Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

US/British spellings? Do I put people off by the way I write 'practice'?

23 replies

happily3 · 19/03/2013 11:38

Every time I write this word I find myself wondering this so I thought I would ask!
I am making lots of French and Spanish resources for kids on my blog, and I am always suggesting what people could practise ...
It's the obvious word to use but I worry about whether the spelling is an issue for anybody?!
www.agreenmouse.com/category/blog/

OP posts:
SucksToBeMe · 19/03/2013 11:42

My iPhone switches quite a few of my words round.

Nicknamenotavailableeither · 19/03/2013 11:43

Do American's just use practice for both meanings then?

Because in UK there are two words, practise and practice, with two separate meanings...

happily3 · 19/03/2013 12:17

Yes, I think so. I have lived in a number of countries and switched languages and education systems a lot too. At school in the UK I used to feel I'd achieved when I remembered to write 'to practiSe' but it was a while ago ... With everything so global now I wonder what best 'practice' is!?

OP posts:
Nicknamenotavailableeither · 19/03/2013 13:25

Ah, interesting. As a teacher if I found a resource but it had the incorrect (in UK terms) version of the word, I couldn't use it. Depends who your audience is I suppose! Smile

Nicknamenotavailableeither · 19/03/2013 13:25

Ah, interesting. As a teacher if I found a resource but it had the incorrect (in UK terms) version of the word, I couldn't use it. Depends who your audience is I suppose! Smile

Sleepwhenidie · 19/03/2013 13:30

as Nick says, practise and practice have different meanings - practice is a noun, practise a verb. So you would go to music practice or a doctor's practice but you would practise playing your violin, the doctor would practise medicine.

LittleBunnyFeileFooFoo · 19/03/2013 13:31

Americans can use just the one for both noun and verb.

Sleepwhenidie · 19/03/2013 13:33

I don't think you would put people off by the way, it is one of those words that I suspect many/most people don't know the distinction between and by default, practice would be used, whichever was technically correct. So I wouldn't worry too much!

AgentProvocateur · 19/03/2013 13:37

To be honest, if you're producing language resources, then, yes - it would put me off. I'd wonder what else you had wrong.

If you were writing a recipe book, for example, it wouldn't bother me at all.

I understand that the US uses practice as a noun and a verb, but unless you have a disclaimer on your site to say that you are Anerican, it just looks a bit careless.

happily3 · 19/03/2013 14:05

As I like words and language, I quite enjoy spelling sentences such as 'I am enjoy practiSing when the teacher is there to help with music practiCe. Regarding my blog, I hope to attract English speakers, wherever they are, and that's why I wonder about Brit/US spelling.
Another example of me pondering was when I was making subtitles for my resource about 'French colours' ... 'gray' in American English, 'grey' in British English.

Priority of course - spell the French or Spanish correctly ... but I don't want the English spelling to dissuade anybody!

OP posts:
happily3 · 19/03/2013 14:07

oops 'I am enjoy practiSing when ...' WHAT is that?! Sorry! /emo/te/5.gif Please skip the 'am'!

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 19/03/2013 14:11

I would pick UK or US spelling and stick with it. Probably UK would be more consistent if it's your own version that you use personally. If any English speakers from other countries use your resources then they'll just have to change the spelling themselves.

happily3 · 19/03/2013 14:12

Oh dear - I haven't tried 'smiley faces, shocked faces' etc .. before! I liked your smiley face Nick, dragged up put a shocked face and it hasn't worked!

OP posts:
happily3 · 19/03/2013 14:27

Thank you Everyone!
I agree. I have stuck to British spellings so far and will probably carry on. I do wish I didn't have to use the word 'practice' so often though!!

OP posts:
Xenia · 19/03/2013 15:59

It is just a way to find out if people are badly educated (in the UK). If it's a verb it is practise if it's a noun it's practice as people have said above.

happily3 · 19/03/2013 16:44

I am well aware of how to spell 'practice' or 'practise' in the UK - I just wonder whether it irritates US spellers to have to see 'practise' with an 's' so OFTEN on my blog. (it would jar with me!)

OP posts:
MirandaWest · 19/03/2013 16:47

I find it interesting how there is only practice in America but they have a license rather than a licence.

Xenia · 19/03/2013 16:59

Ah license.. that is the word I write an awful lot. Yes UK same as with practice - noun has the c and if I license you - very so an s. USA writes "this is a license to use etc." In English English that is wrong.

BertieBotts · 19/03/2013 17:07

I don't ever remember being taught practice vs practise at school. It was only recently when someone told me to think of advice/advise that I understood it.

OneLittleToddleTerror · 19/03/2013 17:10

happily it would irate americans. I was in research in my previous life and we have to write correct american english. If you write british english, you get review comments about incorrect grammar.

OneLittleToddleTerror · 19/03/2013 17:12

Disclaimer: I'm rubbish at grammar, but we try to stick with spellings like practice, standardize, marshal, etc.

SoupDreggon · 19/03/2013 17:14

Is your blog British? If so, who cares if it irritates the Americans.

happily3 · 19/03/2013 18:14

I like to think my blog is international as I am trying to make listening to French and Spanish more accessible to English-speaking children wherever they are.

I have to do a bit of teaching or an introduction in English to make each video resource accessible to children learning Spanish or French ..

I am sure many people outside the UK are used to British spellings - I'm just asking if the word 'practise' coming up so often with an 's' is annoying?!

Thank you OneLittleToddlerTerror - I suspected as much ... I'd like to think up a word to replace 'practise'!

MirandaWest - how interesting what you say about 'license'!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page