Language learning

“England and America are two countries separated by the same language.”

– Often attributed to George Bernard Shaw

What does it mean?

A joke about British and American English: the two countries speak "the same" language, yet their differences in words, spelling and accent often cause confusion.

Who said it?

George Bernard Shaw: Irish playwright and critic (1856–1950).

These exact words are widely credited to George Bernard Shaw, but they don’t appear in their known work. They may be a later paraphrase or a misattribution.