villages of Afono, Vatia and Fagasa. Regular small ferries also offer service to and from the island of Aunuʻu.

Talk
The native language is Samoan, a Polynesian language related to Hawaiian and other Pacific island languages. The Samoan language is still in use in daily exchange. English is widely spoken, and most people can at least understand it. Most people are bilingual to some degree.

Some common words/phrases:
 * Hello - Talofa (tah-low-fah)
 * Please - Fa'amolemole (fah-ah-moh-lay-moh-lay)
 * Thank you - Fa'afetai (fah-ah-feh-tie)

See

 * Fatu ma Futi or Flower Pot Rock, about 275 m (900 ft) out in the ocean stands a tall mini-island. It is home to many exotic birds and fruit bats.
 * Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary (requires a steep, moderately difficult hike)
 * National Park of American Samoa, including the view of Pola Island, AKA Cock's Comb
 * Turtle and Shark Site - Beautiful small cove in Vaitogi central to an ancient Samoan legend
 * Tia Seu Lupe - The most accessible of American Samoa's ancient star mounds, used for the chiefly sport of pigeon catching, in Ottoville near Holy Family Catholic
 * Blunt's Point Battery - Incredibly well-preserved WWII defensive cannons atop a mountain with a spectacular view. Accessible via a trail with a small, unassuming entrance to the right of the laundromat in Utulei.

Do

 * To'aga Beach on the south side of Ofu. Bring your snorkel to explore the pristine coral reef that fringes its shore.
 * There is abundant hiking on the island, especially in the National Park of American Samoa
 * Tisa's Barefoot Bar & Grill on the eastern part of the island. Beach access but no shower. Features weekly umu feasts of traditional Samoan foods and an annual tattoo festival.
 * Two Dollar Beach is a beautiful beach in Avalo with great snorkeling and many fish darting anong the rocks in its tranquil waters. Very affordable, even if it isn't just $2 anymore.

Events

 * Flag Day Fautasi Races- Held on April 17th, the day the US flag was first raised over the territory. A team from each of the bigger villages races a fautasi, or 50-person longboat, in Pago Harbor.
 * Tisa's Tattoo Festival- Festival of traditional body inking held every October at Tisa's Barefoot Bar in Alega.

Money
American Samoa uses the U.S. dollar ("$, ISO code currency: USD). It is divided into 100 cents.

Shopping
American Samoa has a lot of locally run shops and kiosks with products ranging from handmade clothing to traditional wooden weapons. A covered market operates in Pago Pago when cruise ships are in town. There is also a mini-mall, Laufou Shopping Center, in Nu'uuuli.

Eat
Tutuila has a wide variety of places to eat—from familiar fast food stops to fine restaurants. The outer islands have far less variety. Restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, including American, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Polynesian. Tisa's Barefoot Bar in Alega holds weekly traditional Samoan Umu feasts.

Signature/national dishes include Palusami, Lu'au and Supoesi.

Drink
Kava is often considered to be the national drink. The beverage is made from the roots of the pepper plant (Piper methysticum). Kava is known for its mellow and relaxing effects. Many people drink kava because it is a natural alternative to alcohol and anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medication.

Flying Fox Brewing Company in Pava'ia'i is the island's first and only brewery.

Sleep
There is hotel-style lodging on the main islands, but not Olosega, Swains, or Rose (uninhabited).

Work
The tuna industry is very prominent, but about 30% of the population is unemployed.

Stay healthy
American Samoa has few health risks of concern for normally healthy persons visiting the islands. There are, however, a significant number of cases of dengue fever each year, and (since 2014) chikungunya, both spread by mosquitoes, so don't forget your insect repellent (containing DEET).

Another common danger, in or near residential areas, are packs of stray dogs. Most dogs, while they may nominally belong to someone, are left to fend and forage for themselves. They are territorial, and will often bite. The most common response by locals is to pretend to bend down and pick up a rock. This will often scare the dogs away because they are used to being abused and hit with thrown rocks.

