<splutters> You see this, THIS is exactly why polytechnics should never have been made into Universities

[Twiglett]

fgs

I couldn't even read past the third paragraph

singersgirl - I think it's become one of those situations where you know it's either A or B, and you've thought about it so much that you really can't remember which is right!

The etymology is interesting - will have to remember that

At what point does not knowing how to spell something correctly start to become ignorance of the English language? How many people on mn write should of, instead of should've? Is that a spelling mistake, or an indication of a deeper level of misinformation about how the language works? If the headline had been "Spelling mistakes should be excepted" (a fairly common error) is that spelling mistake or something more serious?

That's a grammatical mistake MM, a much more heinous crime than "variant spelling"

Yes, I know it is Brangelina, but my point is the people who write these things think they are spelling what they hear correctly.

Tissy, you must change your default language on outlook forthwith! Go to Options in outlook then spelling then international dictionaries then set to English UK.

I was having daily meltdowns until I discovered this. The default spelling is color until you change it

The only downside to this is that if someone emails you their default spelling is likely to be US and you can't amend your reply.

I actually think this is an offence against our national dignity but I'm not sure who to raise it with

I hate to be a pedant () but 'realize' is actually a perfectly acceptable spelling in English and not an Americanisation at all.

Sorry.