When you compare British English vs. American English, you may find different uses for one word or even a complete replacement. To stay consistent and trustworthy in your academic writing, it is necessary to know which word to use if you have two options or what meaning they have in each form of the English language. An example of a variation in meaning can be found in the words “CV” and “resume,” which will be explained in the following article.
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“CV” or “resume”
A “CV” or “resume” is generally a list of your academic life and job experiences used for applications. However, differentiating these two is a little more complicated than just dividing them into British English and American English because both words are used in both languages for partly different things.
In general, a “resume” is a short summary of about one to two pages, listing your contact information and most recent experiences or the ones relevant to the job you are applying for. Furthermore, you give a short overview about your soft skills and technical skills as well as possible volunteer experiences.
A ”CV” on the other hand, is an extended version of the resume. It includes additional information on the academic career as well as your aims, hobbies and other interests. A CV, short for curriculum vitae, is often longer than 3 pages and may go up to 10 for an experienced person.
British English
CV
(resume)
American English
resume
(CV)
While both words are used in both languages, there are still some differences. In the US, a resume is used for simple job applications while the CV is solely for academic work positions. In Britain, the preferred version is the CV, which is nowadays more of a combination of the American CV and resume, but still long and detailed with information.
Examples of using “CV” and “resume” as a noun
The following examples will demonstrate the linguistic divergence of the noun “CV/resume” in British and American English.
- British English: “CV”
- American English: “Resume”
- I sent my updated CV with the application.
- Hopefully, my CV will convince them to give this job to me.
- How did you design your CV?
- I sent my updated resume with the application.
- Hopefully, my resume will convince them to give this job to me.
- How did you design your resume?
Etymology and origin
English has many examples of words that have developed a different meaning in British or American English due to cultural influences, migration, and the natural divergence of the English language over time. “CV” and “resume” in general both refer to a list of educational and job experiences used for applications. Below, we’ll explain each word’s origin and etymology.
The short form “CV” stands for “curriculum vitae,” which is Latin and means “course of life.” This denotation is very fitting, considering that a CV really includes all your life’s data, starting from your grade school up to your very recent job and interests.
“Resume” derives from the French word “résumé,” which means “abstract” or “summary.” It describes perfectly how a resume really is just a short summary of the most important jobs and experiences in your life, cut into shape to fit your application.
FAQs
No, both words are used in both languages. While a resume gives a short summary about your academic and job life, a CV goes in deeper, listing every experience you have and every school you went to. In the US, however, a resume is used for all non-academic jobs, which is also the case for the British CV.
This depends on where you live and which job you are applying to. In Britain, you mostly use a CV for every application. In America, however, you use a resume for public or private jobs, while you use a CV for all academic jobs.
This, of course, depends on your age and experience. A CV should have around 2-3 pages, but it can always be longer than that. In the case of an experienced academic worker, it can hold up to 10 pages sometimes.
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