Bring necessary medications with you, for supplies may not be available. Medical care is limited and there is none available on the Manu’a Islands. The LBJ Tropical Medical Center is on Tutuila island in the village of Faga'alu. It was once a highly regarded regional health center; however, it has fallen on hard times. It has staffing problems and only provides marginal (though inexpensive) service. A serious illness or injury will generally be evacuated to a hospital in Hawaii, Fiji, or New Zealand. When traveling in the region, carry some basic medications such as aspirin or paracetamol (acetaminophen/Tylenol), cold capsules, band-aids, sun screen, vitamins, anti-diarrhea pills, and a good insect repellant.

In many areas of Tutuila, the tap water is not safe for drinking or washing dishes due to E. coli contamination. Check with the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency for details or drink bottled water.

Stay safe
American Samoa has low crime rates, though it's best to stay where the crowds are while on the beach. While swimming, don't go too far out, as rip tides are common. Keep a close eye on your valuables, as theft is also common.

Respect
Except for perhaps a few thousand individuals nearly all inhabitants of American Samoa are indigenous Samoans of Polynesian ancestry. More than any other U.S. or Polynesian peoples, Samoans are oriented toward traditional customs and lifestyles. They closely follow the social customs and hierarchies developed prior to the arrival of the first Europeans in the region. This Samoan way, or fa'asamoa is still deeply ingrained in American Samoa culture.

The most apparent character is the Samoan matai system of organization and philosophy. In general, each village is made up of a group of aiga, or extended families, which include as many relatives as can be claimed. Each aiga is headed by a chief, or matai, who represents the family on all matters including the village council, or fono. Matais hold title to all assets of the aigas, or families; they represent and are responsible for law enforcement and punishment of infractions occurring in their villages.

The fono consists of the matais of all the aiga associated with the village. The highest chief of the matais of all the village aigas is the highest chief, or the ali’i, and heads the fono. Also, each village has a pulenu’u (somewhat like a police chief or mayor), and one or more talking chiefs, tulafale.

Over the centuries, distinct cultural traits emerged that we now call fa'asamoa (fah-ah-SAH-mo-ah). Whether you are a guest or simply passing through a village, please observe these customs as a sign of respect.

Follow the Samoan Way:

 * Always ask villagers for permission before taking photographs, using the beach, or engaging in other activities, however unobtrusive your actions may seem. Permission will almost certainly be granted.
 * In a traditional home, called a fale (fah-LAY), sit down on the floor before talking, eating, or drinking. Cross your legs or pull a mat over them; it is impolite to stretch out your legs uncovered.
 * Sunday is the day for church, for rest, and especially for quiet around the villages. Activities that are acceptable on other days, such as swimming, may not be permitted on Sunday.
 * Each evening around dusk, villagers observe a time for prayers called Sa. If you are entering a village during Sa, stop and wait quietly until Sa ends. You may even be invited to join in a family prayer.  It is not necessary to stop for Sa on the main roads.
 * It is considered an honor to be asked to share kava (a local drink made from the root of the pepper plant). To show respect, spill a few drops on the ground or mat in front of you, then raise your cup and say "manuia" (mahn-ooh-WE-ah) before drinking.
 * Do not eat or drink while walking through a village.
 * It is very disrespectful to walk in a village when a sacred ritual is in progress.

Connect
American Samoa uses the U.S. Postal Service with zip code 96799 and a state code of "AS". Postage between Hawaii, American Samoa, the mainland, and overseas military & diplomatic installations (APO, FPO, DPO addresses) is charged at the same domestic rates as it would be within a single island or between the islands of American Samoa.

American Samoa's area code is 684. When dialing any off-island telephone number, dial 1 + area code + phone number. Check with your phone/long distance company to regarding the rates.

American Samoa is not covered by US mainland mobile phone operators. There are two local mobile providers- BlueSky and ASTCA. iPhone users can freely choose either of the two, but not all Android devices are supported by the ASTCA network, so some Android users may be limited to BlueSky. Additionally, if continuing to Samoa later, BlueSky SIMs will roam in Samoa with the same pricing as local usage on certain data bundles (but not for voice or text, which are charged extra). If you have a data-only device such as an iPad or hotspot device, BlueSky also offers data-only prepaid plans (pricing details are here).

