Use of "U" in words 1

[Michael52x]

Is it that words are correct in having a "u" and incorrect in not?
Like colour vs color or favourite vs favorite
Is it that "American English" is wrong?


"Impatience will reward you with dissatisfaction" RMS Cosmics'97

 

[EdwardMartinIII]

If you're in England, or, say, Canada, using the "u" is probably fine. If you do it in the US, you're either pretentious or cheating at Scrabble.

And in the REALLY smart countries, they don't bother with "Q" or "X"...

Edward

"Cut a hole in the door. Hang a flap. Criminy, why didn't I think of this earlier?!" -- inventor of the cat door

 

[sleipnir214]

Wikipedia contains an exhaustive article on the subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_spelling_differences

Want to ask the best questions? Read Eric S. Raymond's essay "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". TANSTAAFL!

 

[SantaMufasa]

If you do it in the US, you're either pretentious or cheating at Scrabble.

...Or you're a Yank that lived amongst the Brits, in a population centre there, long enough for British spelling conventions to colour your usage of of the language -- an offence for which I hope I shall not be either criticised or gaoled. <grin>


Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
A fo ben, bid bont.

 

[EdwardMartinIII]

...Or you're a Yank that lived amongst the Brits, in a population centre there, long enough for British spelling conventions to colour your usage of of the language..."

Ah, I had incorrectly assumed the third option was a given, that is "you're raised or otherwise used to it such that you simply don't think about it" which would include Brits, and people who run with that sort of crowd.

But it doesn't exclude Doctor Who fans. When they do it, they're just being pretentious.

(I say this as a card-carrying DW fan, by the way. Wheee!)

Edward

"Cut a hole in the door. Hang a flap. Criminy, why didn't I think of this earlier?!" -- inventor of the cat door

 

[Michael52x]

Ooh! Ohh! forgot about the "re-er" thing! As in "centre" or center! I think it is that a lot of forums have a majority of British, Canadien, and Europeans. Not faulting anyone, just a mindless random thought today before the three-day weekend. Freedom!

"Impatience will reward you with dissatisfaction" RMS Cosmics'97

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
And can we forever ban

Ye Olde ( whatever) Shoppe

unless it has been in business since Chaucer's time?






To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[Remou]

Ye Olde ( whatever) Shoppe

"The error occurs from a misunderstanding of the runic letter thorn which represents 'th' being incorrectly transcribed as a 'y' which it resembles in shape."

Thorn:

http://www.usgennet.org/family/smoot/oldhand/thorn.html

 

[snuv]

It's not an error, it's an affectation (imho). Perpetrators should be burnt to the ground and their shop signs repainted.

"If it could have gone wrong earlier and it didn't, it ultimately would have been beneficial for it to have." : Murphy's Ultimate Corollary

 

[Remou]

Yt ye wath to go!

 

[Ronster]

Not ye olde american-english debate again?

Ronster
"I always arrive late at the office, but I make up for it by leaving early."

 

[stackdump]

I'm waiting to see the word "strengthy" in use.

The English language provided long and length, American English provided "lengthy". So strong and strength should result in "strengthy".

Is there any sentence where the word lengthy can only be used and long or length cannot be used in its place?

 

[snuv]

How do you spell "lengthy"?

"If it could have gone wrong earlier and it didn't, it ultimately would have been beneficial for it to have." : Murphy's Ultimate Corollary

 

[Remou]

Lengyy.

 

[j0ckser]

This whole debate comes to a head when using MSWord. As shipped into Canada, US English is the default language. BUT most people don't recongise this and wonder why their text is riddled with words underlined in red as being misspelled. What a nuisance!

per ardua ad astra

 

[wahnula]

Dave,

To be honest I always thought your use of that extra u as rather pretentious. If I didn't know you through this forum, and that you're as down-to-earth as a tumbleweed, I might get the wrong idea. I agree it adds a nice flavour to the the discussion and don't even know if you use it in your everyday correspondence, but it could be taken incorrectly if used in business communications.

You know, like those phony-baloney "academic accents" that Sally Kellerman's boyfriend used in "Back to School". It has the potential for misunderstanding.

I know if I hired a person as a DBA that used British English I would assume he was British and I'm not sure how I'd react once I found out he's American...maybe that I was deceived...maybe not. DBAs are probably allotted more leeway as your ministrations are so mysterious.

I'm not one to judge anyone, just passing along my thoughts.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[SantaMufasa]

Ta, mate!

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[wahnula]

Ta

Is that the Ta as in Tantalum or "Ta"; the element in the periodic table? Or T??; or the sixteenth letter of the Arabic alphabet? Or Ta (kana)?; the ? or ? kana in the Japanese language?


Straight outta Wikipedia

Oh, I get it

I thought it meant GFY...you know, as in Good For You

Big TA right back at ya!!!

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[Rofeu]

I'd like to introduce another angle to this discussion.

So far it is all about native english speakers, but how about non-native speakers?

I'd think that if you'd hire someone that used British English, it could be almost any European, as British English is what is taught in the schools here.
I must admit that many people will resort to American English in informal banter due to the unfortunately large influence of the states on our media, but I do believe that any European with a reasonable grasp of English would use British English in at least formal communication as that is considered 'proper' English to them.

Cheers,

Roel

 

[Michael52x]

Well, this has all been properly parsed, and is now permanently paused for posterity. End of thread! Yay!

"Impatience will reward you with dissatisfaction" RMS Cosmics'97