| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
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| SPELLING 1: AMERICAN AND BRITISH DIFFERENCES |
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These lists, by no means exhaustive, illustrate the chief differences:- Words ending in -or and -our. (Note, however, that not all such words differ in spelling; consider, for example: emperor, error, mirror, and stupor.)
| AMERICAN ENGLISH | | BRITISH ENGLISH | | | | arbor | | arbour | | armor | | armour | | behavior | | behaviour | | candor | | candour | | color | | colour | | demeanor | | demeanour | | favor | | favour | | flavor | | flavour | | glamour, glamor | | glamour | | harbor | | harbour | | honor | | honour | | labor | | labour | | neighbor | | neighbour | | rancor | | rancour | | rigor | | rigour | | savior, saviour | | saviour | | splendor | | splendour | | tabor, tabour | | tabour | | vapor | | vapour |
- Words ending in -er or -re. (But, again, other examples do not differ: for example, acre, lucre, mediocre, and meter [the instrument].)
| AMERICAN ENGLISH | | BRITISH ENGLISH | | | | caliber | | calibre | | center, Centre | | centre | | goiter | | goitre | | liter | | litre | | maneuver | | manoeuvre | | meter (measure) | | metre (measure) | | miter | | mitre | | specter | | spectre | | theater, Theatre | | theatre |
- Words ending in -ize or -ise. (But these do not differ: circumcise, compromise, exercise, improvise, and surmise.)
| AMERICAN ENGLISH | | BRITISH ENGLISH | | | | baptize | | baptise, baptize | | capsize | | capsise, capsize | | civilize | | civilise, civilize | | organize | | organise, organize | | realize | | realise, realize | | sympathize | | sympathise, sympathize | | visualize | | visualise, visualize |
- Words ending in -se or -ce. (But suspense is the same for both nations.)
| AMERICAN ENGLISH | | BRITISH ENGLISH | | | | defense | | defence, defense | | offense | | offence, offense | | pretense | | pretense, pretence |
- Words using the digraphs ae and oe.
| AMERICAN ENGLISH | | BRITISH ENGLISH | | | | anemic, anaemic | | anaemic | | aesthetic, esthetic | | aesthetic | | archaeology, archeology | | archaeology | | diarrhea | | diarrhoeia | | encyclopedia, encyclopaedia | | encyclopaedia, encyclopedia | | eon | | aeon | | esophagus | | oesophagus | | estrogen | | oestrogen | | hemoglobin, haemoglobin | | haemoglobin | | hemorrhage | | haemorrhage, hemorrhage | | maneuver | | manoeuvre | | medieval, mediaeval | | mediaeval, medieval | | pediatrician | | paediatrician |
- Words with medial -ct- or -x-. (But complexion and infection do not differ.)
| AMERICAN ENGLISH | | BRITISH ENGLISH | | | | complected, complexioned | | complexioned | | connection | | connexion | | inflection | | inflexion | | reflection | | reflexion |
- Miscellaneous differences.
| AMERICAN ENGLISH | | BRITISH ENGLISH | | | | aluminum | | aluminium | | check | | cheque | | curb | | kerb | | disk, disc | | disc | | draft | | draught | | fulfill | | fulfil | | gray, grey | | grey, gray | | Gypsy | | Gipsy | | inquire | | enquire | | jail jail, | | gaol | | mold | | mould | | mustache | | moustache | | omelet, omelette | | omelette | | pajamas | | pyjamas | | plow | | plough | | program | | programme | | skillful | | skilful | | sulfur | | sulphur | | tire | | tyre | | vise | | vice | | wagon | | waggon, wagon |
See also CONSONANTS (2). | 1 |
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| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
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