Australian English

ShapeSphere · Sep 15, 2007

Some questions for Australian writers on this site. Which spelling styles do you use or prefer? The -ise or the -ize style? What about other words such as analyse/analyze? Any favourites? Do you notice any trends in Australian newspapers, magazines or books?

I've been looking around for different examples, and will read some more Australian newspapers, but wanted to know your thoughts and the current fashion for spelling.

My understanding has always been that both are acceptable, with a bias towards the British "s". I know that British English has influenced Australian English in terms of some of its vocabulary, and this Australian-American Dictionary reflects that, but spelling matters are different.

Wikipedia (which isn't reliable) states in this article that "-ise is preferred in Australian English by a ratio of about 3:1 according to the Macquarie". The Macquarie Dictionary is wholly reliable but subscription based.

There's never going to be a major misunderstanding over such a small spelling issue, but I'm proofreading a technical manual, and am interested in the latest opinion.

Thanks for your help.

Mr. Fix · Sep 15, 2007

A Palmie convict is worth two Aussies in the bush.

Speaking strickly as an American...

I always liked the 'U' in words like 'Favourite' and 'Colour,' not to forget the final 're' as in 'Theatre' instead of 'Theater.' Then again, I've never given much attention to a person that could only spell a wyrd one way. :ROFL:

But this thread interests me as I would like my projects to have a 'world appeal,' so I always absorbe information from this kind of discussion.

maestrowork · Sep 15, 2007

As an American (now) but British-educated, I don't use the "u" anymore but still mix words such as "theater/theatre" or "dreamed/dreamt."

Mandy-Jane · Sep 15, 2007

You're right ShapeSphere. We (Australians) have always tended toward the British spelling. I don't know if there are any hard and fast rules, but those of my generation have always been taught to use the ise rather than the ize. Same with words like colour instead of color, neighbour instead of neighbor, and so on. And of course, theatre (thank you Mr Fix).

I think most Australians would agree with me, but I'd be very interested to find out.

JJ Cooper · Sep 15, 2007

Note to self - Mr. Fix is to be monitored.

British English for us Aussies, mate.

Colour, favourite, analyse, threatre, centre and all the words ending with 'ise' intead of that silly American 'ize'.

If you are using a program like MS Word, there should be an option to select a language for spell check. Over here ours are set to English - Australian. If I am going to submit stuff to America I would change the options for language to English - Weird.

JJ

Mr. Fix · Sep 15, 2007

Written word to spoken words...

Mandy-Jane said:
You're right ShapeSphere. We (Australians) have always tended toward the British spelling. I don't know if there are any hard and fast rules, but those of my generation have always been taught to use the ise rather than the ize. Same with words like colour instead of color, neighbour instead of neighbor, and so on. And of course, theatre (thank you Mr Fix).

I think most Australians would agree with me, but I'd be very interested to find out.

Thanks for the thanks!

I'm am curious about the pronunciation here as well...

for instance;
Color/colour - would you emphisize the 'col-ooor' sound or just 'col-er' sound? (And does this question make sense?)

JJ Cooper · Sep 15, 2007

Another one that I have found since coming to this site.

I would write - The good Maj drank a shitload.

I have been told in America there is a period after the abbreviation of Major - The good Maj. drank a shitload.

JJ

Mr. Fix · Sep 15, 2007

That's what my Commander in the Army always said...

JJ Cooper said:
Note to self - Mr. Fix is to be monitored.

British English for us Aussies, mate.

Colour, favourite, analyse, threatre, centre and all the words ending with 'ise' intead of that silly American 'ize'.

If you are using a program like MS Word, there should be an option to select a language for spell check. Over here ours are set to English - Australian. If I am going to submit stuff to America I would change the options for language to English - Weird.

JJ

Interesting point...

maestrowork · Sep 15, 2007

Are there any words that the Brits won't use -- I know the usual suspects such as "lorry vs. truck" or "rubbish vs. garbage." What about slangs? Are there any particular things that are British vs. American?

JJ Cooper · Sep 15, 2007

Mr. Fix said:
Interesting point...

I'm glad you have a sense of humour.

To answer your question on pronunciation - There is no real emphasis on the 'u' in colour. More like 'cull-er'.

JJ

JJ Cooper · Sep 15, 2007

maestrowork said:
Are there any words that the Brits won't use -- I know the usual suspects such as "lorry vs. truck" or "rubbish vs. garbage." What about slangs? Are there any particular things that are British vs. American?

I think the Poms have dropped the use of 'Beckham'.

JJ

Mr. Fix · Sep 15, 2007

I think Maj without the period would be a mis-spelling (not that I'm an expert - except at making them) but apparently that's only here, in the USA, where a period follows the abbreviation?

JJ Cooper · Sep 15, 2007

Mr. Fix said:
I think Maj without the period would be a mis-spelling (not that I'm an expert - except at making them) but apparently that's only here, in the USA, where a period follows the abbreviation?

I think that is a good point for the OP to note (and something my wonderful BETA keeps pulling me up on). I don't use a period after any abbreviation.

