Hi, > > > > *no such thing as "British" spelling. There's American English, and > > then English used by everybody else in the English speaking world. > > "British spelling" implies the non-American version is the minority > > version, where in fact the opposite is true. > > > > And that's my pet rant, guys! > > > > ERNR > > Well said! Mine too, and thanks for saying it. It DID need saying. >
I'm sorry, but there is such a thing as British spelling, and British English, and British English is a minority variety (I think Indian English has the most speakers). There are also such things as Jamaican English, Australian English, Canadian English, African American English, Scots English, Estuary English, ... I could go on. Each of them has its own spelling varieties too. Not only are there geographically distinct varieties of English (and any other widespread language) but there are also varieties distinct to each generation within, and to some extent across, the geographical varieties. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0521629942/102-4625644-4597749 ?v=glance One of the reasons for the richness of English is that nobody has ever successfully legislated to keep it 'pure', so it just goes its own way. Bob
