British versus American English spelling (Warning Rant)

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#2228333 1-May-2019 08:39

rhy7s:

This podcast may be of interest: Lexicon Valley

(though often coming at things from an American viewpoint)

Stephen Fry did a series called "Fry's English Delight" for Radio 4 in the UK.

Doesn't look to be available as a podcast/free download but apparently you can get it in audio book format.

That'll give you the Oxford/Cambridge posh boy perspective on the English language.

jonathan18

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#2228358 1-May-2019 09:28

There have been a few mentions of 'programme' vs 'program', which, given the IT focus of this site, is kinda relevant!

As it happens, in UK English the latter is used in relation to computer software, the former in all other contexts.

The NZ Oxford dictionary my work (a government department) has as its authorised dictionary (for real!) applies the same distinction.

(A key aspect of my job is editing documents, and this is one word I've had to check for appropriate use.)

FineWine

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#2228415 1-May-2019 09:54

evilengineer:

Stephen Fry did a series called "Fry's English Delight" for Radio 4 in the UK.

Doesn't look to be available as a podcast/free download but apparently you can get it in audio book format.

That'll give you the Oxford/Cambridge posh boy perspective on the English language.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

Rikkitic

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#2228582 1-May-2019 11:14

jonathan18:

There have been a few mentions of 'programme' vs 'program', which, given the IT focus of this site, is kinda relevant!

As it happens, in UK English the latter is used in relation to computer software, the former in all other contexts.

The NZ Oxford dictionary my work (a government department) has as its authorised dictionary (for real!) applies the same distinction.

(A key aspect of my job is editing documents, and this is one word I've had to check for appropriate use.)

Yep, I do the same though I sometimes get sloppy and mix them up. 'Programme' always for the BBC, but 'program' somehow feels more correct for software.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

allan

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#2228741 1-May-2019 14:10

Any country that ruins a perfectly good word like aluminium.... 🙃

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#2228750 1-May-2019 14:44

Nevermind a British or American or grammar, I'm just so happy every time anyone can actually spell.

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MikeB4

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#2228826 1-May-2019 15:48

allan:

Any country that ruins a perfectly good word like aluminium.... 🙃

Or Baaaysel as opposed to Basil 😄

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

ShinyChrome

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#2229244 2-May-2019 10:41

MikeB4:

allan:

Any country that ruins a perfectly good word like aluminium.... 🙃

Or Baaaysel as opposed to Basil 😄

It's also tough when I am trying to decide between my Suuu-baru or Niiii-san.

Item

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#2229248 2-May-2019 10:48

allan:

Any country that ruins a perfectly good word like aluminium.... 🙃

TBF Humphrey Davey botched the naming of this newly discovered element from day 1 - Alumia then Aluminum then finally settling on Aluminium...

So technically the way that the Americans cling to is the more "original" spelling, but it isn't consistent with the general conventions for element naming like Aluminium is.

jonathan18

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#2229253 2-May-2019 11:06

ShinyChrome:

It's also tough when I am trying to decide between my Suuu-baru or Niiii-san.

In all seriousness, given both are Japanese names, what is the correct pronunciation of these brands?

In regards to Nissan, my guess is we murder the pronunciation with the 'eh' sound in the first syllable, and the hard 'a' in the second; hearing a US person on a podcast talking of "Niii-sarn" made a lot more sense to me, given the pure vowel sounds of Japanese.

rhy7s

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#2229294 2-May-2019 11:11

jonathan18:
There have been a few mentions of 'programme' vs 'program', which, given the IT focus of this site, is kinda relevant!

As it happens, in UK English the latter is used in relation to computer software, the former in all other contexts.

The NZ Oxford dictionary my work (a government department) has as its authorised dictionary (for real!) applies the same distinction.

(A key aspect of my job is editing documents, and this is one word I've had to check for appropriate use.)

Hence in Windows 10 UK there is the Insider Programme as well as Apps and Programs.

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#2229313 2-May-2019 11:30

jonathan18: In all seriousness, given both are Japanese names, what is the correct pronunciation of these brands?

"Subaru" has all three syllables pronounced for the same amount of time, all with the same stress. "U" is pronounced as in "soup" and "A" as in "father".

"Nissan" is "ni", then a pause, then "san". The "I" is as in "machine".

ShinyChrome

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#2229332 2-May-2019 11:44

jonathan18:

ShinyChrome:

It's also tough when I am trying to decide between my Suuu-baru or Niiii-san.

In all seriousness, given both are Japanese names, what is the correct pronunciation of these brands?

In regards to Nissan, my guess is we murder the pronunciation with the 'eh' sound in the first syllable, and the hard 'a' in the second; hearing a US person on a podcast talking of "Niii-sarn" made a lot more sense to me, given the pure vowel sounds of Japanese.

Fair point, I have never actually bothered to ruminate on it, but now that you mention it...

From my extensive research, it appears that you have the right of it: "nee-sarn".

In this case, we are the butchers. I guess I am so use to 'Murican, I never thought that they would have the correct pronounciation of a Japanese word. Doy!

Side note: interesting pronounciation on Mat-su-da AKA Mazda...

jonathan18

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#2229335 2-May-2019 11:49

Behodar:

jonathan18: In all seriousness, given both are Japanese names, what is the correct pronunciation of these brands?

"Subaru" has all three syllables pronounced for the same amount of time, all with the same stress. "U" is pronounced as in "soup" and "A" as in "father".

"Nissan" is "ni", then a pause, then "san". The "I" is as in "machine".

Thanks for this; confirms the pronunciation was as I thought, and useful to know the lack of any syllable stress in Subaru.

My sense is the vowel sounds in Japanese are very similar to those of Maori - if you can do a decent job of the latter, you don't seem to go too wrong with the former.

It also shows that even though we often take the proverbial out of the way Americans pronounce many words, other times they're far closer to the original pronunciation than our Kiwi version! Even 'erbs' for 'herbs' simply reflects the original French pronunciation...

tchart

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#2229371 2-May-2019 13:01

Rikkitic:

Yep, I do the same though I sometimes get sloppy and mix them up. 'Programme' always for the BBC, but 'program' somehow feels more correct for software.

Oh yes I still remember being berated by my primary school teacher (in front of the whole class) for spelling computer program as "program" and not "programme". I still insist Im right and she was wrong, for me programme refers to a TV programme while program refers to an application.

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