Here are some of the main differences between British and American financial terminology.
| British
| American
|
| Annual General Meeting (AGM)
| Annual Stockholders Meeting
|
| Articles of Association
| Bylaws
|
| authorised share capital
| authorized capital stock
|
| barometer stock
| bellwether stock
|
| base rate
| prime rate
|
| bonus or capitalisation issue
| stock dividend or stock split
|
| bridging loan
| bridge loan
|
| building society
| savings and loan association
|
| cheque
| check
|
| company
| corporation
|
| creditors
| accounts payable
|
| current account
| checking account
|
| debtors
| accounts receivable
|
| gilt-edged stock (gilts)
| Treasury bonds
|
| labour
| labor
|
| Memorandum of Association
| Certificate of Incorporation
|
| merchant bank
| investment bank
|
| ordinary share
| common stock
|
| overheads
| overhead
|
| profit and loss account
| income statement
|
| property
| real estate
|
| quoted company
| listed company
|
| retail price index (RPI)
| consumer price index (CPI)
|
| share
| stock
|
| share premium
| paid-in surplus
|
| shareholder
| stockholder
|
| shareholders' equity
| stockholders' equity
|
| stock
| inventory
|
| trade union
| labor union
|
| unit trusts
| mutual funds
|
| visible trade
| merchandise trade
|
Money
|
| A.T.M.
| abbr. Automated Teller Machine; cash dispenserUK
|
|
| banknote
| n: a piece of paper money; billUS
|
|
| billUS
| n. a banknote; a piece of paper money
|
|
| black market
| n. illegal traffic in officially controlled commodities such as foreign currency
|
|
| bureau de change
| n. establishment where currencies of different countries may be exchanged
|
|
| cash
| n. 1 coins or bank notes (not cheques); 2 actual money paid (not credit)
|
|
| cash dispenserUK
| n: automatic machine from which clients of a bank may withdraw money; ATM
|
|
| cashier
| n. person dealing with cash transactions in a bank, store etc
|
|
| coin
| n: a piece of metal money
|
|
| currency
| n. the money in general use or circulation in any country
|
|
| debt
| n. money etc owed by one person to another
|
|
| exchange rate
| n. the rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another
|
|
| foreign exchange
| n: the currency of other countries
|
|
| hard currency
| n. currency that will probably not fall in value and is readily accepted
|
|
| invest
| v. to put money for profit into business, land etc - investment n.
|
|
| legal tender
| n: currency that cannot legally be refused in payment of a debt
|
|
| petty cashUK
| n. a cash fund for small, everyday expenses
|
|
| soft currency
| n. currency that will probably fall in value and is not readily accepted
|
|
| speculate
| v. (risky) buying of foreign currency, land etc for rapid gain - speculation n.
|
|
| transaction
| n. a (usually commercial) exchange; a deal - to transact v.
|
Law
|
| attorney
| n. 1 a person appointed to act for or represent another 2US lawyer
|
|
| barristerUK
| n. a lawyer who pleads before a superior court
|
|
| brief
| n. 1UK instructions to a barrister - alsov. 2US written statement of facts
|
|
| case
| n. statement of the facts in a trial, esp. the argument of one side
|
|
| contract
| n. a formal agreement, usually in writing, between two or more parties
|
|
| court of law
| n. the place where law cases are hear and decided; court - courtroom n.
|
|
| evidence
| n. information presented to a court to prove or support a point in question
|
|
| guilty
| adj. responsible for wrong; culpable - guilt n. not guilty adj.
|
|
| judge
| n. official with authority to hear and decide cases in a court of law - alsov.
|
|
| jury
| n. a group of people chosen to hear the evidence of a case and give a decision
|
|
| lawsuit
| n. a trial at court between two private parties
|
|
| lawyer
| n. a person trained in law and who advises or represents others
|
|
| plead
| v. 1 to defend a law case 2 to declare oneself to be guilty or not guilty - plea n.
|
|
| sentence
| n. 1 decision of a court, esp. as to the punishment 2 the punishment - alsov.
|
|
| solicitor
| n. 1UK lawyer advising clients & briefing barristers 2US law officer for a city etc
|
|
| sue
| v. to start legal action against someone in a court of law - lawsuit n.
|
|
| sum up
| v. to summarise & review the evidence of a case - summing up n.
|
|
| trial
| n. a formal examination of a case in a court of law - to try v.
|
|
| verdict
| n. the formal decision or finding of a judge or jury
|
|
| without prejudice
| without detriment or damage to a legal right or claim
|
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