User:SpNeo/Spelling Guide

PROLOG(UE)

There are lots of British-American spelling lists on the internet, but most of them are low-quality references. That's why I created this spelling guide as a reliable reference for editors interested in British and American spellings. The lists are quite exhaustive. Acceptable variants (according to Merriam-Webster and the Concise Oxford English Dictionary) are given in parentheses. See also American and British English spelling differences.

Overview
Key examples of the most important differences about which you should know:

labour (UK) <-> labor (US)
 * Details: see -our, -or

centre (UK) <-> center (US)
 * Details: see -re, -er

travelling (UK) <-> traveling (OR travelling) (US)
 * Details: see -ll-, -l-

fulfil (UK) <-> fulfill (OR fulfil) (US)
 * Details: see -l-, -ll-

dialogue (UK) <-> dialogue (OR dialog) (US)
 * Details: see -logue, -log

organise (OR organize) (UK) <-> organize (US)
 * Details: see -ise, -ize

analyse (UK) <-> analyze (US)
 * Details: see -yse, -yze

defence (UK) <-> defense (US)
 * Details: see -ce, -se

anaesthesia (UK) <-> anesthesia (US)
 * Details: see -oe-/-ae-, -e-

tyre, aluminium, apprenticeship programme (UK) <-> tire, aluminum, internship program (US)
 * Details: see Other

-our, -or
UK                                US                       arbour                             arbor ardour                            ardor armour                            armor armoury                           armory behaviour                         behavior behavioural                       behavioral behaviourism                      behaviorism belabour                          belabor candour                           candor clamour                           clamor colour                            color coloration (OR colouration)       coloration demeanour                         demeanor dolourous                         dolorous enamour                           enamor endeavour                         endeavor favour                            favor favourable                        favorable favourite                         favorite favouritism                       favoritism fervour                           fervor flavour                           flavor glamour                           glamour (OR glamor)     'glamour' is preferred harbour                           harbor                  in US English honour                            honor honourable                        honorable               'glamorous', 'honorific' humour                            humor                   'honorary' and 'humorous' in  labour                             labor                   British and American English! misdemeanour                      misdemeanor neighbour                         neighbor odour                             odor parlour                           parlor rancour                           rancor rigour                            rigor                   'rigorous'! rumour                            rumor saviour                           savior savour                            savor splendour                         splendor succour                           succor tumour                            tumor tambourine                        tamborine                ? valour                            valor vapour                            vapor vigour                            vigor CANADIAN usage: -our as in UK English (colour, favour, honour)

-re, -er
UK                                US calibre                            caliber (OR calibre) centilitre                        centiliter centimetre                        centimeter centre                            center centred                           centered centring                          centering decilitre                         deciliter decimetre                         decimeter epicentre                         epicenter fibre                             fiber (OR fibre) goitre                            goiter kilometre                         kilometer lacklustre                        lackluster litre                             liter lustre                            luster meagre                            meager (OR meagre) meter (device)                    meter (device) metre (unit of length)            meter (unit of length) micrometre                        micrometer millilitre                        milliliter millimetre                        millimeter mitre                             miter (OR mitre) mitred                            mitered (OR mitred) philtre                           philter (OR philtre) reconnoitre                       reconnoiter (OR reconnoitre) reconnoitred                      reconnoitered (OR reconnoitred) reconnoitring                     reconnoitering (OR reconnoitring) sabre                             saber (OR sabre) saltpetre                         saltpeter sceptre                           scepter sceptred                          sceptered sepulchre                         sepulchre (OR sepulcher) spectre                           specter (OR spectre) theatre                           theater (OR theatre)               'theatre' is very common in US English CANADIAN usage: -re, as in UK English (centre, fibre, kilometre)

