How do Americans feel about UK spelling?

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

I don't think we ever called a Xerox a Xerox, it's always been a photocopier to me.

For that one, I think it was more the verb that became the default term : to xerox something meant to photocopy it. Similar to hoovering the carpet. But we always took a thermos on picnics, regardless of who the vacuum jug was actually made by, and ate our food from sealed plastic containers we called tupperware, even though we'd bought them from Woollies.

[mjhudston]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

For that one, I think it was more the verb that became the default term : to xerox something meant to photocopy it. Similar to hoovering the carpet. But we always took a thermos on picnics, regardless of who the vacuum jug was actually made by, and ate our food from sealed plastic containers we called tupperware, even though we'd bought them from Woollies.

Ive got a real thermos, that's almost 30 years old

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

Ive got a real thermos, that's almost 30 years old

"... thermodynamics, of course, is derived from two Greek words, thermos, meaning hot — if you don't drop it — ..."

Congratulations on not dropping it (too hard) during those 30 years!

[Tony_A20]

Only non-Americans are interested in non-American spelling. To Americans, the way they spell is "right," and any other way is "wrong." If an author is submitting work to an American editor or publisher, use American spelling. If submitting work to any other English speaking nation, use correct spelling.

Canadian spelling is a mishmash of English and American, but leans towards English spelling. English spelling is always correct, American spelling is sometimes wrong.

I'm not sure about Australian spelling, but I would think English spelling would be regarded as correct.

If your work may be presented in different nations, maintain a list of words which are spelt differently and use "Search and Replace" to match national requirements.

For authors, using words with the correct meaning is more difficult than using national spelling. Word meaning can change drastically from country to country, and authors need a command of the vernacular if their writing is presented internationally.

For writer, the safest thing is to write and spell as they would normally, make word and spelling changes to match intended markets, and otherwise leave it to the reader to adjust to the author's writing style.

Tony A

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Tony_A20

Only non-Americans are interested in non-American spelling. To Americans, the way they spell is "right," and any other way is "wrong." If an author is submitting work to an American editor or publisher, use American spelling. If submitting work to any other English speaking nation, use correct spelling.

Canadian spelling is a mishmash of English and American, but leans towards English spelling. English spelling is always correct, American spelling is sometimes wrong.

I'm not sure about Australian spelling, but I would think English spelling would be regarded as correct.

If your work may be presented in different nations, maintain a list of words which are spelt differently and use "Search and Replace" to match national requirements.

For authors, using words with the correct meaning is more difficult than using national spelling. Word meaning can change drastically from country to country, and authors need a command of the vernacular if their writing is presented internationally.

For writer, the safest thing is to write and spell as they would normally, make word and spelling changes to match intended markets, and otherwise leave it to the reader to adjust to the author's writing style.

Tony A

Hey, don't condemn all of us Yanks! I recognize there are various "flavours" of English around the world and even within individual countries. What's correct depends on where you are or, as you pointed out, your target audience.

Btw, you may want to be careful with the use of "Americans" to refer to people from the USA. Strictly speaking, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, etc. are also Americans. We Yanks don't have an exclusive right to the term.

[HarryT]

Another point to consider is that spelling changes over time. Eg, if you read early 20th century American detective stories, you'll frequently find the word "clue" spelt "clew". I suspect that few people, if any, would regard "clew" as a "correct" spelling today.

[crich70]

True in that we all live on the North American continent, though if you asked someone from Canada if they were an American I wager they'd say they were a Canadian. We all segregate ourselves into countries via non material boundary lines and if I were to try to cross over into Canada or Mexico without a passport I wager I'd be stopped at the border even though all three countries are on the same continent.

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Hey, don't condemn all of us Yanks! I recognize there are various "flavours" of English around the world and even within individual countries. What's correct depends on where you are or, as you pointed out, your target audience.

Btw, you may want to be careful with the use of "Americans" to refer to people from the USA. Strictly speaking, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, etc. are also Americans. We Yanks don't have an exclusive right to the term.

[timfrost]

We all need a new term to describe citizens of the United States of America other than 'Americans'. I feel a certain indignation when the phrase 'fellow Americans' is used in a context which certainly doesn't include Mexicans, Chileans etc.

How about United Staters?

[MacEachaidh]

I immediately thought of USers, but I confess that I'm just poking a possum to see if it'll stir.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

I'm just poking a possum to see if it'll stir.

Guess not.

[Shazza]

Originally Posted by mjhudston

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 cannot write in American , so I write in English.

Just found this thread. I have laughed so hard and as a Canadian especially appreciated this post ~ nice to see some folks distinguish us from either the UK or the US - any way we can!

Canadian, eh? ^ - ^

I can tell you for sure I usually call my neighbours to the south Americans ~ and never myself. North American, yes.

My editor insisted I change the spelling in The Storyteller to 'American' and I did - after all my main protagonist lives in Seattle, a very close neighbor, lol.

Now I sometimes even finding myself changing my spelling in posts, :: sigh :: Will be interesting to see how the entire world changes the language, which seems destined to become the most-spoken across the board.

[Luke King]

Originally Posted by Shazza

Now I sometimes even finding myself changing my spelling in posts, :: sigh :: Will be interesting to see how the entire world changes the language, which seems destined to become the most-spoken across the board.

I think we'll all end up with a version of English that looks very much like US English. The net is so pervasive that it's almost inevitable - and something like 60% of English speakers on the net are American.

I'll be interested to see what happens when more Indians get online however. There are 232 million English speakers in India - and I assume they're speaking UK English. There's only 251 million US English speakers (according to Wikipedia), so the equation might change as India comes online.

I noticed in a recent site update from Smashwords that India ranks fourth in countries that use Smashwords.

[Falcao]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Btw, you may want to be careful with the use of "Americans" to refer to people from the USA. Strictly speaking, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, etc. are also Americans. We Yanks don't have an exclusive right to the term.

+1

You are the first USAer I've seen that says it.

Cheers.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Falcao

+1

You are the first USAer I've seen that says it.

Cheers.

I'm weird that way.

I just had a thunk. What about the State of Hawaii? It's not in America yet it's part of the USA.

[crich70]

Not to mention Puerto Rico which is an unincorporated territory of the U.S.

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I'm weird that way.

I just had a thunk. What about the State of Hawaii? It's not in America yet it's part of the USA.