Most speak English as common language then y do they spell words different, IE colour / color?

Question

Curious question

Answer 1

It derives from the desire to make the spelling of English less confusing and for the newly founded United States to develop its own version of the language as part of developing its national identity. Webster, of the dictionary fame, began the process very early in the history of the USA, which came as a surprise to me as I had thought it was a more modern change. Winston Churchill said that we were two nations divided by a common language. He may have had a point!

Answer 2

It's just the difference between English and American spelling,I really have no idea but at the same time there is an American band called Living Colour,but if they are an American band why do they spell it the way the Old Original English would, I will rate this as a good question.

Answer 3

English English and American English have different derivations for their language base.
E. English having absorbed words from upwards of 20 other languages and having been mostly written by people of French origin prior to the common usage of the printing press, has many unique spellings and is very complex; pretty much like the British themselves.
A. English started out with a clean slate .So they tried to clean and tidy the spellings, hence removing that unnecessary "U" from colour.
But it takes all the fun out of the written word doesn't it?!
I love our cantankerous spelling system!!!

Answer 4

its custom and practise
English, unlike French and german, is a rapidaly evolving dynamic language

it shamefacedly steals words from other languages
it doens't have an equivalent of the Acadamie Francaise to keep the language pure buy inventing daft translations of perfectly good words.

Given the generally poor standard of spelling and grammer in this country and its active promotion by governments and teachers then its going to get worse. Its getting even worse with the advent of so called textspeak eg gr8 in place of great or grate.

Colour in my view is valid in a UK English context, Color is equally valid in a US context, both would be probably wrong in a US context. Sadly though too many people in the UK regard all things American as hip and trendy and believe its the right thing to use.

Answer 5

The major differences in spelling between British English and US English are the direct result of one Miriam Webster, who decided that he didn't like the way some words were spelt in English.

He instituted his preferred spellings in his dictionary, which, because it was the only such publication widely available on that side of the Pond, became the general reference for the US population.

Subsequent dictionaries published in the US were based on Webster's, thus reinforcing the wrong spellings (and they ARE wrong—sorry to you Yanks, but it's not a question of whether 'colour' needs a 'u'—it's GOT one!).

Answer 6

Americans spell it color, while British people spell it colour. That's one of the small differences between American-English and British-English.

Answer 7

As an ESL teacher, I'm sorry to admit that most overseas students are taught American English and Spelling.
Wait until half of the world believes A is for Alien, and U is for UFO.

Answer 8

Evolution of the languages... this is in a way a response to the ever changing pronounciation and accents. Migrations, technology etc. are the causes. After all we all want to economize and yet be precise.. Of course, in the end the spelling for the dominant accent will be accepted as the norm.

Answer 9

The same way that regional dialects have formed over time In the uk their are different words for the same thing. Colour / Color the Americans are right this word does not need a 'U' in it.

Answer 10

Regional variations but also Webster codified American spellings and he was a capricious man who just decided that certain ways to spell looked better than others. Spelling and word meanings are fluid anyway-as they ought to be because accents and usage changes-read Bill Bryson's 'Mother Tongue' and all will be revealed!