American words and spellings not corrected in UK schools

[Fifiplays]

I find that schools no longer correct pupils when they use American English words and spellings in schools. For example, 'Airplane' (Aeroplane), 'Regular' (ordinary), 'Cotton candy' (candy floss), 'Program (when not a computer) etc etc. Does anyone have a good experience of schools being viglilent to this?

They are examples of language evolving - one word dropping slowly out of use as another takes its place.

We say car now, not charabanc!

But that's exactly how language evolves. I feel this is more people being snobby tbh.

High school is used in this country in some areas.

…or automobile

You wouldn't expect to pass a French exam by spelling words wrong so why is it OK in English?

Would you care to look again at this sentence and underline the error?!

You have forgotten to add the ly suffix which is, ironically, a very American habit.

To me, French fries are thin chips and chips are thick chips. I think that’s useful

Weirdly I've had the opposite - sent some ise spellings home a few years ago (recognise, organise etc) and about 5 parents went to the head about my inability to spell as they believed it was recognize, organize etc.

The rest I can't get worked up about though. Our language has always borrowed words from cultures that we interact with. It's just how language evolves.

Both American English and British English are correct forms of English. They are like two branches of the same tree.

However, it is incorrect to mix American and British English within the same context/sentence etc. That's why saying 'sidewalk' or 'cotton candy' etc in a UK setting is technically incorrect English so if it is used in schools, it should be pointed out as not British English.

Language changes. When I was at Primary school, 'kids' was considered an Americanism and we weren't allowed to use it. 'God' was considered blasphemous. I'm 49 and didn't go to a religious school. No on blinks an eye now. Pupils at my school think that's crazy when I tell them.

I do have an ongoing, 'beef,' with DCs about,' swap out,' though (because it's stupid) and whether 'crap' is a swear word or not.

High school (senior school)

This is used in the UK and has been for a long time. I'm 51 and went to a grammat school called <town name> High School. It's long been used pretty interchangeably with secondary or senior school, and in some cases upper school.

Regular is fine, it's used all the time in the UK. Also used for shapes in maths.

Cotton candy is fine too, children hear it on TV, as brand name etc.

Airplane I would correct but not overly bothered.

Program is an incorrect spelling so should be corrected.

I'm a primary teacher and would correct American spellings but wouldn't have a problem with cotton candy. I think that will eventually take over as the name of candy floss in the UK anyway.

i never knew what cotton candy was as a child reading American books, now I do, I think it’s a better description (the most common use of floss is dental, who wants sugar in that context!)

Ditto sidewalk - I don’t use it but it’s more descriptive than pavement!

An essay I wrote at uni had my correct English spelling changed to American.

By a lecturer who was always telling us they wanted us to be , "more readier" for life post uni.

But here's a spelling question for you.

Is half a byte a nybble or a nibble?

We say car now, not charabanc!

They are not exactly the same thing though .

Yeah, automobile was a better word, which I thought of the second after I posted!

High school (senior school)

Senior school isn't really a correct term anyway - it's secondary school.

I went to a UK ‘high school’ in the 90s. Not an Americanism.

I correct pupils. I simply say,that American English and UK English are different.

I see this as inevitable. I'm interested in the evolution of language, a reconvergence of languages. When you look at how Afrkaans diverged away from Dutch and now the two languages are mutually intelligible but definitely distinct, I think it's amazing that all English speakers can understand each other, it's amazing really.

Saying that, I did laugh when my son did not understand the word lever. As I would say it. Lee- vurr. He grew up watching cars and understands it pronounced lev-urr.

I guess, even when I did jillian Michaels videos, she said it lev-urr crunches, not lee-ver crunches.

Except gotten and high school are in common uses in Scotland. But there are far fewer English speakers in Scotland than in England so it’s easy for the English of England to be seen to be “correct”.

Americanism drive me potty when I hear them from my kids, one is determined to stick with Math rather than maths. But I am also slightly obsessed with the origins of words and phrases so the more you think about it the less annoying it becomes. Outwith (😉) discussing classes in school.

Senior school isn't really a correct term anyway - it's secondary school.

Not true. Secondary school is a catch-all term. There are many types of secondary school, and also many different names (some of them possibly regional) which have been used and are still in use for the same types of secondary school. That doesn't make them incorrect. Senior school is just a synonym for secondary school. In my experience, individual secondary schools which have 'secondary school' in their name are often what used to be calked 'secondary moderns' (i.e. non-grammar schools in grammar school areas). Some areas still have lower, middle and upper schools - it would seem a bit illogical to call your 3rd school 'secondary school'!

I think 'senior' school might be more linked to private schools.

I have in front of me the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary from 1973.

Airplane is shown as an alternative to aeroplane that has been in use since 1907. It is a more recent term for a flying machine than aeroplane (1884), but OED don't regard it as a particularly American spelling.

Regular has a number of meanings, one of which is normal. That meaning is dated to 1638.

Cotton candy is not listed and is definitely North American in origin.

Program was spelt this way when the word was first seen in 1633. The programme spelling appeared when the word was reintroduced from French and is noted as the more usual spelling. They hadn't picked up the use of "program" to mean computer software at this stage.

Often, things people think are Americanisms are not. Years ago, on another thread (which seems to have been deleted), someone asked if using "gift" as a verb and the word "gifted" meaning to give someone something were Americanisms and got very upset when I pointed out that they weren't, both having been in use since the early 1600s.

As others have pointed out, English is a living language. It evolves. New words appear and existing words change meaning, pronunciation and/or spelling. For example, when I was young, "literally" was only used to refer to something that was actually happening. That is the only meaning recognised in my 1973 dictionary. However, the latest OED recognises it as a word used for emphasis - "that was so tasty it literally blew my head off".

FWIW Aerodrome is very still in current use..it is used a lot in aviation legal and other technical documentation, where you will still see references to things like “aerodrome lighting”.

Airport used to be strictly reserved for Aerodromes with custom facilities (i.e. a port).

Airplane certainly raises eyebrows, aeroplane not quite so much…aircraft is probably the preferable term.