Spellings

[JisthenewK]

I have just now noticed that I haven't been spelling things correctly. Sorry! I am American, but I speak to my Australian family and friends so much on Facebook. Today I posted about getting my hair dyed a "light brown colour" and some girl complained, because it is "color" in the United States. I have gotten so used to spelling things this way (favourite, mum, etc) and now I am just noticing. How did these spellings in the US form after the British spellings were already established? Why is this the only country to spell things this way? Does this make my spelling wrong?

[Blue]

No it doesn't make you wrong, especially not here. This is an international forum so, both spellings are in fact correct.

I do it too as I have one close friend in Manchester (England) I talk with a lot so I'm used to the English spelling and, find myself adding U's and reversing the -er, as in liter vs litre and such. I do run a spell checker that uses American, so it minimized that actually getting posted, but I do use some of both spellings.

[Miles]

It just means that girl is making a big deal out of nothing or does not know that, gasp, there are other countries - how about that?

Colour looks cooler than color anywho

[Puck]

It just means that girl is making a big deal out of nothing or does not know that, gasp, there are other countries - how about that?

Colour looks cooler than color anywho

Quoted for truth mile:

Seriously, that's some pretty petty stuff to complain about. What you need to do now is gently poke fun at her using European slang and insults :tongue: That'll really rile her up :biggrin:

[JisthenewK]

What a sooky lala she was! mile: I love that one!

[Pix]

I don't see it as any different from accents. I've picked up international sayings and spellings as well. It reflects how much more united our world is becoming (despite the outrage of many factions from all around the world that hate the idea).

Though I grew up in a really small East Texas town (so small most maps don't even list it and it depends on the county for most services a city would normally provide) and things have changed very little since I was last there in the 90s (and I understand it hasn't changed much for many decades, unless you count newer model trucks and guns, even factory farming hasn't caught on yet). Imagine my surprise when I visited last summer in 2011 and some complained about my "speaking like a valley girl" and then finding out it was because I was using British slang and expressions from Harry Potter (at least I did so with a Texas accent).

'Course in that town you can get in trouble for "sounding like a Yankee" (at least back in the 90s you could). So I guess how you spell "colour" WOULD upset some people...

[Rainbowmum]

No it is not wrong.

Ignore the bovine scat , if she can read it and understand it , where is her problem?
She is acting like a spoiled-brat.

[ChadCoxRox]

Miss Thang needs to check herself la honey.

[OrphanPip]

The American academies pushed for spelling reforms that emphasized a simplification of English spelling during the 19th century. Some caught on, others didn't. Other sources of spelling difference are due to relative isolation, like the different names and spelling of car parts in the US.

[spencer]

Color and colour are BOTH correct spellings and I think it's pretty rude to get all upset over which one is used.

My two cents~