How do Americans feel about UK spelling?

Luke King · 09-01-2010, 07:41 PM

As an Australian author, I've been wondering whether I ought to use Australian (which is basically UK) spelling in my novels.

On the one hand, I'm thinking two-thirds of my audience are American. On the other hand, I would prefer to use the language as it was (before you all went and changed it).

Are Americans used to seeing UK spelling in books? Will it put them off reading? Will some think I've spelt the words incorrectly?

Maggie Leung · 09-01-2010, 08:07 PM

Doesn't bother me. Can't speak for others.

alvico · 09-01-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke King

As an Australian author, I've been wondering whether I ought to use Australian (which is basically UK) spelling in my novels.

On the one hand, I'm thinking two-thirds of my audience are American. On the other hand, I would prefer to use the language as it was (before you all went and changed it).

Are Americans used to seeing UK spelling in books? Will it put them off reading? Will some think I've spelt the words incorrectly?

From the comments I've seen on discussion boards, US spelling is preferred. Ditto double quotation marks.

Cheers
Vicki

taming · 09-01-2010, 08:13 PM

I am an American living in Canada where we bounce back and forth in terms of UK vs American spelling. Spelling never bothered me, but when words are just different--for example, jumper for sweater--it interrupts my flow.

GA Russell · 09-01-2010, 08:31 PM

Let me suggest that it depends where the story is set.

If the locale is Melbourne, American readers will think it's an Australian novel, and the Australian spelling won't bother them.

If the locale is Texas, it better be spelled the way the Texans spell it!

mish · 09-01-2010, 08:33 PM

Personally, UK spelling does not bother me. Phrases and idioms that are very "British" can really throw me off though. Sometimes when I read a Robert Rankin book I have to reread some of the paragraphs or sentences several times because I have no clue what it is saying, lol!

mjhudston · 09-02-2010, 02:05 AM

Here in the UK some of us have started calling it American, Australian and Canadian, as opposed to English, although this has yet to get mainstream use, but it helps differentiate what are in effect different languages.

I think it depends on how big your distribution is going to be. Most mainstream novels are "translated" between variations of English. I have read Tom Clancy here in the UK where Colour is spelt Colour not Color, and the like although that does not appear to be happening in ebooks as much.

If like me your distribution is going to be small, and you feel you can write in "American" which is your target audience then maybe you should.

I cannot write in American , so I write in English.

HarryT · 09-02-2010, 03:17 AM

I would echo the sentiment that the spelling should be appropriate to the setting of the book. If the book is set in Australia, then it would be silly to put American English into the mouths of Australians.

I have no problems reading American English; I don't see why the reverse should be any different.

TGS · 09-02-2010, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke King

On the other hand, I would prefer to use the language as it was (before you all went and changed it).

Often is is the British English version of a word that is "newer" than the American English version. For example, many of the words ending in "...ise" in British English but "...ize" in American English used to be spelled "...ize" in British English as well. So guess I would go with the general advice here - where is the narrator from? The spellings should reflect their language background.

Luke King · 09-02-2010, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have no problems reading American English; I don't see why the reverse should be any different.

Yes, but I wonder how common it has been for Americans to see variant spellings before the advent of ebooks. I would imagine, as the US is such a large market, that print books have always appeared in American English regardless of where they were written.

I'd like to know whether this is true or not.

The use of American terms - trunk for boot, pacifier for dummy, fall for autumn, would obviously be silly in a novel set in Australia.

I wonder how long it will be before the Englishes merge into one standard. I suppose that's inevitable. As a child I was taught to spell program, programme, but the Australian English has now dropped the older spelling.

The most recent thing, which is annoying me, is the appearance of the word "anyways" instead of "anyway".

Bilbo1967 · 09-02-2010, 03:59 AM

Personally, as long as the idiom and spellings are appropriate to the setting then I have no problem with whatever is used.

The one thing that does annoy me is where idiom is used inappropriately. For example, I read a book fairly recently where a British character in London said something like "Walk for two blocks then take a left" when asked for directions. The concept of 'blocks' is entirely foreign to us in the UK and nobody would ever say something like that.

pdurrant · 09-02-2010, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke King

As a child I was taught to spell program, programme, but the Australian English has now dropped the older spelling.

British English has kept both forms. A computer runs a program, but you watch a programme on TV.

I should at this point mention again that wonderful Dialecticon website. http://www.chaucery.com/fun/dialecticon/

And it seems that (unsurprisingly) you're right about Australian usage. Checking Dialecticon for "television programme" and "television program" shows the program to be used overwhelmingly in US, Canada and Australia, but programme still the norm in the UK.

Canada, Australia and UK still use theatre instead of theater, and checking for "theatre programme" against "theatre program" again shows that only in the UK is programme the norm. (Although I see that that some Australians (21%) still say programme at the theatre.)

Not that this says much about what one should do in a book. I prefer to read books with the words chosen by the author, but I don't mind the spellings changed to my preference (British English). So if it's a novel by an American , I don't want faucet changed to tap, or sidewalk to pavement, but I don't mind if color is changed to colour.

