Friday, May 21, 2010

British English and American English Spelling

British English and American English Spelling

Here are the principal differences in spelling between British English and American English.

British EnglishAmerican English
Final -l is always doubled after one vowel in stressed and unstressed syllables in English but usually only in stressed syllables in American English, for example:rebel > rebelled
travel > travelled
rebel > rebelled
travel > traveled
Some words end in -tre in English and -ter in American English, for example:centre
theatre
center
theater
Some words end in -ogue in English and -og in American English, for example:analogue
catalogue
analog
catalog
Some words end in -our in English and -or in American English, for example:colour
labour
color
labor
Some verbs end in -ize or -ise in English but only in -ize in American English, for example:realise, realize
harmonise, harmonize
realize
harmonize

Common Differences

EnglishAmerican English
all rightall right, alright (disputed)
analyseanalyze
centrecenter
chequecheck
colourcolor
counsellorcounselor
criticise, criticizecriticize
defencedefense
doughnutdonut
favourfavor
fibrefiber
flavourflavor
fulfilfulfill
greygray
honourhonor
humourhumor
jewelleryjewellery, jewelry
judgement, judgmentjudgment
kerbcurb
labourlabor
license, licence (verb)
licence (noun)
license (verb)
license (noun)
litreliter
metremeter
mouldmold
neighbourneighbor
offenceoffense
practise (verb)
practice (noun)
practice (verb)
practice (noun)
pretencepretense
programmeprogram
pyjamaspajamas
realise, realizerealize
savoursavor
specialityspecialty
theatretheater
travelled
travelling
travelled, traveled
travelling, traveling
tyretire
valourvalor           Courtesy of : http://www.englishclub.com/writing/spelling_american-english.htm

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