Why don't we spell some words ending in "re" (eg fibre), "er"

[Crakes]

Just random musings prompted by having just seen the word "fibre" on screen. I can understand it, and similar words, being spelt with an er in places that pronounce it that way - eg in USA. But why don't we also spell it that way?

Not sure I've explained that very well!

The root of the word often dictates the spelling. In the case of fibre it comes from the Latin fibra.

Well, we still use their original spelling (from the french) whereas the US preferred to spell it as it is pronounced.

Because we’re not Barbarians.

Spelling reform.

Thanks for the replies and the link.

@SisterGabriel speak for yourself :).

It’s all to do with the weirdness of how the English language developed. English has borrowed words from whole swathes of different languages over the centuries. In medieval times Latin was the language of the church and French the language of the law and aristocracy; only the common people spoke English.

Words ending in -re are usually derived from French, either from medieval times or later on, and they have tended to keep their original spelling this side of the pond - as do most borrowed words in literate societies. The American variations are a result of a deliberate 19th century effort to rationalise and standardise spelling - which we tried to do in the 18th century, via Dr Samuel Johnson and his dictionary. In both cases, the results are mixed. English remains mad, eccentric, illogical and gloriously varied in its sprawling vocabulary, and I pity anyone who has to learn it as a second language.

@DatasCat thank you for that really interesting post.

Love this!!

As a teacher I feel so sorry for our children when we teach it! So many different ways to write the same sound!