-ise or ize that is the question

[mousymouse]

at my work we organise. spell checker sayse organize.
I know both are correct but for some reason -ize is a pain to my eyes.
which do you use?

'ise'.

'ize' is American. As I don't use 'color', 'behavior' or 'program' I also don't use 'realize' or 'analyze'

(Goodness, that was hard to write!)

it just does look wrong doesn't it. especially in books by american authors that play in the UK (the lynley novels come to my mind)

BIWI -ize isn't considered American these days - it is in fact the OED preferred form. You are correct, however, that analyze is the US version.

Both -ise and -ize are fine. I use -ise, usually, out of habit, but I certainly wouldn't be bothered by seeing -ize.

Well I consider it American, speculationisrife!

Are you quite young Because? When I was younger it was always spelt -ize and then we moved onto the more modern ( :) ) -ise (influenced no doubt by French). It seems to have moved back again with more and more young people being influenced by the US where it never changed into -ise.

Nope, Longtime. I'm 51! And it's always been an Americanised (Americanized?!) version of the words.

However, I have just checked in my own dictionary (The Oxford Reference Dictionary) to find that it only gives 'realize' or 'organize'. So clearly I am wrong.

I did come across another explanation though, from The Answer Bank website:

"The old rule - and one still largely followed by The Oxford English Dictionary (the English word-�bible') as well as American usage - was that words derived from classical Greek with the letter zeta in their suffix were rendered �ize' in English.

However, many modern publishers - including �The Times' newspaper - prefer the Latinate and more modern �ise' for most such words. Thus, normal British usage has �organise', �apologise' and so on. Certain words - eg �capsize' - are never modified to have an �ise' ending. In the same way, there are others - such as �disguise', �analyse' and �chastise' - which are never given an �ize' ending, because they have a letter sigma rather than a zeta even in their Greek forms.

Apart from the exceptions mentioned above, you are basically free to use whichever form - ise/ize - you prefer! Only...be consistent."

Sorry - there was obviously some formatting in the original which didn't work in the c+p!

So that explanation is pretty much what I said (just replace French by Latin). You must have lived somewhere very modern Because! (I use -ise all the time.)

Only if you count Leeds as modern, Longtime!

AFAIK, both are acceptable, as long as you are consistent. I prefer -ise, as I do think that the z gives it an American look.

Best is to choose one and stick with it.

I use -ize most of the time and have to bite my tongue when people try to prove their cleverness by correcting me.

I agree that consistency is a good thing.

So it's burglarise not burglarize then?

A little late there, then

Crystal :)