Why difference between US and UK English

[steve_spackman]

what set the tone for the US to change the spelling of certain English words?

ie

centre...center

[donKey jote]

donkey...donkye

[Rollo]

I suspect that most of the answer comes about because of that rapscallion and blaggard Noah Webster.

His publication of A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language in 1806 and then what became the definitive American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828, laid the standards down as to what the acceptable spelling of words were.

From that most reliable sources, Wikipedia:
Slowly, he changed the spelling of words, such that they became "Americanized." He chose s over c in words like defense, he changed the re to er in words like center, he dropped one of the Ls in traveller, and at first he kept the u in words like colour or favour but dropped it in later editions. He also changed "tongue" to "tung."

A decent little tome on the history of the English Language is Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson in 1990. That is currently on reprint in Penguin's orange cover. I bought a copy for A$10.00 recently, so I imagine that it should be reasonably cheap elsewhere.

The Streets' Mike Skinner says it best though:
Two nations divided, by a common language
And about two hundred years of new songs and dancing
But the difference is language, and just the bits you got wrong
'Cause we were the ones who invented the language

Hence the reason why if there should be a standard for English then the OED should be it, because "the clever dicks at Oxford know all that's to be know'd"

[Andrewmcm]

Al Murray's Pub Landlord has a take on that Mike Skinner quote, but I don't think I can repeat it on this forum!

[schmenke]

There is no such thing as "UK English". There is English and then there is U.S. English.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Schmenke...true...but we Canadians sort of split down the middle. We spell similar to the Brits but our proununciations are often similar to the Americans. Mind you....we say Zed instead of Zee and accept "Leftenant" instead of "Lieutenant". As always, we are always trying to bridge that gap between the mother country and our erstwhile ized big brother.

[steve_spackman]

There is no such thing as "UK English". There is English and then there is U.S. English.

Yes i am very well aware of that, just that some people get confused, thats why i said UK English

[Tazio]

I suspect that most of the answer comes about because of that rapscallion and blaggard Noah Webster.

His publication of A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language in 1806 and then what became the definitive American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828, laid the standards down as to what the acceptable spelling of words were.

From that most reliable sources, Wikipedia:
Slowly, he changed the spelling of words, such that they became "Americanized." He chose s over c in words like defense, he changed the re to er in words like center, he dropped one of the Ls in traveller, and at first he kept the u in words like colour or favour but dropped it in later editions. He also changed "tongue" to "tung."

A decent little tome on the history of the English Language is Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson in 1990. That is currently on reprint in Penguin's orange cover. I bought a copy for A$10.00 recently, so I imagine that it should be reasonably cheap elsewhere.

The Streets' Mike Skinner says it best though:
Two nations divided, by a common language
And about two hundred years of new songs and dancing
But the difference is language, and just the bits you got wrong
'Cause we were the ones who invented the language

Hence the reason why if there should be a standard for English then the OED should be it, because "the clever dicks at Oxford know all that's to be know'd"Good points
Their are *"divers" more.

*The Compleat angler ;)

[Mark]

A lot of what you think of as US English spellings are actually the original English but it's since changed in England but not in the USA.

[schmenke]

....we say Zed instead of Zee ....

I say Zee because it rhymes with Vee :D

[edv]

Ah, but we spell 'tire' instead of 'tyre', for example, so it is not all just one-way.

[schmenke]

Edv, your posts are tyresome.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Schmenke...you keep saying "Zee" and we will revoke your citizenship and give you the one way ticket to Podunk Iowa and remove your Montreal Canadiens rooting privledges....

[markabilly]

Anothr simple question with an obvious answer: Limey ole brits cant spell nuttin wort a shet