Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Pabmusic]

"Britishize", surely?

The odd thing is that - as Bill Bryson points out - most British dictionaries give -ize as the preferred spelling, but most British writers ignore that.

[Pabmusic]

Does anyone have any idea why Scotty wanted to know how old I am?

Could anyone 'know' why Scotty...?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not at all! You were perfectly British the first time.

As I and, I suspect, ahinton were both aware.

But I expect you knew that.

[jean]

The odd thing is that - as Bill Bryson points out - most British dictionaries give -ize as the preferred spelling, but most British writers ignore that.

Fowler preferred it, which may account for that.

But if you try to distinguish between etymologically correct -ize (in words of Greek origin) and -ise, you are almost bound to get some wrong. So if you want to opt for one, -ise is safer.

But if it's true that Americans prefer s how to account for analyze, which although of Greek origin was never a verb but is a backformation from analysis?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The odd thing is that - as Bill Bryson points out - most British dictionaries give -ize as the preferred spelling, but most British writers ignore that.

Yes - the preferred belief that "ize" is an "Americanism" dies hard.

(And, as Inspector Morse demonstrated, using "ise" is sure sign of criminal mentality )

[jean]

As I and, I suspect, ahinton were both aware.

But I expect you knew that.

It's no good doing subtlety when Scotty's around.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's no good doing subtlety when Scotty's around.

[Pabmusic]

...And, as Inspector Morse demonstrated, using "ise" is sure sign of criminal mentality )

Sometimes Morse could get too opinionated.

[Bryn]

The odd thing is that - as Bill Bryson points out - most British dictionaries give -ize as the preferred spelling, but most British writers ignore that.

An interesting an rather cogent argument here.

[jean]

It just repeats Fowler's argument, as I pointed out above (#2779). But even your author admits that the Frence regularised all these verbs of Greek origin to -ise, so all we have to do is say that's where we're getting our spellings from.

The odd thing is that - as Bill Bryson points out - most British dictionaries give -ize as the preferred spelling, but most British writers ignore that.

Fowler preferred it, which may account for that.

But if you try to distinguish between etymologically correct -ize (in words of Greek origin) and -ise, you are almost bound to get some wrong. So if you want to opt for one, -ise is safer.

But if it's true that Americans prefer s how to account for analyze, which although of Greek origin was never a verb but is a backformation from analysis?

[Pabmusic]

It just repeats Fowler's argument, as I pointed out above:


Fowler preferred it, which may account for that.

But if you try to distinguish between etymologically correct -ize (in words of Greek origin) and -ise, you are almost bound to get some wrong. So if you want to opt for one, -ise is safer.

But if it's true that Americans prefer s how to account for analyze, which although of Greek origin was never a verb but is a backformation from analysis?

I'm not sure that Americans prefer -s - I think we do.

[jean]

You're right, I'm getting confused - probably because it isn't an American/British thing at all.

And what's really wrong with Bryn's link is that it tries to argue that regularisinf the spelling comes from a zeal to iron out a logical diversity.

But there's nothing logical about etymology. Or spelling.

.

[ahinton]

Not at all! You were perfectly British the first time.

Well, that would be a first!

[ahinton]

Yes - the preferred belief that "ize" is an "Americanism" dies hard.

(And, as Inspector Morse demonstrated, using "ise" is sure sign of criminal mentality )

But what about Lewiz?

Anyway, yes - and, for example, I don't ever recall seeing "bowdlerized" anywhere on either side of the lake (not that I'm therefore claiming that it hasn't been used, of course!)...

Might "scottify" be regarded (rightly or wrongly) as an "Americanism", given its non-UK & non-US origins?...

[french frank]

But there's nothing logical about etymology. Or spelling.

No, but analogical?