-ll-, -l-
UK                                US cancellation                       cancellation (OR cancelation)        Spellings like travelling, cancelled                         canceled (OR cancelled)              labelled, modelling are cancelling                        canceling (OR cancelling)            not very common, but counsellor                        counselor (OR counsellor)            acceptable in US English equalled                          equaled (OR equalled) equalling                         equaling (OR equalling) dialler (OR dialer)               dialer dialling                          dialing (OR dialling) fuelled                           fueled (OR fuelled) fuelling                          fueling (OR fuelling) labelled                          labeled (OR labelled) labelling                         labeling (OR labelling) marvellous                        marvelous (OR marvellous) modelled                          modeled (OR modelled) modelling                         modeling (OR modelling) quarrelled                        quarreled (OR quarrelled) quarrelling                       quarreling (OR quarrelling) signalled                         signaled (OR signalled) signalling                        signaling (OR signalling) tranquillity (OR tranquility)     tranquillity (OR tranquility) travelled                         traveled (OR travelled) travelling                        traveling (OR travelling) woollen                           woolen (OR woollen) CANADIAN usage: -ll-, as in UK English (counsellor, labelled, travelling)

-l-, -ll-
UK                                US enrol                              enroll (OR enrol)            Spellings like fulfilment and enrol enrolment                         enrollment                   are not very common, but acceptable fulfil                            fulfill (OR fulfil)          in US English fulfilment                        fulfillment (OR fulfilment) install (OR instal)               install (OR instal) instalment                        installment (OR instalment) skilful                           skillful wilful                            willful (OR wilful)

-logue, -log
UK                                US analogue                           analogue (OR analog) catalogue                         catalog (OR catalogue)     'catalogue' is also common dialogue                          dialogue (OR dialog)       in U.S. English monologue                         monologue (OR monolog) prologue                          prologue (OR prolog)       'analog' and 'dialog' are sometimes travelogue                        travelogue (OR travelog)   found in British English sources, but only in a technical context

-ise, -ize
Important: Both -ise and -ize can be used in UK English. Contrary to widespread belief, -ize is NOT an Americanism. Read more...

UK                                US apologise (OR apologize)           apologize emphasise (OR emphasize)          emphasize                 In UK English, -ise spellings colonise (OR colonize)            colonize                  are more common. globalisation (OR globalization)  globalization maximise (OR maximize)            maximize                  The OED prefers -ize. organisation (OR organization)    organization privatisation (OR privatization)  privatization realise (OR realize)              realize recognise (OR recognize)          recognize recognisable (OR recognizable)    recognizable standardise (OR standardize)      standardize .                          .             .                           .             .                           .      -ise (OR -ize)                   -ize The following words always end in -ise: advertise, advise, apprise, arise, chastise, circumcise, comprise, compromise, demise, despise, devise, disguise, enfranchise, enterprise, excise, exercise, franchise, improvise, incise, merchandise, premise, revise, supervise, surmise, surprise, televise... CANADIAN usage: generally -ize instead of -ise.

-yse, -yze
The -yse/-yze ending is a different case! In UK English, the ending is always -yse. In US English, the ending is always -yze.

UK                                US analyse                            analyze analysing                         analyzing breathalyser                      breathalyzer catalyse                          catalyze catalysing                        catalyzing dialyser                          dialyzer hydrolyse                         hydrolyze hydrolysing                       hydrolyzing paralyse                          paralyze paralysing                        paralyzing photolyse                         photolyze photolysing                       photolyzing CANADIAN usage: -yze is preferred

-ce, -se
UK                                US defence                            defense licence (noun)                    license (OR licence) (noun)            'to licence' is wrong. license (verb)                    license (verb) offence                           offense practice (noun)                   practice (noun) practise (verb)                   practice (OR practise) (verb) pretence                          pretense (OR pretence)

