driver/driver's/drivers licences

[Michael Quinion]

> My Arkansas says drivers license

Just to add a transatlantic flavour to this mix, mine says it's a
"driving licence" (it's the first time I've looked at the poor old
yellowing thing in years; it was issued in 1977 and is valid to 20
Dec 2012, the day before my 70th birthday). Note the participle, as
in "spelling checker", and the second "c" in "licence". I had to show
it as ID once in an American store, and the assistant thought it was
a forgery because surely nobody would make a mistake like that on an
official form ...


--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
E-mail: <TheEditor at worldwidewords.org>
Web: <http://www.worldwidewords.org/>