Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

I'm trying for a similar angle on "say something, your accent is so cute". I mean, they wouldn't do that to someone from India or China, now would they?

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

Those accents aren't cute.:D

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

I try for this too, since I'm new to the US. Orient here, not orientate. Town center not centre. (Except there's one annoying town called "Centreville"--hubby says that's an American town with silly British pretentions.) License not licence. It's good mental exercise!

In our time living abroad, I taught English in international schools with students from different countries, & had to brush up on the way English words were spelled all over the world, so as to mark their papers fairly. Some countries use both British & American spellings (Japan for one), depending on when the word entered into common use there.

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

I have reversed all the on/offs on the light switches in my house and also the hot/cold for all the taps.

Its not technically a change in spelling, but slightly enjoyable.

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

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!

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

That's a really good idea :lol: I still get confused.

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

Much more culturally-sensitive and non-judgemental to drive in the centre of the road.

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

I get a similar reaction when I put the day before the month when putting down dates. Honestly.:frown:

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

That's the Mexican way of doing it. It took me a while to get used to that.:eek:

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

I did not understand why I was the only person to be present for most meetings, till I realized how culturally insensitive my colleagues are.

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

Meeting was more productive that way, no?

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

I try to cater my spelling to the audience, however it does feel really strange spelling it " wrong ".

I feel as if somebody is going to hit me over the knuckles with a ruler :)

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

At work I use American spelling, but when I write on any website, write letters (even to other Americans) I write using English spellings, its how my brain works!

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

I have difficulty knowing which is which for many words. I can stop and think with words like theatre/er as I know the Brit spelling is French influenced, but I have to think. Others like grey/gray I have to look up.

Re: British vs. American Spelling
 

Word!

Well I never knew that! Thanks.

On my first trips back to England after I had emigrated, I used to rack my brain for the English words so that I wouldn't alienate my younger siblings. Pavement for sidewalk, serviette for napkin, etc., etc. But, as the decades went by, I couldn't remember the Brit words so I stopped doing this. I was reading an English novel the other day and I had to look up the word spanner. It sounded familiar, but I had no clue that it's a wrench.

I'm confused. Isn't mum pronounced mom? I thought it was just the spelling that is different here.

There might be a pay check in it.

Jeez, it's a compliment!

Are you saying that in England the settings of the switches and taps (faucets!) are different from ours?

That is a pain here. 4/4/12 is okay, but something like 4/8/2012 is confusing to other countries. How are they supposed to know its April 8 and not August 4?

Or a straight edge.

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.