Customise or customize

[ProfessorCalculus]

Well? Which is correct?
I think customize is an Americanism.

[Clary]

s always unless you are an american.

[wrinklytum]

o:

I thought of this topic tonight whilst listening to p.m. on R4

Did you know that there is a "Preserve the apostrophe" society in existence ?

(Am now sure I have typed some hideous grammatical error within my post,apologies)

[fryalot]

according to my (English) dictionary, either are correct, although z has its roots in America (and therefore Olde English)

Anyway, someone whinged at him this morning and he is not going to change it...

[Jas]

I know customize is correct, but it still really bothers me every time I see it.

Last time mn was revamped, exactly the same thing was discussed and eventually it was changed to customise....much less American looking imo.

[spongebrainbigpants]

No, customize is not American!

It's actually the original spelling, and as squonk says was then adopted in America and then came back here.

It is perfectly correct and I prefer it!

[RustyBear]

squonk - either is correct, surely?

[ProfessorCalculus]

But -ize looks wrong.

[Jas]

Yes, I know both are in theory equally acceptable, but I cringe when I read customize.

[harpomarx]

I prefer all the 'ze' endings because I think 'z's are more fun to write than 's's. I have few pleasures in life, mind you.

[ProfessorCalculus]

Please tech, just for the sake of our sanity, will you change it to -ise? Pretty please?

[spongebrainbigpants]

Not to me it doesn't: realize, customize, etc, etc!

I prefer the 'z' - and I love using it cos it winds people up!

[ProfessorCalculus]

It winds people up because it's wrong!!!!

[Molesworth]

The z is correct for customize. It's not an Americanism, the z comes from the Greek. Look it up in the OED, people!

[thumbwitch]

I thought Justine said it was going to be changed?

I prefer the -ise endings mostly, I have to admit but am aware that -ize is correct as well; except in cases like analyze where the noun is analysis, so for me the verb has to be analyse.

[spongebrainbigpants]

Calculus, it's not wrong, it really isn't - sorry.

It is a perfectly correct spelling - you're wrong!

Professor or not, you're wrong!

[robinia]

-ise is the more commonly accepted English spelling.

-ize is the more commonly accepted American spelling.

Neither is wrong (see OED). But I prefer -ise because I am English. I also write realise, socialise, theorise.

The -ize is becoming more common here though and will probably soon take over unfortunately

[Molesworth]

Why the sad face when -ize is correct?

OED:

"in mod.F. the suffix has become -iser, alike in words from Greek, as baptiser, évangéliser, organiser, and those formed after them from L., as civiliser, cicatriser, humaniser. Hence, some have used the spelling -ise in Eng., as in French, for all these words, and some prefer -ise in words formed in French or Eng. from L. elements, retaining -ize for those of Gr. composition. But the suffix itself, whatever the element to which it is added, is in its origin the Gr. -, L. -izre; and, as the pronunciation is also with z, there is no reason why in English the special French spelling should be followed, in opposition to that which is at once etymological and phonetic. In this Dictionary the termination is uniformly written -ize."

[TheFirstLiffey]

Customise. Unless you're American.

Same with Realise.

[hambo]

-ise is the more commonly accepted English spelling.

-ize is the more commonly accepted American spelling.

Neither is wrong (see OED). But I prefer -ise because I am British. I also write realise, socialise, theorise.

I agree with Robina...

[thumbwitch]

see, for me, all those e.g.s should be spelled with -ise because of the associated nouns - realist, socialist and theorist.

here's another one;
spelt?
or spelled?

[robinia]

Sad because I don't like it (even though I know it is also correct). I don't like z - s is a much nicer, softer letter. I don't like my car number plate because it is all hard letters. Old one was much nicer

[robinia]

As for spelled/spelt - I would probably use spelled (even though I see from OED that spelt is a mainly British variant) because I think of spelt as that grain. (Not that the two should ever get confused of course).

I'm also naughty and use words like fishes (for plural of fish) and other such so I am quite happy to tweak the language to suit me ;)