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Chances are you read a good share of British literature growing up. In fact, you may have
read the words "theater" or "analyze" in their British spellings before learning how we spell
those words in American English. As a global citizen, you may communicate with British
English speakers through business transactions or in online forums. These experiences can
cause confusion over different word spellings in British and American English.
We're going to look at word patterns that are most affected by these spelling differences.
This will help you build confidence in your spelling.
I am often perplexed over whether to use an "s," "z," or "c" when spelling. Here are three
word patterns that clarify differences between spelling words like "paralyze," 'organize,"
and "license" in British and American English.
If you Google "British vs. American English," you will find websites with charts like these
that are helpful in comparing British and American spelling. Thankfully, these spelling
differences can be grouped in associated word patterns, meaning we don't have to memorize
a long list of unique differences. I referenced OxfordDictionaries.com and StudyEnglishToday.net
when making the word pattern charts in my presentation.
If you studied French, you may notice a likeness between the British spellings shown here and
French spelling. This is no coincidence as the English language includes many words of
French origin. British spelling closely matches it's French origin while American spelling
has adapted to more closely reflect how those words sound phonetically. Therefore, American
spelling tends to disclude unnecessary letters and place letters in the order they are pronounced,
as in the case of "e-r."
When I'm trying to remember whether to add an additional "u" in the middle of "flavor,"
I remember that American spelling is more phonetic than it's French origins.
Here are more examples of British English spelling reflecting French word origins. We
spell "analog" without the "ue" at the end. We incorporate "k's" into "check" and "bank"
instead of using the very French "q-u-e."
Some differences in British and American spelling are considered to be preferences. "Catalog"
without the "ue" is the preferred American spelling, but it is not uncommon to see "catalog"
spelled with the "ue" in American English (British and American Spelling). "Dialogue"
is an oddball because in American English it is slightly more common to spell "dialogue"
with the "ue" than without it.
When writing business correspondence, you should use the more common American spelling.
It is also important to keep in mind that less preferred American spellings may not
get marked by your spell checker as incorrect.
Now that you are aware of spelling differences in British and American English and have been
able to examine common word patterns where this inconsistency occurs, you can feel more
confident in your spelling. Just as it is empowering to spell correctly and consistently
in business correspondence, it is helpful to know that fellow global citizens may spell
according to British English standards. This alleviates confusion within business transactions
and online socializing.
I encourage you to view a more complete list of British and American Spelling differences
at OxfordDictionaries.com. Thank you for exploring these spelling differences with me.