English vs American spelling

[zanzibar]

And if you use British spellings in America you are at worse arrogant, or at best people just don't know why you spell that way.

That's in America though.  They do a lot of things differently down there.

[bilbous]

Since I just got up and missed all the hoo-haw on this thread, I thought I would respond to Zanzibars quoted text in Malfini's first post.

Canadian spelling is a combination of both British and American patterns.

So far from supporting your position it specifically refutes it and then goes on to specify how they will spell things in their written materials. This is an informative page and not a prescriptive page. Personally I use a Canadian localization with my Linux with a Canadian language spell-checker and it accept both usages. Also I have the feeling that the only places in Canada where British usage is enforced and American usage is a sign of ignorance is the notoriously snobbish private schools such as Upper Canada College or here in Ottawa, Ashbury College.

As far as general usage goes I am all for inclusiveness and this whole brou-ha-ha started from one throwaway sentence in the other thread where I pointed out the British usage and specifically refrained from taking issue. I suppose what I was trying to say was that some might take issue (rightly or wrongly) with it but I would not. If I had I would have pointed at the particular words at hand.

I suppose I should really stop writing throw away lines but that is just not who I am. What I mean by throw away line is something I think is accurate or amusing, not neccessarily both, but that I don't care enough about to argue over. I will argue about it if I think I am correct and someone challenges it but not always. Throw away lines often have a smilie in them.

Now excuse me while I adjust my long johns while I wait on line in the pommy loo queue. I had too much poutine last night

[zorbels]

None the less, if you use American spellings in Canada, you risk being percieved as ignorant.

American spelling is recognised in the Canadian pulbic school systems and when being marked on spelling and grammer or wording in essay's it is accepted for the most part.

[Malfini]

The original Latin was spoken only by a very few people, mostly educated ones. The "common" latin was very different from the "original" one, and was even more different depending on regions. But when you wanted all these different regions to comunicate fluently with each other, they used the "original" one, even though it is not spoken by the majority.

I don't see using the UK english as a sign of Imperialism, but more as a sign of respect to all english speakers out there. But don't get mad with such little things! The only way to get over this is to invent a time machine and kick the ass of the architect who design the Babel tower!

Helm if PlaneShift used "original English" which was first made around 450 AD none of us would understand it. Here is what English was like at around 900 AD.

"Hwæt! Wē Gār-Dena    in geārdagum,
þēodcyninga,    þrym gefrūnon,
hū ðā æþelingas    ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scēfing    sceaþena þrēatum,
monegum mǣgþum,    meodosetla oftēah,
egsode eorlas.    Syððan ǣrest wearð
fēasceaft funden,    hē þæs frōfre gebād,
wēox under wolcnum,    weorðmyndum þāh,
oðþæt him ǣghwylc    þāra ymbsittendra
ofer hronrāde    hȳran scolde,
gomban gyldan.    þæt wæs gōd cyning!"

That is from Beowulf and it can be translated as..

"Lo, praise of the prowess of people-kings
of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,
we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!
Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,
from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,
awing the earls. Since erst he lay
friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him:
for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve,
till before him the folk, both far and near,
who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate,
gave him gifts: a good king he!"

So only a few archaeologists or select historians would be able to understand the "original English".
Helm I really don't see why you are saying using the UK English is a sign of respect anyways....

[Helm]

Malfini, don't be a Klugscheisser... What I meant with "original English", and you know damn well what I am talking about, is the English brought from UK to the colonies...

There is no such thing as an original english in the imediate definition of the term, since English, as most languages, is a mixture of myriad of others, from Saxon, French, Latin, and God knows what else...

But considering I am from a Latin country, learned UK English, got blasted with bad english from American movies and series, mixed it up with lessons of French, Finnish and German,and you still understand me, I guess everything is ok!

P.S.: I specially like the part of the "Hwæt! Wē Gār-Dena    in geārdagum,". Must be really difficult to pronounce those 257s...

[Malfini]

Why are you calling American English "bad English"? The #257's could be the result of this forum not supporting the particular characters/glyphs that were in that area of the text. As for you calling me a "Klugscheisser" I think this means "smart donkey". I am not a donkey but I appreciate you calling me smart nonetheless though. Thank you Helm/Sekmeth *hugs*.

[zanzibar]

@Zorbels:  That wasn't the case when I was in primary and secondary school.  If I used an American spelling, I would lose marks.

About old English:  modern English has absorbed other languages such as Romance (Roman, early French / an evolution of Latin), and so it's not fair to compare modern English to old English.  They really are two different languages.

[zorbels]

@Zorbels:  That wasn't the case when I was in primary and secondary school.  If I used an American spelling, I would lose marks.

Ya, alot has changed in the public school's curriculum. I am only updated because my mother in law is a school teacher and my daughter is now in kindergarden. I was surprised to find out also that they don't say the lords prayer anymore, like we used to in our generation after singing the national anthem.

[Malfini]

Ya, alot has changed in the public school's curriculum. I am only updated because my mother in law is a school teacher and my daughter is now in kindergarden. I was surprised to find out also that they don't say the lords prayer anymore, like we used to in our generation after singing the national anthem.

Zorbels I am very glad that you were SURPRISED they didn't say the Lords Prayer anymore because it gives me a hint of your faithful devotion. I personally think the whole world is going down the toilet.

[Radiant Memphis]

Aheem....
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy,
it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a
wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist
and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset
can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it
wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed
ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe. ceehiro

That'll fduge up the splelchekcer
 

[Malfini]

I have heard that before and I think it's true. I was able to read your post easily except for one word that made me pause for just a moment.

[zorbels]

@Radiant Memphis: that would explain alot of my typing errors.  I fianlly hvae na ecxsue!

@Malfini: Faithful, always. I agree the world is going down the tolite and it is a shame. Thank God for small favor's though as OJ Simpson's book will not reach the shelves. At least the public has a limit thus far, gives me some hope.

[Malfini]

I agree Zorbels, that is somewhat promising. *hugs Zorbels*

[Monketh]

I think extra "u"s are elegant.

I second that motion.  "Aluminium" just sounds silly, though.
I like to use english spellings on some words and not on others.
I also like to put on accents, but that's a different story.
I prefer my native Midwestern Broadcaster/Standard English (The sort usually spoken on television.)

[Kiirani]

We actually use UK English here in New Zealand, and I don't believe any other variant is accepted in schools.. Oh wait, yeah.. Except for text speak.

* Kiirani weeps softly

I tend to use a combination of UK/US, depending which version of the word I came across first, however I make an effort to use the UK spellings of words where I know them as I consider them to be more correct.