LL-L "Orthography" 2003.02.20 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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From: Ian James Parsley <parsleyij at yahoo.com>
Subject: Orthography

Criostóir, a chara,

Not one to get philosophical, but if you were to argue
that France is at war with Germany, you would be
wrong! Likewise if you argue there are no permissible
spelling variations in British English - because there
*are*, like it or not! If you disagree with what I am
claiming is an indisputable fact (and I have no doubt
I have the agreement of the entire list apart from
you), the challenge is for you to produce sources for
your contention that there are no variations at all...

(Countdown, a gameshow with words and numbers on
Channel 4 in the UK and Ireland based on the French
_Des Chiffre et Des Lettres_ can't be a good example,
I have to say, as it permits American spellings)

Every dictionary I have - from an Oxford Dictionary of
1948 to a Collins one from 2002 - gives _judgment_ and
_judgement_ as variations with nothing to choose
between them and no regional preference given. Both
are given at the headword (although interestingly one
Collins dictionary accepts only _Judgment Day_, which
it has as a separate headword). You may perceive one
spelling as being 'American', but you would have no
right to 'correct' me for using it!

Unless, of course, you can show me sources...

Another recent one that is now an equally valid option
in British English according to any authoritative
source you care to consult is _advisor_ (equal with
the more established British spelling, _adviser_). I
don't like it, you probably don't like it, but better
qualified people than I decided it was acceptable due
to force of usage, and I note it is now in general use
by the BBC, no less.

Of course writers should be consistent. If you write
'realize' you should write 'civilize', if you write
'realise' you should write 'civilise'.

Irish English is of course a whole other story. The
boys putting up the roadsigns even decided on 'CENTER'
a few years ago, although more recent signs have
switched back to 'CENTRE'. Canadian correspondents
will no doubt have their own stories on that issue!

I do like your point on foreign teams with singular in
Ireland, though!

All the best,

=====
------------------
Ian James Parsley
www.ianjamesparsley.net
+44 (0)77 2095 1736
JOY - "Jesus, Others, You"

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