Comments on: One “L” or Two?

By: umber

umber — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:31:31 +0000

This “preference” issue is out of place. There are some things that are a matter of style, and writers can properly choose what to write. Other things are not. Rules of spelling that differ e.g. in UK vs. US English are not matters of preference. “Travelling” is wrong if writing American English. Period. So are theatre, grey, and kerb. If you are writing in any form of standard English, you don’t get to pick whatever spelling strikes your fancy just because it is standard in a different dialect. Likewise, you don’t get to spell it “independance” because that’s how it’s spelled in French. Nor do you get to say someone is “in hospital” if you are speaking American English. To do so is simply affectation.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:57:27 +0000

Preferred by whom? Oxford spelling always prefers (insists on) the “z” form.

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:14:34 +0000

Trivial this, I know, but… I think ‘parallelise’ is the preferred British form, rather than ‘parallelize’.

By: PB

PB — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:45:12 +0000

I prefer the double “L” – of course I also prefer “Saviour”, etc. …

By: Maeve

Maeve — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:14:44 +0000

PreciseEdit,
I knew someone would get me on the “manly.”