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analyse analyze
idealise idealize
apologise apologize
realise realize
& the only word in which seeing an ‘s’ doesn’t bother me is ‘demise’ because demize doesn’t look right. I suppose the ‘s’ is used by most non-Americans and I truly hate to say this, but you’re doing it wrong. Though, I find it ironic that we managed to replace ‘s’ for ‘z’ in all those words, but left demise alone. Since ‘s’ is so soft wouldn’t it then be pronounced de-mice? I’m also flummoxed* the ‘z’ didn’t get to stretch as far as being placed in other words: because, as, does, was, is.
I think this is why the English language is one of the hardest languages to learn. It makes no fucking sense. Debauchery is pronounced de-bok-ory. In most any other word ‘ch’ is soft like in ‘changes’ not hard like a ‘k’. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
There are a shit ton more nuances, but in reading, it feels so wrong to see any of the words in the above list spelled with an ‘s’. It sticks out like a sore thumb and I just wish I could correct it sometimes (read: every time). You don’t look right, you don’t feel right so you must be wrong.
Maybe I’ll just learn Italian and move to Italy. Yes, all because of a language and its nuances.
____________________
*Inserting a $10 word in a $2 slot just because I can.
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I am on board with you on this one… It drives me crazy seeing those words spelled with an ‘s’… not that I am the grammar police as I spell a handful of words my own way (i.e. nite)… and I actually have always pronounced debauchery with a ‘ch’ – I’ve always heard it that way too… but I am Canadian, maybe that is why? (it’s that or I am surrounded by morons???) How about mature: hard ‘t’ vs soft ‘ch’… or neanderthal is it pronounced ‘thall’ or ‘tall’ at the end? The list can go on and on… hey this is kind of fun… and so I digress…
The internet, at least within a single language, is a diverse place. I can easily understand how frustrating it must be to see words spelt differently, and for you, wrong.
Spare a thought for others who commonly have word processors telling them the way they have learnt a word is wrong. Imagine if you typed ‘analyze’ into your browser or word processor and it came up with a squiggly red line. I assure you it’s worse than having to merely see people spelling it in a different way.
Also while I am, like you, very fond of my own version of English, it is useful to be able to spot where someone is from by just reading their words.
While I appreciate the seriousness of your comment to my humor piece, I can’t help but wonder if you’d say the same if it was reversed. If I was a Brit and writing about American English differences. Would you feel the need to stick up for Americans? Somehow I don’t believe so.
Are you to believe I do not see squiggly red lines when I write? Don’t feel the need to tell me I should spare a thought or assure me that a person has it worse getting the red line than reading what looks like a typo. There are a lot of other ways to pick up someone lives someplace different than you than just by an ‘s’ or a ‘z’.
Thank you for your comment.
You sarky cow.
You flatter yourself by calling it a humour piece.
But seriously, it’s not really my responsibility to stick for American English, there are plenty of Americans that will do that now aren’t there? Besides it would have to be on a case-by-case basis, and actually I would, if I happened to disagree with the hypothetical British person.
And what is a sarky cow? (seeing the red line for sarky.)
Oh, sarky is a short, informal version of sarcastic. Cow is the least offensive insult I could think of.
Well, sorry to say it, but English is English and you Americans have butchered it. It’s “s”, not “z”. Here’s a link to a post i wrote recently about American’s atrocious grasp of language. http://thesuperstitiousnakedape.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/no-no-no-nothing-is-very-irreversible/
Opinions are like assholes, you know the rest.
I don’t think it’s sensitive to take issue with describing our way of doing things as “wrong”. If we don’t like what’s being written here we can indeed bugger off, but wouldn’t you rather we commented?
Harden up, princess… you asked the question. And it’s not an “opinion,” its a grammatical fact of the language.
Postscript: If you actually comprehended what you read in my “article”, I was not saying that American English is better than UK or wherever. You people are so sensitive. If you don’t like what’s written here then you may “bugger” off seeing as last I checked, I created this blog. Also, I didn’t butcher any fucking language so stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Good day.
I don’t think it’s sensitive to take issue with describing our way of doing things as “wrong”. If we don’t like what’s being written here we can indeed ignore you, but wouldn’t you rather we commented?
(I’d put the above in the wrong place)
I didn’t say you’d butchered the English language, rather Americans en-mass do. You’re quite a handy wordsmith. Don’t be so sensitive, you raised the issue, i didn’t.
And to prove my point, I have (critiqued the article john zande linked to above).
If you and Mr. Zande actually comprehended what you read in my “article”, I was not saying that American English is better than UK or wherever. You people are so sensitive. If you don’t like what’s written here then you may “bugger” off seeing as last I checked, I created this blog.
You mention Italian. If you learn Italian you can speak it in Malta and San Marino… and its the same Italian, no changes, spelling is identical!
Being partially raised by a grandmother who never quite got over the indignity of leaving Merry Old England for America, I used the British spelling until 1st grade, when I was summarily scolded and lost recess time to correct my transgressions. =) Yes, our language has more exceptions than rules in some ways; when choosing a language to teach my DD I went with Latin, for the roots as well as the order of the process. Nice change of pace to English grammar, to be sure ! =)