JJ

maestrowork · Sep 15, 2007

There are a lot of Brits here on AW but I seriously can't usually tell the difference. Once in a while you see the "u" and "s" spellings and maybe a term not used by Americans, but other than that, pretty much indistinguishable (at least in print). Accents, on the other hand...

larocca · Sep 15, 2007

Speaking as an American with the extreme good fortune to be married to a lovely Australian lady, go with the "ise" over the "ize." Set MSWord for English (Australian) from Tools/Languages if that's the program you use. Read The Bulletin (http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/), The Age (http://www.theage.com.au/) and/or The Australian (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/). Pop into http://www.chinarice.org/australia.html if you want -- my wife wrote it for our ESL students in China.

J.Ziekemijjer · Sep 15, 2007

Cull-a, if you ask me

I use a period after abbreviations. I didn't even know that was improper Australian-English.

If you were submitting a very Australian story (full of kangaroos jumping over crocodiles which are munching on koalas) to an American magazine, would you keep the Australian-English spelling?

JJ Cooper · Sep 15, 2007

J.Ziekemijjer said:
Cull-a, if you ask me

I use a period after abbreviations. I didn't even know that was improper Australian-English.

If you were submitting a very Australian story (full of kangaroos jumping over crocodiles which are munching on koalas) to an American magazine, would you keep the Australian-English spelling?

Yes.

If it didn't have an Aussie theme or setting, I would use the American spelling.

JJ

Mandy-Jane · Sep 15, 2007

I would find it very difficult or practically impossible, to use the American spelling, even if I were submitting to an American magazine. It just doesn't seem right to me. If they specified that it had to be American spelling, then okay, but otherwise, no. It's not as if it changes the whole word or anything. I mean really, what's the difference?

And yes, I would say culla, neighba, (unless I'm trying very hard to impress someone, in which case I would revert to a well-spoken, highly-educated, upper-class, snobbish Queen's English (no offence to the Queen!).

On another point, one thing I hate to hear Australians say is astralia. Oh God, it's pronounced Australia. Now that makes me mad!

veinglory · Sep 15, 2007

In my experience Australian accents are slightly more likely to emphisise the first syllable of a word than Americans. But really, the sound and spelling is less important than word choice when it comes to writing it down.

ShapeSphere · Sep 15, 2007

Thanks for all the replies, links, and information.

I've been looking at these technical manuals a little more, and the translators have favoured the "-ize" spelling. Although there were two exceptions - "categorise" and "analyse". Possibly because in the manuals, the software screens/graphics always display the "-ize" spelling. (In comparison, the British manuals had "-ise" on the software and "-ise" in the text. It's very clear cut on the matter. I should know, I'm from England.)

It would seem this large corporation has already decided this is the preference for the Australian market. I've made a comment about "-ise" being more popular and common than "-ize", but I'm not going to make alterations on this particular point. I doubt I'll get any feedback, it's just not their way, and didn't happen with the British manual.

But for words like "shopping mall" I changed to "shopping centre", and "labeled" to "labelled".

veinglory said:
But really, the sound and spelling is less important than word choice when it comes to writing it down.

Sure. But this is really technical stuff and I've been hired to be a persnickety proofreader, nitpicker, and noter of nuances. I've been moving full stops to the outside of brackets, if the brackets only surround part of the sentence. It's that kind of work.

Cheers all.

pdr · Sep 15, 2007

Just to note...

that most Oz tech manuals are like academic journals and use Australian English which means the British u and ise etc.

Accent?
Fish and chips Oz style becomes: Feesh and cheeps

Maestro you don't read a difference? It's because when we do use 'em the locals go 'Huh? What was that?'
There are differences and you can see 'em. But I for one have to moderate any use of idiom or slang if I want to be understood. In my early days here I was several times taken to task for rudeness, which in fact was not rudeness, but a misunderstanding of my word use. Even now, writing this, I am trying to write simple plain English and not use my favourite expressions.

veinglory · Sep 15, 2007

You shouldn't be finding the -ize except for words that even the British spell that way.

MSWord English (Australian) does tend to cover it. It is almost entirely British English.

ErylRavenwell · Sep 15, 2007

I tend to use American spelling (I'm aiming at an American audience). Although, Australian English is pretty much like the poms'.

Carmy · Sep 15, 2007

How about kerb versus curb? One of the changes that appear when I switch from UK to US spelling. And I hate it!

pdr · Sep 16, 2007

That's the sad thing about...

the movement (Webster et al wasn't it?) in America to simplify the language. You end up with one word for both noun and verb whereas we have a noun, kerb, and the verb, to curb. Like practise and practice. I don't think the same spelling for the words makes things simple at all.

Australian English

Hello, Hooray

Fixed on the future...

Fear the Death Ray

venturing ever further into the unknown

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Fixed on the future...

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Fixed on the future...

Fear the Death Ray

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Fixed on the future...

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Fear the Death Ray

Proofreader

I'm scary, right?

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venturing ever further into the unknown

volitare nequeo

Hello, Hooray

volitare nequeo