It's too ridiculous for being modern. Simplify it!

Guest   Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:40 am GMT
He's saying that because that's the French prounciation and you said the French spelling best represented the way you say it... My god, people here are stupid.
Guest   Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:50 am GMT
>>Colour makes it more understandable as the word, at least in English English, is pronounced as if it ends in -er, not -or. To my mind at least -our resembles -er more than -or<<

Aren't the -or endings in proprietor, actor, manor, major, mayor, elector, minor, etc. pronounced as -er in your accent?
Kirk   Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:34 am GMT
<<it's sometimes more erudite and grammatically correct>>

*Eye roll* Junior High English class is calling--and it wants its linguistic myths back.

<<but American spelling is a little more up-to-date and I think that America holds out the best hope of spearheading any future spelling reforms in the English speaking world.>>

As others have mentioned, overall the differences between British and American spelling are largely negligible on most accounts.

<<even though I will still be irked when individuals from, well, certain places insist that their spellings thereof are somehow "correct", "right", or "better".>>

Or that *certain* people on this site believe that it's even possible for native speakers to be "more correct" than others in certain regards.
Damian in Edinburgh   Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:42 am GMT
***In any case, to most English eyes the American spellings appear crude***

I don't think many British eyes look upon the American spellings with much favour or disfavour, or think much about it one way or the other at all. It's back to that question of "separate Languages" again. The vast majority of British people could not care less* which way the American version of the English Language goes, it's their business, but it's a fact that whatever terms of expression the Americans adopt it's a safe bet some of them will find their way pretty sharpish to this side of the Puddle....that's inevitable with instant mass communication.

*Could not care less...as in "I could not care less what they do" ....I read a wee while back that that expression comes out as "I could care less" in America. I find that a wee bit puzzling. "I could not care less" to me means..well, I simply could not care any less......it does not bother me one iota. But to say "I could care less" could surely mean I don't really care but maybe I do care just a wee bit. Or am I missing something here?
Benjamin   Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:46 am GMT
« He's saying that because that's the French prounciation and you said the French spelling best represented the way you say it... My god, people here are stupid. »

Except that 'koo-loo-ah' is not the French pronunciation anyway. I meant that out of 'color', 'colour' and 'couleur', the final spelling makes the most sense to me *if* it is pronounced as an English word with an RP accent.
Jim   Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:50 am GMT
No, Damain, it's not you who are missing something.
Kirk   Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:58 am GMT
<<*Could not care less...as in "I could not care less what they do" ....I read a wee while back that that expression comes out as "I could care less" in America. I find that a wee bit puzzling. "I could not care less" to me means..well, I simply could not care any less......it does not bother me one iota. But to say "I could care less" could surely mean I don't really care but maybe I do care just a wee bit. Or am I missing something here?>>

Well, some people use it that way. I personally say "I couldn't care less" but in instances where people say "I could care less" the "could care" has probably experienced some sort of semantic reanalysis towards negative polarity much as conversational French now commonly omits the "ne" but requires "pas." This doesn't seem to apply to other instances of negation but is common with this phrase in American English.

<<Except that 'koo-loo-ah' is not the French pronunciation anyway. I meant that out of 'color', 'colour' and 'couleur', the final spelling makes the most sense to me *if* it is pronounced as an English word with an RP accent.>>

Have either of you considered learning a bit of X-SAMPA and/or IPA? If you did, such confusing discussions based on fauxnetics would be rendered obsolete :)
Guest   Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:20 am GMT
RE: I could care less.

At least it resembles the original phrase and isn't as cryptic or distorted as, say, the transformation of this British curio: nonsense -> bollocks -> ... <- it's the bollocks -> dog's bollocks -> the mutt's nuts -> it's rather good.
Benquasha   Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:23 am GMT
>>Aren't the -or endings in proprietor, actor, manor, major, mayor, elector, minor, etc. pronounced as -er in your accent? <<

Yep. As for the spelling differences between all the different english speaking countries... They won't matter soon because everything will be written in txt tlk! And then there will be even more variation depending on people's regional accents.
Uriel   Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:29 am GMT
<<Colour, humour, favour ... I count three. ;)>>

Where do you get three, Jim? The R is a separate issue if you're rhotic (as you should be).

<<I read a wee while back that that expression comes out as "I could care less" in America. I find that a wee bit puzzling.>>

That's called sarcasm, Damian. It's not meant to be taken literally. (Sheesh! I thought you all especially were all OVER that stuff! ;) )
Jim   Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:40 am GMT
<our>: I'm not rhotic why should I be?
Guest   Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:51 am GMT
>> >>Aren't the -or endings in proprietor, actor, manor, major, mayor, elector, minor, etc. pronounced as -er in your accent? <<

Yep. <<

Then so should your pronunciation be for the ending in "color".
Damian in Edinburgh   Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:09 pm GMT
**That's called sarcasm, Damian. It's not meant to be taken literally. (Sheesh! I thought you all especially were all OVER that stuff! ;) )***

OK OK I get it! Stupid stupid me! ..... there was I..thinking that sarcasm was solely our Britside prerogative! (How do you do a "rolling eyes" thingy in here? OK..whis will have to do: :-) OVER that stuff? Sheesh! - we're still climbing.... :-) = rolling eyes ) :-) = silly smile of a severely chided schoolboy......

......[Late lunchtime Damian slinks off to the coffee machine clutching a pizza peperoni pizza]
Damian in Dun Eidann   Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:11 pm GMT
Sorry Uriel! :-) = genuine smile
Jim   Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am GMT
Uriel,

I'v thaut it over and, yes, yu'r rite: I shood be rotic. I'v been trying my harrrrdest tu be az rotic az possible.