'Spelt' After reading another question...?

Question

...and seeing a lot of debate on there... is the word 'spelt' unique to England? (As in the past tense for 'spell'?) I've seen people saying the word spelt is not a real word and I guess it's one not used in the USA and other English-speaking places.
Anyone have any info on this? The word is found at dictionary.com.

Thanks lilbit, I know that it is also a word for a type of wheat. I was referring to the use of it as the past tense of 'spell'

:)

Answer 1

It is in the great American Merriam-Websters, alhough they note that it is "chiefly British". However, they note the same of "colour" whereas I would say "colour" is spelled/spelt that way everywhere BUT the USA.

I'm Canadian, I always write "colour" (Unless I'm teaching a TOEFL-prep course) but more often write "spelled", I think. Jane Austen spelled it "spelt" but then again she was an awful speller.

Answer 2

I would consider "spelt" as an old usage. I've seen it in old English Literature.
This "Spell Check" indicated "spelt" as in error.

In America we consider the past tense of
"to spell" as "spelled". I don't know when it may have evolved in America.

I wonder about the verb, "to fall", We use past tense "fell", as one who fell down, or "to fell a tree", Past tense, "felled a tree".

Language evolves in all countries. I learned Italian, and hate to admit my terrible errors in choice of words from a dictionary.

Answer 3

I'm American and have used that word before it's in the Merriam Webster Dictionary so that makes it a real word. Though it doesn't mean what I use it for, lol.

an ancient wheat (Triticum spelta syn. T. aestivum spelta) with spikelets containing two light red grains; also : the grain of spelt

Answer 4

there are a series of verbs which have more than one possible past tense -- occasionally the different forms have slightly different uses or meanings, but often they become functions of dialect or use/disuse

think about spelled/spelt
dreamed/dreamt
burned/burnt
passed/past

to name a few.

Answer 5

spelt :- a past tense and past participle of spell

Answer 6

In North America, the grammatically correct form is "spelled."

According to M-W it's the chieftly Brittish form.

Answer 7

I'm not sure about other places, but you are right. It's not a word in the USA.

Answer 8

I've never used it -- that I can recall.

It doesn't sound right to say, "Oh I spelt it wrong." to me anyhow. I'd say, "Oh I spelled it wrong."