Merchandise or Merchandize?

Bubbler   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 18:17 GMT
I was filling out a job application today, and when I began to write the word mentioned in the subject heading, I caught myself. Now I know there's a UK/USA difference (I live in the latter; you can guess where if you understand the name reference) between "ise" and "ize" but are there any other Americans who spell it "merchandise" like I eventually did. I looked it up on dictionary.com, but it makes no reference as to whether either is used primarily in the US/UK.
Bubbler   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 18:23 GMT
I forgot to add that I put them both into Microsoft Word, making sure I was using the U.S. language setting, and neither showed up as a spelling error. Does this mean both are equally acceptable in the U.S.?
Ed   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 18:50 GMT
Use -ize. I live in the US and I've never seen -ise in those type of words. So just to be on the safe side, use it as most people do.
Elaine   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 19:39 GMT
I have always spelled it "merchandise". "Merchandize" just looks wrong to me (and I thought it was until I looked in my dictionary, and there it was!).
Travis   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 19:45 GMT
Ed, well, depends in this case, as it at least here in the US doesn't end in /aIz/, if one is referring to the thing "merchandise", as -"ize" would imply, but rather /aIs/ which implies that if there's one of the two to use, it'd be -"ise". However, if one is to use this as a verb of some sort, then it'd probably be "merchandize" most likely, which would end in /aIz/ rather than /aIs/. But I've never, ever seen the thing spelled "merchandize" myself.
Deborah   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 20:16 GMT
I've never seen "merchandize."
Will   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 20:33 GMT
Use "merchandise" for the noun. As a verb it's hardly ever used and even rarer for it to contain a "z".
Deborah   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 20:37 GMT
I do see the word "merchandising," however.
Will   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 20:44 GMT
Merchandising is also used as a noun, normally, but with a different connotation to merchandise.
Gabe   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 23:54 GMT
I've never seen it "merchandize," either.

...and it's called a "drinking fountain," my friend. ;-)
Bubbler   Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 23:59 GMT
=) Rubbish, "drinking fountain" is so dull, though it is amusing to watch the momentary panic on a person's face when I ask, "Where are your bubblers?"
Jim   Wednesday, March 23, 2005, 01:51 GMT
"Drinking fountain" is a mouthful and sounds quite odd to my ears. "Bubbler" is much better but I never knew that this was used anywhere in the USA nor the word "rubbish".

Yeah, if it's a noun then it cannot be "merchandize" but "merchandising" is a different story. The latter is a gerund. Gerunds are formed from the verb so if you spellthe verb with a "-ize" it would only be consistant to spell the gerund with an "-izing".
Bubbler   Wednesday, March 23, 2005, 02:58 GMT
"Bubbler" is used primarily, if not exclusively, in southeastern Wisconsin, but it might even pervade out into the state as a whole. Use it anywhere else in the country and they look at you cross-eyed. On the other hand, “rubbish” is used comically precisely because it isn’t common.
american nic   Wednesday, March 23, 2005, 03:03 GMT
'Bubbler' is used in and around both Boston and Milwaukee, yet no where else...obviously because 'drinking fountain' is correct. : )

To me, 'merchandise' can be either noun or verb, while 'merchandize' can only be a verb. And only in the US.
Travis   Wednesday, March 23, 2005, 03:07 GMT
I was almost going to ask if you were from Wisconsin, Bubbler, precisely due to your usage of that word in the first place.