Thread: Interesting, Odd or Funny Pics II.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

According to one source I have seen, a misprint in a Reynolds Metals catalogue from about 1900 when the metal first became cheap enough for ordinary mortals.

Quite likely. A certain Mr Webster is allegedly responsible for many other differences.

Originally Posted by Tins

Quite likely. A certain Mr Webster is allegedly responsible for many other differences.

Wouldn't be 'Cookie' for 'Biscuit', surely?

Webster tried radical spelling reform in the 1790s, but had to change his tune as his bread and butter came from selling spelling books. And the customers wanted 'proper' spelling. So the spelling adopted by Webster ultimately was simply selecting for variants already in use.

British and hence Australian spelling did not really become completely settled until the introduction of compulsory free education in the 1870s, and a number of the spellings standardised differed from Webster. but note that even after this, there remained, and remain, differences in spelling, and these change over time. As a good example, in words ending in -ise this is the usual Australian spelling, where the American is -ize. But where britain would have been the same as Australia 50 years ago, today it is often -ize.

At one time, Webster's dictionary was the best selling book in the USA.

Originally Posted by superquag

Most tiresome...

A smallish house of Prayer for Labbies perchance? ie. Oratory.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Webster tried radical spelling reform in the 1790s, but had to change his tune as his bread and butter came from selling spelling books. And the customers wanted 'proper' spelling. So the spelling adopted by Webster ultimately was simply selecting for variants already in use.

British and hence Australian spelling did not really become completely settled until the introduction of compulsory free education in the 1870s, and a number of the spellings standardised differed from Webster. but note that even after this, there remained, and remain, differences in spelling, and these change over time. As a good example, in words ending in -ise this is the usual Australian spelling, where the American is -ize. But where britain would have been the same as Australia 50 years ago, today it is often -ize.

I must be the odd bloke out here. Where possible I still try & use the English spelling of words & the U.S. method can bugger right off.

Originally Posted by 4bee

I must be the odd bloke out here. Where possible I still try & use the English spelling of words & the U.S. method can bugger right off.

Me too. However, the US appear to control the spell checking software. People see enough red lines under words and they tend to capitulate. If you look up "beautifull" you not only get a red line but a definition that describes it as obsolete.

Someone once told me in mocking tones that there are more 'Americans' than British who speak English so their usage should take precedence. He wasn't pleased when I pointed out that they were outnumbered by more than three to one by English speaking denizens of the Sub Continent. Sure, those folk may not use English as a first language, but then I've noticed neither do most 'Americans'.

Most software allows the user to select the language used for spell checking, even if the default is "English(US)". In a few cases you have to download an additional file, but this is generally easy.