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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Topic: Definitely not definate or defanate or even defanite
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Leo Enticknap
Film God
Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 12-18-2001 07:06 AM
In the WWII comedy The Goose Steps Out, Will Hay plays an English spy who is sent into Nazi Germany and ends up as a teacher in a Hitler Youth training school. This is really an excuse for a set-piece scene in which he's trying to explain to the Nazis why certain English words aren't pronounced like they're spelt, e.g. 'Thames', 'Slough' and 'Plough'. Needless to say he becomes thoroughly confused and loses the plot, and the scene finishes with Hay teaching the Nazis how to make a V-sign, explaining that is 'The English mark of respect for our glorious führer'.As for 'centre', I guess we have William the Conqueror to thank for that one (the French have the same word, spelt the same way and with the same meaning). The thing I find hard to understand about American English is why it often turns nouns into verbs by adding the suffix -ize, e.g. 'burglarize'. I mean, why use a word to the effect of 'perform the act normally associated with a burglar' - surely 'burgle' does the job just as well?
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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 12-18-2001 07:50 AM
I find many spell lose - loose. The one I hate the most is buses, it looks like FUSES to me, why don't they spell it busses?Here in Canada, we're caught in the middle, we spell the Queen's English, but words like "burglarize" are becoming commonplace. Just heard a study the other day, that Canadian kids have vastly improved their world ranking in spelling and grammar. Bad news is:
it is greatly declining. It seems all over the world, including the leaders in Britain and Japan, kids just aren't being expected to learn it anymore. They're abandoning the classics for more "current" literature, which frequently contains poor grammar. Crikey Vern, if them thar Brits ain't gonna study no more, how's we
gonna learn us are spellun? 
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Craig Hanham
Film Handler
Posts: 79
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 12-19-2001 06:48 PM
Ahh spelling a good topic.
Aren't most of the common mistakes due to poor typing skills and the late hour of the day when logged on.Personally I find that I can hit up to 3 keys at once if I don't concentrate.
As for the difference in the spellings between American and english this is the product of Mr Samuel Johnson(? if my senility isn't playing up)and his American Dictionary of the mid 1800's as a tangible way to break from 'the imperial Yoke'.
The 'funny' spellings and gramatical rules in English are due Anglo-Saxon being Germanic, the spellings contrived by French scribes and the Grammar being set to Latin Rules by the clergy, as well as other strong influences over the millenia, no wonder its confused. Well Linguistics lesson over. Great topic with lots of neat history.
Pet hate: "have got" looks ugly, sounds worse. Only need "have"
Wishing all a Merry Syphilis and a Happy Gonorrhea
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