[conspire] English language has ridiculously inconsistent spelling patterns (British/Canadian/American)

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Michael Paoli (Michael.Paoli at cal.berkeley.edu):

> So ... sometimes I like to pick out and see what Canadian words have
> spellings that are uniquely Canadian, matching neither the British nor
> American spellings.  And yes, there certainly are some.

I've done some sessions on this with Canadian friends.  My own usage is
majority British, but on the whole hopelessly confused, because of too 
many influences from random directions.  Also, my spelling took a
further hit (above and beyond the effect of moving back and forth
between US and UK schools) when I learned French, which wouldn't be
problematic if it were more different, but alas it's one of English's
parents, and so genetically compatible yet unpredictably different.

With the help of some Canadian friends last year, I finally got straight
that the correct British spelling of the SI unit of distance 'metre', 
and that said spelling is not just something I picked up from French.  
_Except_, and here's the tricky part:  If you're talking about a device
to measure time, distance, speed, or intensity, or to regulate current,
that's a _meter_ (in UK English).  Really, no kidding.

Uh, English.  Utterly hopeless, anywhere on the planet.

Choice of .signature below is coincidental (albeit a happy accident).

-- 
Cheers,
Rick Moen                      "I shot a man in German just to watch him the."
rick at linuxmafia.com                                -- @drankturpentine  
McQ! (4x80)