Why do the English spell some words differently than the Americans?

Question

I'm an American and I just wanted to know

color - colour
favorite - favourite
theater - theatre
meter - metre

Answer 1

Its not English that spell it the otherway around. It is the americans which do it.
They spell it phonetically ie the way it sounds.
I think it was more to do with being doing it differently than the English during the the time of original migration and building of the colonies in America
They also have different sides to drive.door knobs open differently the telephone has one stright ring where the English have Two rings.........
Frankfurters are called Hotdogs ...
The founding Fathers just wanted to do everything the AMERICAN WAY :)

Answer 2

I am one of the americans that DO receive it. They said pavement wasn't a word...? No, you will have every right to be pissed off. I imply,yeah, i'm well-learn (and have an English Language and Literature most important to help exhibit it) and into different cultures, but I used the phrase pavement interchangeably with sidewalk starting around the time I was once 5 - 6....I didn't even comprehend different americans didn't know it until now. I've always gotten the entire "core/centre" thing quite conveniently,as good as favorite/favourite and making use of s's alternatively of z's and whatnot. It does not bother me. I was pressured upon first coming throughout the differences in an English guide (Redwall) after I used to be ten or so, and notion they were typos for a little...Unless i spotted they have been VERY consistent typos. Then it all snapped into position, and that i went "Oh." and persevered reading. I've heard of the annoying guys who argue about spelling, despite the fact that i don't feel I've met any of them. Anything mildly a laugh as I variety this reply? It can be registering the British spellings as flawed.....I have no idea whether to chortle at this or to sigh in exasperation. EDIT: additionally, to remark on the bit concerning the metric process left by means of Cedors Mul, that system is only some hundred years historical. All people used to use the typical procedure...Which is why it has the name standard process. It can be not americans being arrogant, it's simply that at one factor not too long ago it quite used to be usual. If I don't forget the Metric procedure wasn't even round except roughly the time of the French Revolution (both that or it used to be popularized then). The reason we stuck with normal (so far as i do know, as a minimum) is when you consider that we were too damn stubborn to alter it even though Metric is a lot more effective...Which IS stressful. And when you consider that we caught with it, many persons who didn't need to use it of their strains of professions effectively didn't hassle to learn it, which contributes to the meter/metre confusion. Also, I believe the illustration I just made also cancels out your "English spelling is first and therefore high-quality" argument as good. The variations here are relatively just different patterns, for the most part, and are negligible. "to-may-to, to-mah-to". I don't consider both one is quite "better" despite the fact that "we did it first" is consistently a fun argument...

Answer 3

Noo the Americans spell words differently from the English..basically all of Europe to be exact. I guess Americans wanted to be completely different from the British, even if that ment changing the way the spell words. I'm American too just so you know...

Answer 4

They dont! Americans spell differently to the English.

Answer 5

It is actually why do the Americans spell words differently to the English. It is the English languauge after all. The American language is actually a bastardised version of the English language.

Answer 6

Yanks cannot spell correctly due to the nature of their original population: the uneducated dregs of British society. Noah Webster sought to change the spellings of the words for that reason.

All other English speaking nations do use proper English: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, among others. (Those influenced by the USA, however - eg. the Philippines - have the same poor English as the Yanks.)

Answer 7

The story I heard was that after World War I (or II), the American Government decided to tackle the high rate of illiteracy amongst the servicemen returning from duty.
In order to make reading and writing easier, they decided to simplify the spelling of many words.
Sorry if this is utter rubbish.

Answer 8

Americans tend to speak the way they spell words

Answer 9

Because the Americans have adopted words to their culture, and have a slightly differnt dialect. Just as modern english diverged from old english so is american english diverging from England's english

Answer 10

because when they decided to set up in America 200 or so years ago it was only the thick ones who left England and couldn't spell that's why they spell words wrong but being Americans they always think they are right