How to choose between British and American English for technical documents

I'm not a native English speaker. I'm Italian and I'm doing my thesis in the Netherlands. I have to write technical documents for non-native English speakers, so I didn't receive any advice for choosing which one dialect (British or American) to use, as long as I stay consistent.

My concern comes from the fact that, while British is the original form, American is more related to my field of interest (electronics) and, I would say, more related to the spread of English as universal language.

Is there any reason because I should use one over the other?

My audience is not well specified because the document is meant to be conserved, but most likely European people, not necessarily Dutch.

Solution 1:

Actually I'm a writer. The difference is enormous. You probably cannot write a single sentence that would please a rigorous editor in the U.S. and a similarly qualified person in the U.K.!

It is not just a question of spelling a few words. The differences are so pervasive that I personally as a professional U.S. writer would be incapable of writing text which would not be massively re-written if I submitted it to a British editor.

So yes, you have to choose. Questions to consider, in order of importance.

1. Which are you most comfortable in already? Your text above read nicely to me, so I suspect perhaps you are most comfortable in American English.

2. Which English does your editor speak? If you write your text in perfect American English and your editor has learned British English, it's going to be a long, hard edit.

3. Which type of English are your source materials written in? It's going to be a lot easier to write American English if all the texts you are drawing from are in American English. And of course the reverse is true!

I suggest relying on these factors since it's impossible to know whether your audience prefers British or American English. Britain is closer geographically for Europeans, and BE is the language often used in airports, hotels and train stations. However, many Europeans have spent time in the U.S., or at least watch American movies. In the scientific realm, there are more publications written in American English so scientists may have more exposure to it.

Solution 2:

The differences between British English and American English are more apparent in speech than in writing, where the main indicator of variance is spelling. You have to consider who your readers are, and adapt your writing to their expectations. Do you have any particular example that is bothering you?

Solution 3:

I think you're possibly worrying unduly about this. Both the UK and US have active electronics industries and research programmes and UK speakers are used to reading documents written by US speakers and vice versa. I aslo wonder how much difference there really will be for your purposes anyway, beyond a few minor spelling differences.

So I would just choose the variant that's most practical for you: are you more used to reading literature from US or UK researchers/manufacturers? Can your more easily get a US or UK proofreader?