Does American screw you up?

[Op_Cit]

For the Brits (and perhaps other Euro's):

I spent some time working overseas and I had to shift to English spelling (as opposed to American) . (Your screwey spell checker's wouldn't allow my American.)

Anyway, as a result I can no longer remember whether a certain word uses a Z or an S, and I'm always throwing in extra U's. It's been over five years now back in the states and I've not recovered (and my coworkers think I'm a bozo as a consequence).

So my question to you is, does reading all this American stuff have the same result on you? (Messing with your ability to spell.)

If not, should I continue to curse/blame you for my acquired affliction? And who the heck was this guy named Zed anyway?

(BTW: that driving on the wrong side of the road thing nearly got me killed.)

 

[TheEarl]

Colour. Flavour. Sulphur. Cheque. Queue. Disc. Specialise.

This is the English language. I will be long dead before I ever even think about using Color for anything other than HTML code. Or even worse, the blasphemy against chemistry that is 'Sulfuric acid.'

Call it snobbery; I just cannot even think about writing another way. Even if I moved to America, I'd write my cheques with a que.

The Earl

 

[TheEarl]

Oh, and Zee? How's the alphabet song supposed to end with a Zee? You guys have to add an extra line in to make it sound right. If you have Zee, then you sound like you're finishing in the middle of a line.

The proper English Zed, on the other hand, rounds off the song nicely without any need for this 'Now I know my abc' tosh.

The Earl

 

[Op_Cit]

...the blasphemy against chemistry that is 'Sulfuric acid.'

Maybe this is the real reason "Willie is no more"

I thought maybe Zed came from that same school that gave us "leftenant"...

 

[TheEarl]

Oh and "Aloominum" is a sensible way to prounounce things?

Al-u-min-i-um. There's two i's in it.

The Earl

 

[Whisky7up]

and doesn't Nuclear (new-clee-er) become something like noocular or nucular??

On the other hand 'center' makes much more sense.

 

[yui]

and doesn't Nuclear (new-clee-er) become something like noocular or nucular??

On the other hand 'center' makes much more sense.

Only when Bush says it.

 

[TheEarl]

Sense doesn't really come into it when languages' spelling is concerned. The only truly logical language was Esperanto. And no-one in the world speaks that. Cause it's dull.

It's the irregularities that make language so beautiful. French - c'est une cul se apprends, mais c'est une langue tres belle. En particulier en parlez, c'est la premier langue d'amour.

The deliberate simplifications of American - color, sulfur, center, check, disk, etc - leave me utterly cold. JMHO.

The Earl

 

[patricia51]

I don't speak American. I speak Southern. Its a completely different language.

 

[TheEarl]

I don't speak American. I speak Southern. Its a completely different language.

I actually quite like the Southern accent. With the right kind of voice, it's quite pretty. Thinking Amy Acker on Angel rather than George Dubya.

The Earl

 

[Lauren Hynde]

On the other hand 'center' makes much more sense.

Does it? How do you spell "central"?

(or "theatrical")

 

[Lady Christabel]

I learned to speak and write from UK grandparents in a US school in the deep South. I usually edit for US writers, but sometimes UK as well. I have a couple of US writers who prefer UK and vice versa, but they often miss a few. For years, I did my best to write in US mode, because that was standard for my area. I programme in US, but text is UK. I write UK unless I'm editing in US mode, and then I mix-and-match. Yes, you could say I have issues with UK/US.


I prefer to think of it as "eccentric" because "screw you up" is one of those phrases that drives Editzilla to the brink.

 

[Goldie Munro]

I just love language and love the fact that it is an ever changing and evolving entity! Spelling comes down to cultural etiquette and tradition really and as long as the messsage is understandable - who cares? I always use UK spellings beacuse that is what I have been taught but some spellings are just weird and lets face it color is a bit more economical than colour etc!!

 

[English Lady]

I am with the Earl here English spelling all the way baby.I like my extra U's and such!

I write porn reviews for an american site. I was told I had to write cheque "check" and well the first time I did it it actually made me cringe. (I don't type it now, it's in my template so I just write round it but it just looks sooooooooooooo wrong)

And putting the month before the day in a date. messes me up every bloody time.

I only realise whats happened if the day is above the 12th *L*

 

[Goldie Munro]

And putting the month before the day in a date. messes me up every bloody time.

I only realise whats happened if the day is above the 12th *L*

OOOOH! I am with you there EL!!! That drives me crazy!

 

[Lady Christabel]

And putting the month before the day in a date. messes me up every bloody time.

I only realise whats happened if the day is above the 12th *L*

here here! I always wrote dates 26/01/05, until I started first grade (I skipped Kindergarten). I was quickly upbraided as to the "proper" format. Being a stubborn redhead even at 5, I promptly ignored the teacher and began using 26 January 2005 (or 26 Jan 05). The only date I naturally type the US way is my wedding date and I have no idea why.

 

[eric shawn listo]

I am with the Earl here English spelling all the way baby.I like my extra U's and such!

I write porn reviews for an american site. I was told I had to write cheque "check" and well the first time I did it it actually made me cringe. (I don't type it now, it's in my template so I just write round it but it just looks sooooooooooooo wrong)

And putting the month before the day in a date. messes me up every bloody time.

I only realise whats happened if the day is above the 12th *L*

I've said it before...I do like the way EL spells.

 

[English Lady]

here here! I always wrote dates 26/01/05, until I started first grade (I skipped Kindergarten). I was quickly upbraided as to the "proper" format. Being a stubborn redhead even at 5, I promptly ignored the teacher and began using 26 January 2005 (or 26 Jan 05). The only date I naturally type the US way is my wedding date and I have no idea why.

good on you! *L*

 

[English Lady]

I've said it before...I do like the way EL spells.

And Thank you kind sir (I do spell uniquely *L*)

 

[woodnymph_O]

the whole language screws us all up in the end

UK or American some things make no sense
ache-say it now
I have a headache
mustache -does it sound even remotely similar?

numb
some

comb
tomb

glue
threw
Shoe

does any of that really make sense? and I could go on for ever with the same. Until one side or the other makes sense of rhyming words I reserve judgement.


Nymphy

 

[eric shawn listo]

And Thank you kind sir (I do spell uniquely *L*)

I thnk it's the inclUsion of so many UU's.

 

[English Lady]

like this


I U


*hee hee*

 

[eric shawn listo]

like this


I U


*hee hee*

U C I C

 

[Poussin]

.....

.....

 

[Couture]

Oh, and Zee? How's the alphabet song supposed to end with a Zee? You guys have to add an extra line in to make it sound right. If you have Zee, then you sound like you're finishing in the middle of a line.

The proper English Zed, on the other hand, rounds off the song nicely without any need for this 'Now I know my abc' tosh.

The Earl

Next, you'll be telling me that "Bee" should be "Bed"....

You English are full of shit.