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How did analytic philosophy and Continental philosophy differ in the 20th century?

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Painting by Joseph Aubert of Saint Thomas Aquinas seated with a book, wearing a halo and black and white robes, surrounded by ornate patterns in St. Stephens Church, Jerusalem. — Western philosophy Painting of scholastic philosopher St. Thomas of Aquinas by Joseph Aubert, 1900.

In the 20th century, Western philosophy became divided by geographic and cultural differences into two primary traditions: analytic philosophy and Continental philosophy.12

Analytic Philosophy
Prevalent in English-speaking countries, this tradition emphasizes the clarification of thought through analysis. It is problem-oriented and often treats philosophical issues as problems of language, meaning, or reference. Its methods range from the use of formal logic and symbolic languages to the examination of ordinary speech. While it experienced a period of anti-metaphysical sentiment in the mid-20th century, it later saw a significant revival of metaphysics.1345

Continental Philosophy
Associated primarily with Germany and France, this tradition is characterized by a speculative and broadly historical approach. During the 20th century, it was dominated by movements such as phenomenology and existentialism, later shifting toward structuralist and poststructuralist critiques of rationality and metaphysics. Continental philosophers often reject the dualisms found in traditional epistemology, focusing instead on the human experience of the world.1267

Until the 1990s, these two traditions remained largely distinct, with few attempts to bridge their methodological and stylistic differences.2