Why I write American

Stu Pocknee

28 Jul 2023

writing , general

I'm an Australian.

Born and bred.

I should write English. I don't. I write American.

You won't find a 'u' in my colors, favors, or neighbors.

I measure in meters and liters, not metres and litres.

I ride in airplanes, not aeroplanes.

I'll almost always replace the 's' with a 'z' in words that end in 'yse' and 'ise'.

There are no '-logue' words. I use '-log'.

I spent well over a decade living in the US, so you may chalk it up to that. Except, I've been back in Australia for at least as long and I haven't converted back.

There are two reasons I am this way.

1. I'm a coder. In code 'colour' is always 'color'. Enough said.
2. I prefer simple and intuitive.

In my view American spelling is just better.

That's all.

Now, I could pick my audience and choose the correct spelling for them. I generally don't. Did I mention I prefer simple? Maybe I am also lazy.

Do people think I can't spell? Probably.

Do I care? Not enough, apparently.

There is a base brutishness to the American use of English, and I am totally there for it. The only times I get upset is when they break their own "prefer the uncomplicated" rule.

Nobody should ever be burglarized. It is only acceptable to be burgled. Pick the simple short option, damn it!

Not a spelling issue, but related. A 'fillet' should always rhyme with 'skillet'. Calling something a "fill-ay" is an abhorrent regression I simply cannot countenance.

🤷‍♂️

Addendum

This is in the same general sphere. Sort of.

I make exceptions for names. I don't care about them at all.

Take my name. Stuart.

In American this is Stoo-art.

In English it is St-you-art.

(In Australian it is Schoo-art, we're special. In Spanish, Es-too-art - my favorite).

I have a mate in the US who discovered this particular pronunciation difference. He then confessed he had just assumed (for years) that I had a speech impediment (Good onya Todd! Remember this Seinfeld episode? 👇 😁)

In my view your priorities with names ought to be as follows.

Value someone based on whether they:

1. Are willing to talk to you at all.
2. Have some vague idea of who you are.
3. Know your name.
4. Can correctly spell or pronounce your name.

(In that order. If they get to 2, they're a keeper.)

🇬🇧 🇺🇸