Where did the English language originate?
If you change dictionaries in OS X, you'll get this menu. It would seem that the default English isn't the one you might be familiar with, you know the Queen's English or the language of Shakespeare, Byron or Robbie Burns (alright that's pushing it). It is in fact the good old US of A. Choosing proper English is in fact British English. Apple can stick it's colors thru its maximizing whatevers.