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.
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.?
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.
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!).
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.
I've never seen "merchandize."
Use "merchandise" for the noun. As a verb it's hardly ever used and even rarer for it to contain a "z".
I do see the word "merchandising," however.
Merchandising is also used as a noun, normally, but with a different connotation to merchandise.
I've never seen it "merchandize," either.
...and it's called a "drinking fountain," my friend. ;-)
=) 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?"
"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" 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.
'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.
I was almost going to ask if you were from Wisconsin, Bubbler, precisely due to your usage of that word in the first place.