In addition to mobile data, ASTCA and BlueSky both offer a few WiFi hotspots around Tutuila. ASTCA hotspots cost $2 for 24 hours of unlimited usage at up to 3Mbps, $10 for 7 days of unlimited usage at up to 10Mbps, and $40 for 30 days of usage at up to 20Mbps. BlueSky hotspots charge by usage instead of speed and time, and their pricing table can be found here.

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 * Samoa

title: American Samoa


text:
Americans in Cuba

Get in
Although the government of Cuba permits United States citizens to visit, the U.S. restricts its citizens from travelling there, except with a license issued by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. The specific restriction is against spending money in Cuba. However, U.S. authorities consider any visit of more than one day to be prima facie proof that one has spent money there. Furthermore, OFAC also holds that U.S. citizens also may not receive goods or services for free from any Cuban national, eliminating any attempts to circumvent the regulation based on that premise.

With a license
All U.S. citizens are obliged by the U.S. to have a license even if they travel to Cuba through a third country.

Licenses allowing persons from the U.S. to spend money in Cuba are granted to certain classes of people for particular purposes.

A general license does not require paperwork and has long applied to the following:
 * Professional journalists on assignment in Cuba
 * Full-time professionals conducting academic research or attending professional conferences
 * Persons on official government business

In 2016, the Obama administration relaxed the restrictions to extend the general license to these additional groups:
 * Family visits
 * All journalistic activity
 * Professional research and professional meetings
 * Educational or religious activities
 * Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions
 * Support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
 * Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials and certain authorized export transactions.

This extends the general license to some categories of voyager (such as freelance journalists) who formerly required a specific license, which involved paperwork and State Department approval on case-by-case basis.

Is travel to Cuba for tourist activities permitted? Officially: No, according to the US State Department and US Treasury.

U.S. citizens whose primary interest is tourism might be able to travel under the auspices of a program whose activities are sufficiently religious, educational, cultural, or otherwise exempt to qualify for a license. For instance, an individual with a credible background in freelance journalism or academics could readily craft a "mission" for their visit which appears to comply with the regulations.

As of 2016, major US airlines were beginning to reinstate direct flights to Cuba from Miami or other U.S. points which had been suspended since the Cold War era of the 1960s. The Trump administration has re-tightened regulations to a limited degree, such as by restricting the ability of U.S. citizens to patronize the many travel establishments controlled by the Cuban military, but for the moment it remains possible for some voyagers to reach Cuba directly from U.S. territory for the first time since the Communist revolution and the Cold War era. As of October 2019, the Trump administration has announced a ban on direct  commercial flights from the U.S. to all Cuban cities except Havana.

Without a license
Many U.S. citizens instead travel without a license, doing so by way of other countries (many of which have routine flights to and from Cuba) to escape detection. Such countries include the Bahamas, Canada and Mexico. However, U.S. Customs Pre-Clearance facilities now exist at many airports in The Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.

Via the Bahamas
From Nassau, Cubana offers flights to Havana daily, except on Saturdays. Bahamasair offers flights on Thursday and Sunday. This is the cheapest and quickest route flying direct to Havana, especially for those living in the South Florida area.

Via Canada
A common practice for U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba via Canada is a two-leg flight: a flight booking for a flight to (and from) Canada and then a separate booking for the flight to (and from) Cuba. The two legs must be booked separately, as airlines such as Air Canada prohibit the booking of U.S. origin passengers to Cuba. Alternatively, you could drive or be driven across the border and dropped off in a Canadian city, and depart from there. This is more easily done for people near Detroit or Buffalo, as non-stop flights to Havana depart from either Montreal or Toronto.

Via Mexico
Mexico is considered safer and is probably the most popular. However, it still carries some risk: If you travel from Mexico to Cuba (which won't stamp your passport) and then back to Mexico, you will have two Mexican entry stamps; having two consecutive Mexican entry stamps could raise suspicions if your passport is checked carefully. If you decide to re-enter Mexico from Cuba, you could try to convince the Mexican immigration officer not to stamp your passport a second time.

It used to be possible to use a birth certificate + U.S. ID to enter Mexico the second time to only get one stamp in the passport. This was allowed under Mexican law for U.S. citizens, but since 2010, all U.S. citizens – including children – have been required to present a valid passport or passport card for travel beyond the “border zone” into the interior of Mexico.