This is what publishers should be doing to keep their markets in ebooks. Not with legal restrictions, but with editing choices. Unless, of course, they think that readers might not want to buy books advertised as "localised edition", and would rather buy the original words as the author wrote them?

HarryT · 09-02-2010, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

The one thing that does annoy me is where idiom is used inappropriately. For example, I read a book fairly recently where a British character in London said something like "Walk for two blocks then take a left" when asked for directions. The concept of 'blocks' is entirely foreign to us in the UK and nobody would ever say something like that.

I do agree with you. I'm currently reading a book of "new" Sherlock Holmes stories, which are primarily written by American authors. I'm afraid it really grates on the nerves to hear Doctor Watson say "I walked three blocks from Baker Street", which is exactly what he did say in one of these stories!

DixieGal · 09-02-2010, 07:55 AM

As a lifelong scifi reader and American, I am quite accustomed to strange words and pronunciations in books. I prefer books without strange vowel-starved alien words, but my mind quickly adapts to it. UK spelling is easy pezy in comparison. To me, it is the story that matters and not necessarily the spelling.

Which is not to say that I don't hate "oh noes" instead of the normal "oh no". "Oh noes" is weird and intrusive to me.

HarryT · 09-02-2010, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Which is not to say that I don't hate "oh noes" instead of the normal "oh no". "Oh noes" is weird and intrusive to me.

I honestly don't think I've heard or read that until now. Is this some new teenage idiom?

09-01-2010, 07:41 PM	#1
Luke King Member Retired Posts: 173 Karma: 200000 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle 2	How do Americans feel about UK spelling? As an Australian author, I've been wondering whether I ought to use Australian (which is basically UK) spelling in my novels. On the one hand, I'm thinking two-thirds of my audience are American. On the other hand, I would prefer to use the language as it was (before you all went and changed it). Are Americans used to seeing UK spelling in books? Will it put them off reading? Will some think I've spelt the words incorrectly?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Unutterably Silly When Automatic Spelling Correction Goes Wrong	RickyMaveety	Lounge	11	10-01-2010 09:40 AM
Seriously thoughtful Spelling contractions	SameOldStory	Lounge	47	09-08-2010 09:08 PM
Spelling Macro	PieOPah	Workshop	36	12-13-2008 02:27 AM
any americans that would be willing to help?	grimo1re	Sony Reader	3	12-13-2006 12:52 PM

09-01-2010, 08:07 PM	#2
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	Doesn't bother me. Can't speak for others.

09-01-2010, 08:13 PM	#4
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	I am an American living in Canada where we bounce back and forth in terms of UK vs American spelling. Spelling never bothered me, but when words are just different--for example, jumper for sweater--it interrupts my flow.

09-01-2010, 08:31 PM	#5
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Let me suggest that it depends where the story is set. If the locale is Melbourne, American readers will think it's an Australian novel, and the Australian spelling won't bother them. If the locale is Texas, it better be spelled the way the Texans spell it!

09-01-2010, 08:33 PM	#6
mish Addict Posts: 215 Karma: 1930065 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Device: PRS-350, Kindle 2	Personally, UK spelling does not bother me. Phrases and idioms that are very "British" can really throw me off though. Sometimes when I read a Robert Rankin book I have to reread some of the paragraphs or sentences several times because I have no clue what it is saying, lol!

09-02-2010, 02:05 AM	#7
mjhudston All round good egg Posts: 229 Karma: 1005039 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Apple Ipad 3rd Generation	Here in the UK some of us have started calling it American, Australian and Canadian, as opposed to English, although this has yet to get mainstream use, but it helps differentiate what are in effect different languages. I think it depends on how big your distribution is going to be. Most mainstream novels are "translated" between variations of English. I have read Tom Clancy here in the UK where Colour is spelt Colour not Color, and the like although that does not appear to be happening in ebooks as much. If like me your distribution is going to be small, and you feel you can write in "American" which is your target audience then maybe you should. I cannot write in American , so I write in English.

09-02-2010, 03:17 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I would echo the sentiment that the spelling should be appropriate to the setting of the book. If the book is set in Australia, then it would be silly to put American English into the mouths of Australians. I have no problems reading American English; I don't see why the reverse should be any different.

09-02-2010, 03:59 AM	#11
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	Personally, as long as the idiom and spellings are appropriate to the setting then I have no problem with whatever is used. The one thing that does annoy me is where idiom is used inappropriately. For example, I read a book fairly recently where a British character in London said something like "Walk for two blocks then take a left" when asked for directions. The concept of 'blocks' is entirely foreign to us in the UK and nobody would ever say something like that.

09-02-2010, 07:55 AM	#14
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	As a lifelong scifi reader and American, I am quite accustomed to strange words and pronunciations in books. I prefer books without strange vowel-starved alien words, but my mind quickly adapts to it. UK spelling is easy pezy in comparison. To me, it is the story that matters and not necessarily the spelling. Which is not to say that I don't hate "oh noes" instead of the normal "oh no". "Oh noes" is weird and intrusive to me.

Advert

Advert