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by EL1 2 on April 26th, 2008

EL1 2

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Brits, I'll make a compromise with you. I'll spell words like "memorize" as "memorise" and words like "theater" as "theatre", if you drop the "u" in words like "color" and "flavor" and spell words like "cheque" as "check". Deal?

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Answers. 15 helpful answers below.

  • by Lady Alathia of Vulcan on May 9th, 2008

    Lady Alathia of Vulcan

    Hm... I like all the British English spellings better actually. I'm ready to force America to switch over at any time.

    As long as I don't have to work out recipes in grams. That's too much math for me. Pounds and stone I understand... but the switch to metric would make my head spin.

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  • by david tennants not so secret admirer on May 9th, 2008

    david tennants not so secret admirer

    sorry,no deal.the words cheque and check are two completly different things.so therefore cannot be spelt the same.its these little eccentricities that make the english language amazing.i can't and won't change anything about it.

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  • by Quirkie on May 9th, 2008

    Quirkie

    Can we renegoshiate? [sic]

    You may have spotted that I already spell words like "memorize" as "memorize". (Why not "compromize"?) I'm likely to spell "theatre" as "theatre" but on the other hand Brits don't go to the theatre to see movies, but plays and shows. Brits go to the cinema to see films. "movies" sometimes sounds as antiquated as "talkies" to Brits.

    Let's both spell things the most logical way.
    color should be spelt color: tick. "check" should be spelt "bill" and "bill" is spelt "note".
    "memorise", "memorize".
    "pavement" -> sidewalk.

    Let's avoid the word fender, "fine four fendered friend" is an ugly mouthful.
    "hood" and "bonnet" are equally stupid, as are "trunk" and "boot".
    "Flashlight" is better than "torch" but still not quite right. "Cell light" would be better.
    Use "battery" for devices with more than 1.5 volts and "cell" for 1.5 volts.

    Stop calling your muffins "English".
    Let's use the word "petrol" not "gas". petrol is a liquid.
    It's the accelerator, not the gas pedal.
    Driving on the left and imperial units came first. Metric and driving on the right came in with the French revolutionaries. The British measurements tend to make more sense than the American ones when they differ.

    Let's use the wonderful British word, arse, rather than the diluted donkeyesque 'ass'.
    A bum is what you sit on. A fag is a cigarrete. A fanny is an old fashioned word for what you sometimes call a beaver.
    Since the word comes from the book Fanny Hill, it's difficult to see how you got that wrong.

    "diner" is good.
    "realtor" is just bizarre. Why "real estate"? did you have a problem with subprime lending on "imaginary estates"? UK: estate agent. Win.

    We better settle on vacation, rather than UK: holiday. At least we'll both know what it means.

    What about jello <> jelly <> jam
    No problem, drop "jelly" alltogether, you learn jam, I'll use jello.

    Similiarly underwear <> pants <> trousers.
    pants will have to become a dead word.

    When you go to the "diner" ask for the "toilet" not the bathroom, there's no bath in it. Nor the restroom - you didn't go there to rest. Call it a WC if you're squeamish.

    Let's agree to call it a garden if it has grass, and a yard if it doesn't.


    Finally, forget "trapezium" and "trapezoid" we're never going to agree on that one. Period. No wait, I mean "full stop"!!

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  • by Lovehearts on May 6th, 2008

    Lovehearts

    Hmmmm. I just can't do it.

    I need the 'u'. It adds an extra something...
    I'll call a lift, an elevator if you like, though.

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  • by Oor Galooly - on April 26th, 2008

    Oor Galooly -

    Let's face it. English spelling and pronunciation is a nightmare for most people. Take ough for example, it can be pronounced like 8 different ways or something. As in plough, though, bought, enough, and there`s a few others I can`t think of. But writing color and flavor has always looked wrong to me, it really needs the u in there to look proper.

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  • by Smiles on April 26th, 2008

    Smiles

    No deal.

    Its different when you give someone a cheque, and when you check something. Why use the same spelling for a completely different word? :-)

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  • by farseer on July 15th, 2011

    farseer

    Hmm... so you think the English should change how they speak the English language?

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  • by Seraphim Shinobi on April 26th, 2008

    Seraphim Shinobi

    no deal, compromise is weakness. just kidding, i dont really belive that haha. but still, no deal.

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  • by An0nym0us on April 26th, 2008

    An0nym0us

    Mi vol far interkonsenton kun vi. Lerni Esperanton...

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  • by Jewel on April 26th, 2008

    Jewel

    Why does it matter? You know what they mean. They understand what you mean. Many things are spelled differently while meaning the same and usually sounding the same.

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  • by Thadeus Quintus Lesbotron on July 15th, 2011

    Thadeus Quintus Lesbotron

    Sorry, no deal. You do it your way and I'll do it mine, we are both well aware of the differences between US and UK English, and variety is the spice of life, let's celebrate our differences!

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  • by Juice on July 15th, 2011

    Juice

    Lol no!

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  • by -_You Can Leave Your Hat On....- on May 9th, 2008

    -_You Can Leave Your Hat On....-

    Sorry but i cant change the habits of a lifetime, im English, and am going to spell, the correct way. it being the mother tongue and all that? :)

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  • by Beany on May 9th, 2008

    Beany

    Not a chance. The U is there to stay, and a cheque is a cheque. I don't mind the z too much, although s is stil better

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  • by Over and Out on July 15th, 2011

    Over and Out

    Really .. it's not that important. We all know what each of us means. I'm sure we have much more important issues to bicker about.

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You're reading Brits, I'll make a compromise with you. I'll spell words like "memorize" as "memorise" and words like "theater" as "theatre", if you drop the "u" in words like "color" and "flavor" and spell words like "cheque" as "check". Deal?

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