Canadian English

“In spelling, as in vocabulary and pronunciation, Canadian usage is influenced by the practice of both the Americans and the British. (…) The fact is that usage is much divided, varying from province to province and often from person to person. For the most part, however, Canadians respond to these variations with equal ease.”

(From: Gage Canadian Dictionary, p. XIII)

“When written or printed, Canadian English varies in the extent to which it reflects American or British usage. Generally speaking, newspapers and magazines use American spellings such as color, center and anemic, in line with the Canadian Press Stylebook; whereas Canadian book publishers tend to use the British alternatives (colour, centre, anaemie, etc.).”

(From: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, by David Crystal, 2003, p.89)

 Australian English

“Australian usage is subject to the media-borne influences of both British and, increasingly, American usage. By and large, because of traditional ties, there is less resistance to UK than US usage, particularly in pronunciation and spelling, but the balance appears to be tilting slowly towards the US.”

(From: The Oxford Guide to World English, by Tom McArthur, 2002, pp. 383-384)

“Although historically tied to Britain, linguistically Australia has been receptive to American influences as to British ones. In Australia, people eat cookies, not biscuits; politicians run for office and not stand, as in Britain; they drive station wagons rather than estate cars; give their money to a teller rather than a cashier in a bank; wear cuffs on their pants, not turn-ups on their trousers; say mail, not post; and cover small injuries with Band-Aid rather than a plaster.”

(From: Mother Tongue, by Bill Bryson, 1990, p.103)

New Zealand English

“With a smaller and more homogenous population than Australia, New Zealand’s usage norms have remained more like those of British English.”

(From: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, by David Crystal, 2003, p.372)

Irish English

“The physical proximity of Ireland to Great Britain and the long association of their peoples has resulted in the English of Ireland being a very near relation to British English. There are however some features of Irish English that have their roots in the Gaelic language that it replaced, and these, along with its unique pronunciation (which is also influenced by Gaelic) easily distinguishes it from other dialects. (…) Irish ortography follows British English to the letter and it is unlikely that American English will make any headway.”

(From: Mighty Fine Words and Smashing Expressions, by Orin Hargraves, p. 273)

South African English

“South African English follows British English in orthography, and in many items of vocabulary as well. Words that are not borrowed from Afrikaans or African languages are far likelier to have come from British English than from American English (newsreader, beetroot, scone, duvet).”

(From: Mighty Fine Words and Smashing Expressions, by Orin Hargraves, p. 275)

Indian English

“As a dialect spoken in varying degrees by some thirty million people, Indian English ranks third among world Englishes in number of speakers and naturally has more ‘word of mouth’ influence in Asia than either American or British English does. No other dialect of English better illustrates the ability to grow beyond its traditional borders, (…) surprises abound. (…) Indian ortography follows British English to the letter.”

(From: Mighty Fine Words and Smashing Expressions, by Orin Hargraves, pp. 271-2)