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British vs. American Spelling

British vs. American Spelling

Old Apr 25th 2012, 10:53 pm
  #46  
 
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by Primula


Jeez, it's a compliment!



Er, we are having fun. You know, irony. The thing that Brits do.
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Old Apr 25th 2012, 11:21 pm
  #47  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter
Er, we are having fun. You know, irony. The thing that Brits do.
True, but it's hard to know with just the written word. Mind you, Americans, even face-to-face, do not get irony at all.
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Old Apr 26th 2012, 12:06 pm
  #48  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by Primula
I'm confused. Isn't mum pronounced mom? I thought it was just the spelling that is different here.
Huh? No, they're both pronounced differently (how they're spelled)
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Old Apr 26th 2012, 3:43 pm
  #49  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by Primula
Are you saying that in England the settings of the switches and taps (faucets!) are different from ours?
I suppose the toilets are higher off the ground here because its less effort for the fat yanks to get up after a good dump.
Tho why the baths are shorter makes no sense at all; wider, yes - but shorter?

Have you noticed that they walk on the right? Its probably because its hardly ever done and they confuse it with driving..........

Originally Posted by kimilseung
and I refuse to drive on the right. It is shocking to see the anger when I just stand up (well sit down) for my cultural rights!
Yeah?
Well, I don't show up to work until its correct in GMT.
They don't like that one.

Last edited by Xebedee; Apr 26th 2012 at 3:45 pm. Reason: fart.
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Old Apr 27th 2012, 5:13 am
  #50  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by GeoffM
American spelling for Americans, British for the British. Simple as that. Mind you, I can't be arzed :-) to switch the phone's language so the autocorrect on that goes a little OTT.
I think it would be more reasonable to follow this guideline ... 'American spelling in America, British spelling in Britain'. That's what I end up doing. I guess if you are here in some capacity that does not require you to communicate professionally you can do whatever you want, but if you are working here and need to communicate, you will a) come across as someone with poor command of the language, and b) end up forever fighting with spell-checkers if you insist on using British variants. No doubt this will provoke a response that most Americans already have a poor command of the language ...
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Old Apr 27th 2012, 6:13 am
  #51  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by Steerpike
if you are working here and need to communicate, you will [...] end up forever fighting with spell-checkers if you insist on using British variants
Yes, I'm writing documents for my previous UK employer and I either try to avoid variants or end up "correcting" them. One day I'll find the switch to make Word think in different languages.
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Old Apr 27th 2012, 6:28 am
  #52  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

I think is more likly that I will make a typo that the grammer police will catch then "mis-spell" something that matters.
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Old Apr 27th 2012, 2:28 pm
  #53  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by RICH
I think is more likly that I will make a typo that the grammer police will catch then "mis-spell" something that matters.
Oh, the irony

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Old Apr 27th 2012, 6:21 pm
  #54  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by Xebedee
Have you noticed that they walk on the right?
Haven't noticed them doing much walking actually.
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Old Apr 27th 2012, 7:30 pm
  #55  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing
Oh, the irony

I know, right?

Crap, this was meant for the pet peeves thread.
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Old May 4th 2012, 7:17 pm
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

I was in America for many years before I realized that Americans spell plough plow. I like our way better.
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Old May 5th 2012, 1:19 pm
  #57  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by Primula
I have the same problem with that too. Some words I just simply avoid. Some words I never pronounce either. Lieutenant, for one; I will not touch that word with a 10-foot pole.
It's pronounced 'leftenant' - and I enjoy telling colleagues that 'lootenant' starts with 'loo' which back home is also a nice term for a shit house. So a 'lootenant' is just somebody in charge of a shit house...

It's bad enought we have to use a French word () but it is efficient for it's meaning.
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Old May 5th 2012, 3:30 pm
  #58  
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Default Re: British vs. American Spelling

Originally Posted by HarryTheSpider
It's pronounced 'leftenant' - and I enjoy telling colleagues that 'lootenant' starts with 'loo' which back home is also a nice term for a shit house. So a 'lootenant' is just somebody in charge of a shit house...

It's bad enought we have to use a French word () but it is efficient for it's meaning.
When I was an enlisted man in the US Army, we would use the rank of "el-tee" in addressing said officer. Sargeants would be "Sarge" except for the First Sargeant who would be "Top."

By the way, I am amused by these discussions -- it is but an accident of history for the differences. From what I understand, Noah Webster wanted to "simplify" spelling even more but many of his spellings did not catch on. See this Wikipedia article.
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