Differing spellings

[subZer0]

It's something I've always pondered - why do we spell things differently? I mean favourite/favorite, humour/humor, etc, etc. Where does it all come from?

Answers on a postcard please...

 

[Kalamos]

Already sent mine.

 

[isabeau]

english words got shortened or translated differently once we came across the seas..

 

[Dussicar]

I don't exactly know WHERE it came from.

I am, however, aware that different countries do have different spelling changes.

In Britain and Canada, we spell certain words such as sanatise and realise with an s.

Where as in America, they spell those words and others like them with a z.

I suppose that didn't really answer the question though.😱

 

[subZer0]

I don't exactly know WHERE it came from.

I am, however, aware that different countries do have different spelling changes.

In Britain and Canada, we spell certain words such as sanatise and realise with an s.

Where as in America, they spell those words and others like them with a z.

I suppose that didn't really answer the question though.😱

Actually mate, you add a bit more body to the question. I couldn't think of any other types of spelling differences, and you have! Thanks!

Plus, I didn't know you Canadians and us Brits spelled things the same. I thought it was pretty much you guys and the US were the different to us, so thanks for clarifying!

 

[nerobob]

Because English people are right and everyone else is being a bit silly.

 

[Bugman]

After the American Reveloution there was still a great deal of hatred between the English and Americans.There was even talk about making French or German our official language.Thats part of the reason.Also at least here,spelling was not standarzied until i believe the mid 1800's as public schools started to become common.

 

[milagros317]

Why waste time writing "colour" and "doughnut" when "color" and "donut" will do? 😀

 

[General Zod]

The only British word I have never understood is "centre" It looks like it should sound centry

 

[locker669]

Maybe it's the same reason why people in different areas say a word different, like chowder and chowda. Maybe it's different regions.

 

[General Zod]

Maybe it's the same reason why people in different areas say a word different, like chowder and chowda. Maybe it's different regions.

I think that's more of an accent thing Unless they spell it chowda up in Mass.

 

[Icycle]

English had the misfortune of having its spelling standardized just as the language was going through a major change in pronunciation, such that many spellings today faithfully reflect the way the words would have been spoken 400 years ago. English also has a tendency to borrow foreign words, but preserve both the foreign pronunciation as well as the foreign spelling. As a result, English spelling is a mess!

Numerous reformers have attempted to reform English spelling to more closely reflect modern pronunciation, but not always with much success. In eighteenth century America, there were some strong spelling reform movements, which account for some prominent American/British spelling differences, like color vs. colour, theater vs. theatre, and aluminum vs. aluminium.

If you are interested in more about the history of the English language, I recommend The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got That Way by Bill Bryson.

 

[subZer0]

English had the misfortune of having its spelling standardized just as the language was going through a major change in pronunciation, such that many spellings today faithfully reflect the way the words would have been spoken 400 years ago. English also has a tendency to borrow foreign words, but preserve both the foreign pronunciation as well as the foreign spelling. As a result, English spelling is a mess!

Numerous reformers have attempted to reform English spelling to more closely reflect modern pronunciation, but not always with much success. In eighteenth century America, there were some strong spelling reform movements, which account for some prominent American/British spelling differences, like color vs. colour, theater vs. theatre, and aluminum vs. aluminium.

If you are interested in more about the history of the English language, I recommend The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got That Way by Bill Bryson.

Thanks for the info, and the recommendation. I'll have a look!
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The English language has developed from numerous sources; the Romans, the French, to name a few. The language has developed over time and has incorporated these different tongues, and hence it's what we have it at now.

I've heard it quoted that the English language is one of the hardest to learn in the world.

I did think before that after the Revolution one way to show a hatred of the English was to change the spellings, and that it was the reason for it, so thanks for the input, Bugman. 😉

 

[subZer0]

The only British word I have never understood is "centre" It looks like it should sound centry

He he, seems so!

There's another variant of this type of spelling (-re/-er) in metre and meter. However, they are in fact two different words with their own meanings. But a silly little piece of useless information nonetheless.

 

[maniactickler]

I just hate it when people spell tickle, tickel.

 

[GirlWhoLikes2Laugh]

english words got shortened or translated differently once we came across the seas..

That's a good answer Izzy!

 

[Headsnap]

Because English people are right and everyone else is being a bit silly.

I support this comment with a valour coloured by my xenophobic scepticism!

 

[chickles_:)]

I just hate it when people spell tickle, tickel.

Hiya all!
Cool discussion!
And if you think that's odd, Mania-Tickeller 😛 When I read older English novels (Sir Walter Scott for instance) I discover that "tickle" is a much later word that used to be "kittel" - which is interesting since the German word for our shared favourite passtime is "kitzel".

And many think etymology is boring,,

As for the "metre"-"meter" question,, my Oxy (oxford dictionary) says they are the same word spelling UK and US respectively, (as usual, Canada seems to end up split between the two with a creative influence of old French - if my relatives reflect any degree of reality. That's interesting too because in French the "-re" is always preferred over "-er") The one exception is the device used to measure. Okay so there is something to do with poetry too, but i honestly can't figure out the distinction between when we would use meter and metre.😕

I suspect that is one reason for the singular spelling used in the States.

And as icycle said, when English people were settling in the Americas, the language had not yet become standardised.

I hope that helps. 🙂

Many blessings,
Chickles