Why do the British and Americans spell differently?

[Classic Anycar]

Check vs. Cheque
Color vs. Colour
Tire vs. Tyre

Why are all the British words different? Although I do believe we could use those words to distinguish definitions, such as "to check" versus "to cash a cheque" or "i am tired" versus "i have a flat tyre".

[Rockefella]

The British think they're cool, don't ask. :D

[fpv_gtho]

I wouldnt be surprised if its a knock-back effect from the Americans fighting for independance..

[spi-ti-tout]

Oh here come the British and Scottish Brigade :D

[pimento]

The americans decided to be different I guess, hence all the different volumetric measures (ie, US gallons are smaller than everyone else's...though you'd think they'd have made them bigger...)

[crisis]

Perhaps the influence of Spanish, African and South America. Combined with the fact they removed themselves , rather acrimoniously, from the British Empire.

[Egg Nog]

Perhaps the influence of Spanish, African and South America. Combined with the fact they removed themselves , rather acrimoniously, from the British Empire.

*Akrimoniuslee

[PsychoChimp22]

lol..i dono.
there special.

btw i say colour :)

[crisis]

*Akrimoniuslee
Wow you guys really f$#% with the language! :D

[henk4]

Wow you guys really f$#% with the language! :D

but he is Canadian....

[crisis]

but he is Canadian....
I know, must be the French influence. The Yanks would never cop to that. :D

[henk4]

I know, must be the French influence. The Yanks would never cop to that. :D

Well, zey might try

[Suka]

'You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your
bottoms, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you,
so-called Arthur-king, you and all your silly English kaniggets.'

[crisis]

What a strange man!

[Suka]

There is a Monty Python quote for every eventuality.
:D :D :D

[henk4]

There is a Monty Python quote for every eventuality.
:D :D :D
Ni, Ni, Ni

[Suka]

"Aaugh! I said it! I said it! Ooh! I said it
again! That's three its!"

[henk4]

you might get away with this by providing me with a shrubbery though

[Matra et Alpine]

well, to bring a smile to every American .......

Both spellings were used in the Middle Ages as back then the writer was tending to be phonetic about the spelling. Dictionaries came later :)

By Shakesperean era then it was mostly centER type spelling.

So in the 17C when everyone was buggaring off to "pastures new" they took the English spelling of the day.

In Britain the "french" became 'trendy' and the spelling of many words became changed to reflect a more francophile influence. As this predated most of the people being able to read and write then the 'new' spellings became the norm. Especially once Dr Johnson put the 'new' spellings into the first ever dictionary as they were the nornal spellings of the day.

By the time of the Napolenic wars they English were stuck with having to spell words the French way :D ( Didn't bother us Scots as we had the "auld alliance" with the French :) Hence marmalade :D )

[Mustang]

The americans dont know english :p

[Matra et Alpine]

The americans dont know english :p
It's us really :)
All down to the French influence ( and the interest in Greece history -- IIRC the -ise v -ize is down to a fasciniation with Greek hsityr and a change again then cast by Johnson )
Webster has some blame to shoulder. Color is down to him, he 'preferred' the simpler spelling. There were many other attempts he made to have Americans spell other words 'better' but few of them took off. ( If anyone ever finds the definitive list of them please point me to it. I had this argument in telecommunications specifications and patents I've submitted over the dropping of two Ls when together )

[VtecMini]

well, to bring a smile to every American ....... Ah, here we go. Matra et Alpine. When you absolutely, positively have to finish every thread in a forum with your endless stream of knowledge... accept no substitute"
http://www.infilm.com.au/reviews/images/jbrown.JPG

:D :D :D

[Vaigra]

It's us really :)

shush! it's English...made in England, in Britain :p:D

[Matra et Alpine]

Ah, here we go. Matra et Alpine. When you absolutely, positively have to finish every thread in a forum with your endless stream of knowledge... accept no substitute
I did wait to give someone else a chance to answer the question posed :D

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Two Words; Websters Dictionary.

Simplified Words in order to allow simple folk to understand them, removed useless letters and shortened words.

Huge Selling Dictionary in the US way back when, Not so big selling everywhere else. The US adopted it as the right way to spell.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here.

[Suka]

I did wait to give someone else a chance to answer the question posed :D
But we just came up with useless Monty Python Quotes!

Which we are very good at.

[Matra et Alpine]

But we just came up with useless Monty Python Quotes!

Which we are very good at.
oh no your not

[lithuanianmafia]

my theory: just the natural evolution of language

["Clevor" Angel]

I'm with Mafia on this one. BUT if you want to hear "American" english go to the southern United States (of course right now you wouldn't want to go to far south for obviuos reasons), IT'S A WHOLE NOTHER LANGUAGE!
I usually use the british RE if I don't think about it. I think the friggin SAE system of measurements is confusing though, why don't we just switch? I mean wouldn't it be easier if we just switched to metric, why use Miles, feet, inches, yards? ... I mean come on.

[The_Canuck]

in Canada its a mix of both British and american spelling ie: we'll spell it colour but we use tire as well.

[lithuanianmafia]

in Canada its a mix of both British and american spelling ie: we'll spell it colour but we use tire as well.
Yep, we's a cwazy ppl! ;)