Differences in American vs. Australian and British Spellings Explained
Americanizing English: The Noah Webster Story
Ever wondered why you spell "center" but the Brits say "centre"? Or "color" instead of "colour"? It's because one man wanted to rewrite English as we know it.
Noah Webster, an American patriot and language crusader, was determined to give American English its own identity. He felt that the British spelling traditions were bloated and illogical, and he refused to let that imperfection taint the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Born on October 16, 1758, in West Hartford, Connecticut, Webster dedicated his life to the refinement of American language. He was a significant figure in American education and linguistics, best known for his work in standardizing American English.
Webster's crusade began with the publication of "The American Spelling Book" in 1783. The book was followed by "An American Dictionary of the English Language" in 1828, which not only documented American English but also created it.
His mission was to simplify English spelling, making it more phonetically logical. Some of his changes, like dropping the "u" in colour and honor, simplifying endings, and changing "-re" to "-er," have become commonplace in American English.
However, not all of his proposals were as successful. He once wanted to spell women as "wimmin," soup as "soop," and thumb as "thum." Thankfully, those ideas never caught on.
Webster's reforms were controversial, especially among the British. They felt that his changes were a watering-down of a language that was already rich and complex. To them, abandoning the "u" and simplifying words felt like the American version of linguistic rebellion.
Yet, his work had lasting effects. Today, American English and British English remain distinct, with American English dominating in the U.S. and British English in the UK, Canada, Australia, and parts of Africa. However, the internet has blurred the lines, with American spellings creeping into British usage due to influences like Google, Hollywood, social media, and more.
In the end, the spelling divide may never disappear completely. Language is a living, evolving entity, constantly adapting to its cultural environment. Webster's changes made American English more streamlined, while British English retained its historical charm. Neither one is right or wrong—they're simply two different approaches to linguistic expression.
Maybe next time you come across "realise" instead of "realize," you'll understand why.
- Noah Webster, in his mission to give American English its unique identity, sought to simplify English spelling to make it more phonetically logical and distinct from British English, with examples including dropping the "u" in colour and honor.
- Webster's work in Americanization extended to various aspects of life, such as fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, travel, education-and-self-development, politics, and general-news, influencing the way Americans communicate and express themselves across diverse fields.
- While some of Webster's spelling reforms, like simplifying endings and changing "-re" to "-er," became commonplace in American English, others like spelling women as "wimmin," soup as "soop," and thumb as "thum" did not catch on.
- Even though his reforms were controversial, they significantly impacted the development and evolution of English, ultimately solidifying American English as its own distinct version alongside British English, with minor influences from American culture creeping into British usage due to the internet and popular media.
