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American English and British English have several linguistic differences. Some are spelling alterations: Americans dropped the “u” from favourite and colour, and Brits watch the television for their programmes.
Some differences are a larger shift in vocabulary: Americans have apartments, while the British have flats. Do you end a sentence with a period or a full stop? If it’s chilly, you can either put on your American sweater or your British jumper.
American English has been influenced by several cultures and languages over the years that British English has not. For example, the American word cookie is derived from a Dutch word, “koekje,” which translates to “little cake.”
In relating British and American English, the British “biscuit” is usually equated to the American “cookie.” This is somewhat incorrect. The two are similar, but the more traditional British biscuit is crispier, meant to be softened through dunking it tea.
American English refers to all of these baked treats as “cookies” but British English makes a more specific distinction.
There are several origin stories for the American “chocolate chip cookie.” The exact dates are disputed, though the recipe existed close to its modern form by 1938. The chocolate chip cookie is a soft, sweet cookie with pieces of chocolate contained within.
The chocolate chip cookie is a powerful brand, and delicious, so the concept hopped across the pond—and the term never changed. You would not hear anyone refer to a “chocolate chip biscuit.” The word cookie is too important to the essence of the thing. The British may prefer their dense biscuits, but they eat chocolate chip cookies, too.
If you ever find yourself in the United Kingdom and feel the urge to eat a chocolate chip cookie, you can buy them in their shops’ American food sections. Enjoy your Dutch-named, American-born, English-enjoyed little cakes!
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