Wikipedia:Manual of Style (spelling)

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This guideline is a part of the English Wikipedia's Manual of Style. Editors should follow it, except where common sense and the occasional exception will improve an article. Before editing this page, please make sure that your revision reflects consensus.

Shortcuts: WP:SPELLING WP:MOSS

This page is supposed to serve as a handy reference for editors.

See also List of dialects of the English language and Wikipedia:Spellchecking.

English spelling comparison chart

This table gives the accepted spellings (following government guidelines and major dictionaries). It is by no means exhaustive, but rather an overview. When two variants appear, the one listed first is more widely used. (For example, in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and Ireland, ageing is more common than aging; in Canada and the US, aging is more common.)

The spelling systems of unlisted Commonwealth countries, such as India, Pakistan and Singapore, are generally close to the British spelling system, with possibly a few local differences. Many non-Commonwealth English-speaking countries, such as the Philippines and Liberia, have spelling systems closer to American spelling.

see Notes for explanations of the references above.

Other spelling differences

Throughout this section, the variants here regarded as "British" are also used in Australia (in most cases), as well as in other Commonwealth countries and in Ireland. Canadian spelling combines British and American.

Preferred variants

In both British English and American English, many words have variant spellings, but most of the time one variant is preferred over the other. In dictionaries, the preferred spelling is listed first among the headwords of an entry. Examples follow:

• acknowledgement vs acknowledgment: acknowledgement is preferred in British English,^[8] acknowledgment in American English.
• judgement vs judgment: judgement is preferred in British English (except in the sense of a judge's decision, in which case "judgment" is preferred), judgment in American English.
• per cent vs percent: per cent is preferred in British English, percent in American English.
• dialogue vs dialog: In a non-technical context, the spelling dialogue is preferred in American English. In Webster's dictionary, dialogue is given first, and Chambers also indicates dialog is less used in North America.^[9]
• catalogue vs catalog: Webster's treats this case differently, as does Chambers^[10] — catalog is the preferred spelling in American English.
• glamour vs glamor: The spelling glamour is preferred in both British and American English. (Glamourous is sometimes found in American English, but is considered incorrect in British English, where glamorous is the only accepted form.)
• foetus vs fetus: In American English, foetus is usually not used. In British English, usage is divided. In academic literature, fetus is preferred.
• gram vs gramme: gram is the more common spelling; gramme is also possible in British usage.^[11]

Archaic variants:

• shew: the modern spelling is show

Different spellings – different meanings

Several words change their meaning when spelt differently.

• check - cheque: to check is to ensure; outside the USA, a letter of payment is spelt "cheque".

• kerb - curb: In British English, 'kerb' is the edge of the road or pavement where 'kerbstones' can be found. 'To curb' is to limit or control.

• disc – disk: In British English, the usual spelling is disc (meaning: thin flat circular object), but in computing, disk is usually used when referring to magnetic disks, as in hard disk. In the case of optical discs, such as "compact disc", the other spelling is used.

• draft - draught: draft is a preliminary version of a document; draught is a drink or a current of air.

• enquiry – inquiry: for most British writers, an enquiry is a request for information, but an inquiry is a formal investigation.

• judgement – judgment: In Australian Law, a Judge's decision in a case is always spelt Judgment. On the other hand, the forming of opinion or conclusion by an ordinary person is usually spelt judgement.

• metre – meter: in most countries other than the US, metre is the metric unit of length, and meter is a measuring device.

• programme – program: In British English, the spelling program can be used for computer program. In all other cases, programme is invariably used. In Australia, program is widespread in all contexts.

• story - storey: a story is a tale; outside of North America, upper floors of buildings are spelt "storey".[3]

• theatre – theater: Many uses of either spelling can be found in American English. Both theater and theatre are commonly used among theatre professionals. The spelling theatre can be seen in names like Kodak Theatre and AMC Theatres. However, theater is used by America's national theater and all major newspapers such as the New York Times (theater section) to refer to both the dramatic arts as well as to buildings where performances take place.

• ensure - insure: To ensure is to make sure. In British English, to insure is to take out an insurance policy. In American English, to insure is sometimes used instead of to ensure.^[12]

International organizations

There are three major English spelling standards used by international organizations and publishers:

British English with -ise

Spellings: centre, programme, labour, defence, organisation, recognise, analyse
Language tag en-GB. Examples of organizations adhering to this standard: European Union (EU), Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Commonwealth Secretariat (Commonwealth of Nations), African Union (AU), Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), International Olympic Committee (IOC), Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Transparency International, Greenpeace. The UK government does not seem to have an official position on spelling, though it often uses this variant in communications.

Major publications: The Economist, The Times, Financial Times, New Scientist, The Lancet, BBC, The Guardian

British English with Oxford Spelling (-ize)

Spellings: centre, programme, labour, defence, organization, recognize, but: analyse
Language tag (a code identifying the language used): en-GB-oed, Oxford Spelling is based on the Oxford English Dictionary,^[13] and followed by Collins^[14] and Cassell's^[15] dictionaries, whereas Chambers lists both -ize and -ise for British English.^[16] The Concise Oxford Dictionary notes that "ise ...is in common use, especially in British English".^[17]

Examples of organizations adhering to this standard: United Nations Organization (UN, WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, etc.), World Trade Organization (WTO), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Labour Organization (ILO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), UK Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Amnesty International, World Economic Forum, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Major Publications: Nature, Times Literary Supplement, Encyclopædia Britannica

American English

Spellings: center, program, labor, defense, organization, recognize, analyze
Language tag en-US, this standard is used by the U.S. government.^{[citation needed]}

Examples of organizations adhering to this standard: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Organization of American States (OAS), NAFTA Secretariat.

Major publications: International Herald Tribune, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Newsweek, Science, Scientific American

See also

• American and British English spelling differences

Notes

References

Further reading

• British Spelling standards
• Dave VE7CNV's Truly Canadian Dictionary of Canadian Spelling