Like colour and flavour . Just curious.
2007-07-02 12:01:27 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
because they have back problems
2007-07-02 16:58:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's the original English way of spelling those words. We dropped the "u" because we felt that it was impractical, and we wanted to be different than the British in our spelling, so we created "American" English.
It started with the publishing of the Webster's Dictionary, which is the Bible of American English.
I recommend watching "Adventure in English". It's a documentary about the formation of the English language, and gets into the different Englishes, like British, Canadian, Australian, etc. English.
2007-07-02 19:06:06 · answer #2 · answered by . 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hi Mike. It is not just in the UK, apparently. Most Commonwealth Nations (by this I mean countries which have been colonised by the British) use the British spelling of colourisation instead of colorization ,humour instead of humor and travelling instead of traveling, just to give a few examples.
2007-07-02 19:28:04 · answer #3 · answered by joulsey 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because they had the English language first!
Up to a few centuries ago, spelling was very individualistic.
Then the British decided to standardardize it.
Meanwhile, the French revolution 'reformed' their language.
So the Americans then decided to 'simplify' their spelling.
In Canada, we use the British spelling most of the time.
2007-07-02 19:19:22 · answer #4 · answered by Robert S 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
It's just a different dialect of English. It may have something to do with the fundamental difference between American English and that which is spoken in the UK, Australia, and Hong Kong. Our British friends might refer to us as "lazy mouths" because when we talk our mouth goes sideways more, they believe it's proper to speak with your mouth going up and down more. This is why we sound different even though we speak the same language.
2007-07-02 19:44:45 · answer #5 · answered by Dan in Real Life 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Actually, americans are the ones who crossed out the extra "u" you see in many words, because you lost your british accent starting after US independance.
2007-07-02 19:06:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Culture.
2007-07-02 19:51:42 · answer #7 · answered by 1saintofGod 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because of their accent, like in color, they write it as colour and even pronounce it a bit different.
2007-07-02 19:44:26 · answer #8 · answered by NADO 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
They did not add the u; Americans took it out.
2007-07-02 19:09:02 · answer #9 · answered by hopflower 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
most words are retained from original French words.
2007-07-02 19:58:36 · answer #10 · answered by bryan_q 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