To Americanize or not: the orthography (spelling) question
I'd alluded to the fact that I'm an ex-pat. Astute readers of prior posts would have noticed that I wrote "flavour" with the u included. This correctly indicates that my English retains UK influences - and indeed, I was born and raised in Canada, a Commonwealth member (although I understand that environmentalists asked the country to be suspended in status in 2009) .
However, I do work for an American multinational. And my undergraduate studies were also undertaken near Boston, where I vividly recall being penalized (not "penalised") for any slip-ups I made for non-American spelling.
For those asking "but is there such a thing as "Canadian" spelling?", my good friend Rosemary has this example: "Canadian Tire Centre". In UK spelling it would be Tyre, and in the US, it would be Center: in Canada, the full example is the only correct way to write it.
So, dear readers, please expect - and hopefully respect - my decision to "go Canadian".
In today's over-permissive internet age, proper spelling and grammar seem to be optional at best, and even frowned upon. I'm just happy someone cares enough to pay attention to the national differences. Of course language IS one of your areas of expertise after all.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mick: that's very kind of you to say. Although English is my strongest language now, I didn't acquire it natively, which probably contributes to my sensitivity to its grammar.
ReplyDeleteI think native speakers often feel entitled to bend their language's rules, particular in informal contexts. Add to that the fact they had organically picked up grammatical rules, and the proverbial final straw being how awkward it is to use touch screens to tap out messages - we see degenerative writing.