The use of American and British English on the websites of Belgian start-ups and international companies : lexis and spelling in the spotlight

This dissertation is an analysis of the variety of English used on the websites of start-ups and international companies based in Belgium. A historical part on the development of the English language, and an explanation of the differences between American English and British English introduce this analysis. One part also focuses on the use of English as a lingua franca in the world and in Belgium. The questions asked in this dissertation focus on the choice Belgian start-ups and international companies make between American and British English when writing the English versions of their websites, as well as the reasons behind these choices. The analyses are in three parts. The first part consists of an explanation of the methodology followed in order to collect the information necessary to carry out the analysis, the second part consists of the analysis itself, and the last part presents the various results of the observations.