-oe-/-ae-, -e-
UK                                US aeon (OR eon)                      aeon (OR eon) aesthetic                         aesthetic (OR esthetic) amoeba                            amoeba (OR ameba) anaemia                           anemia anaesthesia                       anesthesia archaeology                       archaeology (OR archeology) caesium                           cesium diarrhoea                         diarrhea encyclopedia (OR encyclopaedia)   encyclopedia faeces                            feces (OR faeces) foetus (OR fetus)                 fetus                    According to the Concise Oxford English gonorrhoea                        gonorrhea                Dictionary, "fetus" is an acceptable gynaecology                       gynecology               variant in British English, especially haemoglobin                       hemoglobin               in technical use. haemophilia                       hemophilia               UK medical journals prefer "fetus". haemorrhage                       hemorrhage homeopathy (OR homoeopathy)       homeopathy ischaemic                         ischemic leukaemia                         leukemia manoeuvre                         maneuver manoeuvring                       maneuvering medieval (OR mediaeval)           medieval (OR mediaeval) oedema                            edema oenology                          oenology (OR enology) oesophagus                        esophagus oestrogen                         estrogen orthopaedic                       orthopedic paediatrics                       pediatrics paedophile                        pedophile palaeontology                     paleontology

Other
UK                                US ageing (OR aging)                  aging (OR ageing)       preferred international (IUPAC) aluminium                         aluminum                spelling is 'aluminium' carburettor (OR carburetter)      carburetor cheque (only noun!)               check                   'to check' and 'to curb'! dreamt (OR dreamed)               dreamed (OR dreamt) grey                              gray (OR grey)          'grey' is very common kerb (only noun!)                 curb                    in US English leapt (OR leaped)                 leaped (OR leapt) learnt (OR learned)               learned maths                             math mould                             mold (OR mould) mouldering                        moldering moulding                          molding mouldy                            moldy (OR mouldy) moult                             molt moustache                         mustache (OR moustache) mum                               mom programme (but: computer program) program                 UK English: training programme, pyjamas                           pajamas                 television programme, research programme sceptical                         skeptical spelt (OR spelled)                spelled storey (a storey of a building)   story storeyed                          storied sulphur                           sulfur (OR sulphur)     preferred international (IUPAC) tyre (as in "car tyre")           tire                    spelling is 'sulfur'

Varieties

 * US and UK English spelling: see lists above. Standard reference for UK English spelling: OED, for US English spelling: Merriam-Webster.


 * Irish English spelling is virtually identical to UK English spelling.


 * Australian English spelling is very close to UK English spelling. The standard reference for Australian English spelling: Macquarie Dictionary. -> labour, centre, travelling, fulfil, dialogue, analyse, defence, tyre, aluminium, training programme/program. However, note that the Australian Labor Party uses the American spelling of its name due to an American influence in the early days of the party and distinguish it from the labour movement. While -ise and -ize, and -yse and -yze might be interchangeable in UK English, -ise and -yse are standardised in Australian English. Some of Australia's media publications have flirted with some American spelling norms until around 2007, but have since reverted to the UK English spelling norms after widespread complaints from its readers.


 * New Zealand English spelling is very close to UK English spelling.


 * Canadian English spelling uses both UK and US English spellings. In Canadian English -ize and -yze are preferred to -ise and -yse. The standard reference for Canadian English spelling is the Canadian Oxford Dictionary. -> labour, centre, travelling, fulfill, dialogue, analyze, defence, tire, aluminum, training program

Proper names
Proper names should retain their original spellings. Examples:
 * Rockefeller Center
 * Australian Defence Force
 * World Trade Organization
 * North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
 * International Labour Organization
 * International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
 * World Food Programme
 * International Color Consortium
 * Pearl Harbor
 * Victoria Harbour

Online Dictionaries
Oxford Dictionaries - Robust Oxford Dictionary of British/American English and other Languages Cambridge Dictionaries Online Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary Macquarie Dictionary - Australia's National Dictionary Online Most UK to US Spellings(Above 1700links) [[Media:http://www.tysto.com/articles05/q1/20050324uk-us.shtml]][[Media:http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/jones/differences.htm]][[Media:http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/spelling-diffs.htm]]