Another safe bet would be to purchase an open-jaw ticket (Cancun-Havana and then Havana-Guatemala city, for example).

Mexico doesn't stamp passports on exit, and in that case it would look like in your passport that you flew from Cancun to Guatemala City (or whatever city is your final destination out of Havana).

Cancún is one of the easier gateways, with several different airlines offering daily flights to Havana. Although it may be slightly worrisome to show up not knowing what to expect, if you arrive earlier in the day it's usually possible to walk up to one of the airline counters and buy an onward ticket for same day travel, as flights on this route are rarely full. Try Cubana. Aeromexico flies 2 times a week.

U.S. citizens also travel via countries without U.S. customs stations (Guatemala, Venezuela, Panama, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Haiti, etc.) to reduce the likelihood of being caught. A substantial number simply take their chances, hoping they will not be questioned. U.S. citizens are advised by Cuban travel agents not to bring back anything identifiably Cuban (including tickets and receipts) before re-entering the country.

By ferry
There are no regular ferries or boats to Cuba from foreign ports, although some cruise liners do visit. Yachters are expected to anchor at the public marinas. Also, most ports are closed and tourists are not permitted to walk around them. Private vessels may enter at Marina Hemingway in Havana or Marina Acua in Varadero. Entry requires a U.S. passport, but there are no visa requirements. Your passport will not be stamped by Cuban authorities unless you request it. You will likely be intercepted upon your return to America and fined $5,000, although this is just a formality. You will not be expected to actually pay this fine nor have there been any repercussions or attempts to collect. The only attempt to prosecute was the case of Peter Goldsmith v. United States. This case was dismissed with prejudice in late 2004 in the Miami District Court.

Buy
Because of the embargo, there can be very serious cash complications for a Cuba traveler. Bank cash cards (bank-issued debit cards) from all countries are useless. For Americans, all credit and debit cards from any U.S. financial institution will not work in Cuba. For everyone else, any credit card issued by a foreign bank with a U.S. parent company or U.S. processing firm will also be blocked. In most cases, international Visa- and MasterCard-branded global payment (debit) and credit cards will work, but only if completely unaffiliated with any U.S. subsidiary or U.S.-owned clearinghouse. Regardless of your nationality or location, please research & double-check with your home bank to confirm the card's functionality in Cuba specifically: foreign banks may offer competing card products, some tied to US firms. Travelers have reported receiving bad information from their branch banks - speak to someone in authority if necessary. Don't get stuck in Cuba without money, because of poor planning: know before you go!

Tourists normally carry enough cash for a short Cuba trip. Most bring their own currency; confirm that yours is accepted, and calculate the most recent exchange rates at the Banco Metropolitano. Because Cuba imposes a 10% penalty on the exchange of U.S. dollars, it is not recommended to take larger sums of U.S. dollars to Cuba. Travelers converting over US$1,000. generally choose euros or Canadian dollars, and for the best rates, it's best to organize in advance. Finding the best exchange should never be left until the last minute: U.S. airport and retail forex kiosks offer some of the worst exchange rates. With two conversion (for example, U.S. dollars to Canadian dollars to pesos), costs can range anywhere between 8-20% depending on the amount and exchange rate at two banks; the relative savings (or loss) can be significant for the budget traveler. For longer trips, exchange what you need in stages: its a waste to reconvert a lump sum of unused CUPs (pesos) at departure (losing on yet another transaction.) But for shorter trip, be practical: how many visits to an ATM or bank would be necessary on a 7-day vacation? The foreign exchange booths (CADECAs) in Cuban airports offer extremely fair rates, but always be mindful of the calculations and never change for pesos on the street.

All the normal precautions apply, for traveling with big wads of cash: some travelers use money belts and/or travel security devices; others rent a hotel safe (it is not necessary to be a guest to do so.) Most just carefully hide valuables amongst their belongings, carrying a small amount of daily cash. Tourist theft in licensed casas particulares is very rare; a licensed owner has every incentive to protect you so respect their rules & security. Staying in unlicensed casas is riskier for theft, as is being drunk & bringing in shady locals.

