h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

'Am I the only person who writes his entries straight into hootoo ? '.

No, I do the same. I've a lot of confidence in my spelling and any errors that creep through are very minor, such as two words fused together.

(Sometimes I spot these before anyone else does, even after it's hit the FP (Actualy, I'm convinced some of the errors that hit the FP have crept in during editing, but I've never been botheredc to go back and check against my original)

I write them straight onto hootoo too... but I run through and check (manually) for errors. I'm not too bad at spelling and grammar.

I don't write mine straight onto hootoo, I guess It's difficult to break the habit of writing on the computer first from the days when I had dial up

It's not the worst you can do, I guess. The bit of guide ml can be added later withoput too much problem.

Also I can carry on writing in places where I have no internet access, like work

Yes sure. I once started doing researches on two subjects, put quite some time into it, all offline. Then the notebook broke and I lost all the information - that was offputting. So to write into hootoo directly ( you don't have to submit it right away) is a way of saving it from PC probs, if you know what I mean.

Hope this is the correct thread (there's so many of them )

BigAl, don't know if you've seen this quote from Paully in A7512167 post #70

>"The largest volume of things that need looking at are the -ize/-ise endings, which by and large currently adopt the American spelling. If in doubt, make it -ise!"

And, yes BigAl, I know, you didn't need it clarifying, you mentioned the disagreements about ize v ise in PR

Emmily

I have been taught that ise is British English, and ize is American English, and in German schools it is still British English that is taught, in pronunciation and spelling

It appears to be one of the areas that cause confusion in PR. I've seen well intentioned reviewers advice authors to change the correct 'ise' to 'ize'

If we can clarify it is 'ise' for future reference.

Emmily

I don't recommend using the Oxford English Dictionary, as it gives -ize as the standard British English spelling in many words but -ise in others. Most other British Institutions, including the BBC, have standardised on -ise for virtually all words, except "size".

"Could we make it an unofficial rule that no-one is allowed to point out any typos until the entry has been at least three days in Peer Review?"

If we're going that way, I wouldn't go for time, because I've seen enties in PR which haven't had any comments at all for weeks and evern months. I'd suggest a certain number of postings.

"oh and while we're at it, maybe TPTB could let us know which dictionary should be the one which is (for h2g2 purposes) the difinitive one."

h2g2 uses the OED - the Eds were very clear on that when I started there, as does the BBC. We get OED online with our work ocs, but I can't get it at home.

"I don't recommend using the Oxford English Dictionary, as it gives -ize as the standard British English spelling in many words but -ise in others. Most other British Institutions, including the BBC, have standardised on -ise for virtually all words, except "size"."

I've seen both ise and ize on the BBC and h2g2 when I searched after that PR excitement, so it seems not everyone is reading from the same dictionary.

"Am I the only person who writes his entries straight into hootoo ? I rely on you guys to spot my spellling errors, cutting and pasting from Word then adding the GuideML is too much like work."

I never write the GuideML until I've pretty much done with the entry anyway, but I always write off h2g2 - saves me worrying that my computer will crash before I click update so I'll lose it, and in these days of server too busy I don't like to keep updating too many times. Plus I can see more on the page when I'm offline - the edit box on h2g2 is too small.

>>I've seen both ise and ize on the BBC and h2g2 when I searched after that PR excitement, so it seems not everyone is reading from the same dictionary.

That could on the other hand be a sign that they are using the OED, because as I said, it recommends -ise for some words and -ize for others.

That would mean sifting every "ize-ise" word through the dictionary... Eugh. If the British can't figure out which one they use, what are we Americans supposed to think?

I always type my entries in word processor. The font in the post-boxes makes my head spin.

If in doubt, use -ise, as this is the form that has been replacing -ize over the last hundred years or so. The confusion lies in the fact that most formal writing, in dictionaries and university texts, still uses the -ize form, whereas virtually every newspaper, periodical, website and book publisher that has made a decision on the usage uses -ise. The point is that both -ise and -ize are correct in most cases, but -ise is *always* correct. Most media simply standardise one form; -ise is the most common - if technically less correct, if one goes back to the origins of words - usage.

the pronunciation should be thasame, atleast

Oh drat, preview :the same, that should read

You know how I feel about your pronounciation, Bel

Ooh, me too, good this, eh?

Icould do with a now. Instead, I'll be off to some more. Goodnight Rich

Sleep well, love!