| How
should I spell it?
I am often asked
which spelling to use? There are three styles: Canadian, British
or American.
My answer
is to use the spelling of the reader. After all, the role
of a writer is to ensure the reader gets the message quickly.
If I spell a word in a different manner than the reader is
used to, he or she may be distracted and focus on the word
rather than the message.
Therefore, if I
am writing someone in the U.S., I will use American spelling.
However, if I am writing to a Canadian I will use that spelling.
What is the Canadian
style?
The Canadian
style borrows from both the Americans and the British. Like
the Americans, we use ize/yze endings for words such
as organize, criticize and rationalize.
The one exception is analyse.
Like the
British, we prefer –ce endings instead of –se
endings on nouns such as defence and offence.
In addition, we double the l at the ends of words
when adding a suffix: travelled, enrolled, and counsellor.
Canadians
also use –our endings for words such as colour,
honour, favour, and harbour.
The Canadian Oxford
Dictionary is the authority for the Canadian Press spelling.
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