Sensible travelers will generally avoid any electronic- or paper-trail evidence of unlicensed expenses, where that may be an issue.

As an alternative to carrying only cash (and contrary to popular belief), U.S. travelers cheques are accepted and economical. But unlike many destinations, travelers cheques are less convenient and cannot be replaced on island if lost/stolen. Also, proof is required for cashing: remember to bring your receipts with you to the Cuban bank!

Another option used primarily for family remittance, several debit & rechargeable payment cards might make sense for long-term or repeat travelers, especially as "back-up" or emergency funds: students abroad, take note! Investigate the different fees & terms, and allow three- to four weeks for the debit card pick-up on island. As of 2008, the favored debit cards used by Canadians, Europeans and others include Duales and AIS.

Also, repeat visitors may wish to consider opening a bank account in Cuba. From a Canadian bank, the wire cost is not excessive for larger transfers such as a semester's expenses. Unlike many Canadian and European banks, very few U.S. institutions are authorized to make licensed transfers (via bank wires) to correspondent banks in Cuba. To facilitate & speed this extraordinary type of transaction (if possible), get the correspondent banks' SWIFT & IBAN codes in advance. Keeping money in a local Cuban bank may be the safest option for a regular & repeat Cuba traveler. As a word of caution, be aware of the FBAR reporting requirements. US individuals with foreign bank accounts exceeding an aggregate value of $10,000 may be required to report their assets to the US government, and reporting your Cuban bank account may create issues.

Lastly, anyone suffering catastrophic loss would probably have to visit their consulate or embassy. Emergency funds can be arranged this way, but the process will be time-consuming and the fees will be extraordinarily expensive.

Regardless of nationality, it is extremely unwise to carry on your person/baggage any evidence of possible Embargo violations, or to discuss any travel expenses with a U.S. government official. A vigilant, prudent traveler knows s/he is under no obligation to do so, regardless of what some border guard threatens. The above constitutes neither a recommendation nor legal advice; it is provided only as informational reference and the common-sense of many previous Cuba travelers.

Stay safe
Since the restoration of diplomatic relations on July 20, 2015, the has reopened in what used to be the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy. It is in the Vedado district, along the Malecon. They can assist you if you lose your passport or have similar troubles, and can be reached at (for emergencies outside normal business hours, dial extension 1 to select English, then 0 to speak to an operator) or acshavana@state.gov@undefined. If you are in Cuba without a licence, only go to the embassy if you are in grave danger or trouble.

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You are allowed to bring informational materials (books, CDs, records, etc.) and certain types of artwork into the United States, but importing other types of Cuban goods is not allowed. Having any article, receipt, coins etc. that says hecho en Cuba opens the door to further inquiries about having a travel license. It's best to do a pre-departure cleanup of all baggage.

Even if a traveler has a license to visit, quantities of Cuban cigars or spirits brought back are limited to personal use. Cigars without labels may be presumed to be Cuban, drawing unwanted attention. Also, if unlicensed, bringing back anything that can be identified as Cuban would cause problems, especially if US authorities decide to search your luggage.

U.S. citizens caught traveling to Cuba without a license will not be denied re-entry, but may be subject to civil penalties of several thousand dollars and/or criminal prosecution. Making false statements to USCIS agents can be added to the charges if you falsely report your travels (e.g. omitting Cuba) at the port of entry, which leads some travelers to give an honest declaration along with an attempt to justify their visit under the general license if they come under scrutiny. Others simply omit Cuba and take their chances. Invoking your Fifth-Amendment right to remain silent may also come in handy when filling out forms or answering more questions whose answers might incriminate you. Simple advice is to smile, then decline to chat, because all this traveling has made you tired. Giving conflicting stories at this point could be construed as making false statements (18USC 1001). Many violators avoid fines by contesting the notices, with the government backing down rather than putting the effort into prosecution and testing their restrictions in court, and nobody has actually been prosecuted under this law since 2009. (The constitutionality of OFAC's "presumption of guilt" regarding spending money in Cuba has not been tested in the courts thus far.) The National Lawyers Guild and the Center for Constitutional Rights provide legal representation for U.S. citizens accused of violating these restrictions.

title: Americans in Cuba