How do Americans feel about UK spelling?

[kennyc]

I like grey.

[DTM]

Let's not forget

US<>UK
line = queue

I'll always remember this one, because back in the '60s my sister and I went nuts trying to understand a line from the Hollies' song Bus Stop. It speaks of a romance "beginning in a queue".

"'Beginning in a Q'? It sounds like, 'Beginning in a Q'! But what are they really saying?" Took me years to figure that one out.

By the way, an earlier post mentioned the use by Americans of our two-character postal abbreviations for states: MI, OH and the like. According to the US Postal Service, the above column headings are incorrect. "UK" is not to be used for the United Kingdom. It means Ukraine. The "proper" abbreviation for "United Kingdom" is...er..."GB".

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by DTM

The "proper" abbreviation for "United Kingdom" is...er..."GB".

This is true. The use of UK in internet domain names is a historical mistake. However, Ukraine's country-code should be UA, according to ISO 3166-1. UK is 'exceptionally reserved' and should not be used.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by DTM

"UK" is not to be used for the United Kingdom. It means Ukraine. The "proper" abbreviation for "United Kingdom" is...er..."GB".

It means "Great Britain".


Some more examples of at-odds meanings that I've noticed, especially in air travel:

momentarily [US] = at any moment [UK]
momentarily [UK] = for a moment [US]

presently [US] = at the moment [UK]
presently [UK] = in a moment [US]

[suelange]

First of all, we're not totally brain dead: we can figure it out. Second, you have an opportunity here to spread culture and get Americans past their hegemonic ignorance. Third, no one really cares. I say: 'go for it.'

[bobavey]

As long as the book has an engaging plot -- if fiction -- or useful information if non-fiction, most readers will not mind.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by timfrost

James, I think single quotes in the UK came in with the paperback. Around 60 years ago. That said, I was taught double quotes at school like you. Along with lots of other strange punctuations like 'Oxford-street'.

Lynne Truss wrote a great book on it all called 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves'.

Tim

Single quotes for speech are very common indeed in 19th century British novels; it certainly isn't a modern convention.

[mjhudston]

Originally Posted by DTM

Let's not forget

US<>UK
line = queue

I'll always remember this one, because back in the '60s my sister and I went nuts trying to understand a line from the Hollies' song Bus Stop. It speaks of a romance "beginning in a queue".

"'Beginning in a Q'? It sounds like, 'Beginning in a Q'! But what are they really saying?" Took me years to figure that one out.

By the way, an earlier post mentioned the use by Americans of our two-character postal abbreviations for states: MI, OH and the like. According to the US Postal Service, the above column headings are incorrect. "UK" is not to be used for the United Kingdom. It means Ukraine. The "proper" abbreviation for "United Kingdom" is...er..."GB".

There is an education issue here, as there is a distinct difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain.

Great Britain (GB) = England, Wales and Scotland
United Kingdom (UK) = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Island.

So for The USPS to state that the Abbreviation to The United Kingdom is GB, could lead to the people of Northern Island never getting mail from. the USA.

[suelange]

And here's another thing, in ten years' we'll all be speaking Chinese, so this whole thing will be moot.

Besides, do you really want to cater to Americans? Have you seen how we dress?

[DTM]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

There is an education issue here, as there is a distinct difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain.

Great Britain (GB) = England, Wales and Scotland
United Kingdom (UK) = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Exactly. I'm partially of Irish ancestry and always wonder about what my (distant) cousins in Northern Ireland think about that sort of thing. In the Olympics, for example, they are "GBR".

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by DTM

Exactly. I'm partially of Irish ancestry and always wonder about what my (distant) cousins in Northern Ireland think about that sort of thing. In the Olympics, for example, they are "GBR".

Well.....how would you like to be a Goober??

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

There is an education issue here, as there is a distinct difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain.

Great Britain (GB) = England, Wales and Scotland
United Kingdom (UK) = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Island.

So for The USPS to state that the Abbreviation to The United Kingdom is GB, could lead to the people of Northern Island never getting mail from. the USA.

Ummm... not quite. Great Britain is certainly England, Scotland and Wales (& Cornwall). But the United Kindgom hasn't always included Ireland.

The full name of the country in which I live is "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".

But you are parsing the name incorrectly. It is more "The (United Kingdom of Great Britain) and (Northern Ireland)" than "The United Kingdom of (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)". ("The United Kingdom of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland" might be more accurate.)

The kingdoms that are united in the "United Kingdom" are really England and Scotland, done in the Act of Union in 1707, forming "The United Kingdom of Great Britain". (Although both kingdoms had had the same kings from 1603, the first being James I of England, James VI of Scotland, the Act of Union formally united them.)

Ireland was formally merged in 1800, forming "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland"

A lot of this confusion could have been avoided if in 1800 they'd chosen a different name. Perhaps "The United Kingdom of the British Isles" would have been good.

[mjhudston]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Ummm... not quite. Great Britain is certainly England, Scotland and Wales (& Cornwall). But the United Kindgom hasn't always included Ireland.

The full name of the country in which I live is "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".

But you are parsing the name incorrectly. It is more "The (United Kingdom of Great Britain) and (Northern Ireland)" than "The United Kingdom of (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)". ("The United Kingdom of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland" might be more accurate.)

The kingdoms that are united in the "United Kingdom" are really England and Scotland, done in the Act of Union in 1707, forming "The United Kingdom of Great Britain". (Although both kingdoms had had the same kings from 1603, the first being James I of England, James VI of Scotland, the Act of Union formally united them.)

Ireland was formally merged in 1800, forming "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland"

A lot of this confusion could have been avoided if in 1800 they'd chosen a different name. Perhaps "The United Kingdom of the British Isles" would have been good.

We will have to agree to disagree on that score then, and a search on google would appear to back up my view.

However in general terms, Great Britain and United Kingdom are generally interchangeable, ESP for the less well educated.

Regardless of which one of us is correct, neither would explain how the USPS can make an abbreviation of GB mean United Kingdom.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

neither would explain how the USPS can make an abbreviation of GB mean United Kingdom.

I doubt they're bothered about being all-encompassing or legally accurate. They just needed a unique icon for the destination.

With UK meaning the Ukraine, what else would they have used for Britain, Great or otherwise?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

Regardless of which one of us is correct, neither would explain how the USPS can make an abbreviation of GB mean United Kingdom.

Because GB is the official two-letter abbreviation for "The United Kingdom of Great Briatin and Northern Ireland"?

If Northern Ireland decided to leave the UK and join Ireland, I would not suddenly find myself living in "Great Britain". I'd then be in "The United Kingdom of Great Britain".

Only if the Scots decided to go their own way would I no longer be living in the UK. Then I'd probably be living in "The Kingdom of England and Wales". Until and unless the Welsh wanted independence too...