American spelling unsafe at any speed

[Vorpal]

As suggested by anothereye...

Is it so terrible to spell meter, center and theater they way they sound? Is it a crime to drop those irrelevant letters to create labor, color, analog, catalog, traveled and unraveling?

And how much worse are the past tenses: spelled versus spelt, spoiled versus spoilt, burned versus burnt?

Shall we harmonize? Or analyse and criticise? Eat donuts and cookies? Or denounce such offences for having brought wrack and ruin to the language?

Humor not allowed.

[York Commuter]

It is important to remember that any living language is an evolving state of flux.

We do not speak the same language as was spoken by our great grand-parents let alone by Shakespeare, and yet we all speak (spoke) English.

American-English initially developed in partial isolation from British-English and so it is to be expected that regional variations would exist.

Ameican preserves some older English words and phrases that have become extinct in British use.

Equally American had to develop new words to name and describe new things that were encountered on the new continent.

As to spelling we must all admit that British English is not particularly systematic. The loss of the "u" in color/labor is actually more true to the Latin roots of the words.

The ise/ize ebate is an interesting one: I had always assumed that the "ize" was the American version, however the Oxford University Press in their Anglicized version of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible use "ize". Most experts would hold that both versions are equally correct.

Ab easy to read, and generally accurate coverage of the linguistc growth of American English is Bill Bryson's "Made in America"

[Edwards]

To late.

[reohn2]

As suggested by anothereye...

Is it so terrible to spell meter, center and theater they way they sound? Is it a crime to drop those irrelevant letters to create labor, color, analog, catalog, traveled and unraveling?

And how much worse are the past tenses: spelled versus spelt, spoiled versus spoilt, burned versus burnt?

Shall we harmonize? Or analyse and criticise? Eat donuts and cookies? Or denounce such offences for having brought wrack and ruin to the language?

Humor not allowed.

Can you understand whats being said/written? if not then theres a problem,if you can understand whats being said/written,no problem.
BTW USA English is another language which has evolved seperately,that said it crosses the pond easily.

[Si]

I'm partly with reohn2 - if it is always clearly understandable then where's the issue?

On the other hand, using the American (or incorrect) spelling can reflect on the user in certain circumstances.

So I would say that it all depends on the context. A light hearted chat on the forum - no problem, but in a commercial proposal, CV, academic paper, etc, the fact that the writer has used the wrong word or spelling may well prejudice the reader against them.

[thirdcrank]

The main thing to remember is that it's the same as Cheddar cheese, Yorkshire pudding and all those sports like soccer we claim to have invented. There are many more English speakers in the rest of the world than live here and they will have their own rules and usage over which we have no control. If everybody gets used to the idea that the English taught all over Europe is the American version, it puts it into perspective.

[gaz]

Shall we harmonize? Or analyse and criticise? Eat donuts and cookies? Or denounce such offences for having brought wrack and ruin to the language?

If I adopt American as my first language I can legally ride on the pavement.

[thirdcrank]

... If I adopt American as my first language I can legally ride on the pavement.

Shouldn't that be 'sidewalk' ?

[kwackers]

... If I adopt American as my first language I can legally ride on the pavement.

Shouldn't that be 'sidewalk' ?

No running then?

[Vorpal]

Pavement in American is... er, on the road, actually.

[GrahamNR17]

Pavement in American is... er, on the road, actually.

It is here, too Well, it is if you're a highway engineer

[byegad]

As an avid reader and, in my younger days a poor speller. I find too much emphasis on spelling off putting. I studied Physics from an American text book so color and center were the way I saw these words spelled out. I knew even then that we spell them colour and centre and to be honest I don't really mind so long as there is consistency within the text.

I knew an English teacher who told all her poor spellers to read more. Very few people read more than me as a child, I was 'promoted to the senior library in Middlesbrough on a restricted ticket at 9, as I had read the junior library, (Yes all of it, I'm a fast reader.) yet I couldn't spell to save my life.

As a Union rep' I once had to take a dictated message to type up (With one finger!) and hand out copies in a strike meeting. Having flogged myself to get it ready in short time available, one pedant took it from me and within seconds announced that I'd spelt immediately with one 'M'. The fact that we were meeting to vote on an offer was unimportant to this person compared to one misspelt word. My reply would have been terribly rude if she hadn't been howled down by the rest of the meeting.

Frankly some USA usage grates on me. Gotten was almost dead in English usage at one time and is now back, imported from the left side of the Atlantic where it never went out of fashion. I hate it, yet it is correct usage. But what annoys me more is people who are convinced that their English is the only correct one.

[meic]

Si said

"So I would say that it all depends on the context. A light hearted chat on the forum - no problem, but in a commercial proposal, CV, academic paper, etc, the fact that the writer has used the wrong word or spelling may well prejudice the reader against them."

I found this to be the case when I was after a job doing TEFL in East Asia. Nobody wanted a British English speaker, if they could have the real (American) thing instead.

[Jonty]

I'm a traditionalist on this although my spelling isn't great. The USA deliberately decided to simplify "English" by spelling words phonetically.
In "British" English there has been a deliberate attempt to be true to the roots of words such as whether no not they have evolved from a French, germanic or latinate origin in the way in which they are spelt.
IMHO this demonstrates a greater respect for language and history.
Personally I think words like "Favorites" should be banned in the UK.
The French wouldn't put up with it.
As others have said some American words are Elizabethan/Tudor English. I think fall for autumn and scallion (spring onion) are particularly attractive examples.
Scallion is also the word for spring onion in Ireland.
jonty

[hubgearfreak]

whether no not they have evolved from a French, germanic or latinate origin in the way in which they are spelt.

my understanding is that the only words we use that originated in latin, have been brought over by the french 900 years ago. before that, latin had long fallen out of use in these islands.
if you ever get the opportunity to speak with and listen to friesian people, you'll see where language is from, before the norman invasion which has since added a great number of words.