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

While I'd agree that one may come across bye-law occasionally, it's not strictly correct in British English either. The form actually used in writing laws is 'bylaw' - just as you have given it for American English.

Here's the first example I can lay my hands on, in a piece of Subordinate legislation (on of the 'active bit's that are hung off the bottom of an Act of Parliament when it becomes law Look at section 4 subsection 7:

http://www.hmso.gov.uk/cgi-bin/htm_hl3?URL=http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1998/19980494.htm

What a

I thought that -by was Viking for town or settlement as in Grimsby,Kirby,Tealby,Osgoodby etc.ad inf, that bye was a variant spelling of this and that bye laws were originally those governing towns/ local authority areas

My understanding too - by meaning place - bylaws specific to certain places and the other common ussage that springs to mind being bypass - again no 'e' and no hyphen

I thought the bye law was the one about runs being scored after the batsman misses the ball.

Probably more a rule than a law.

Well... oops, I told the sub editor about this, but they switched subeds in the middle of it...

We believe you
Bagpuss, aren't the rules of cricket laws by definition?

Well, yes they are. Rules are for lesser sports.

hi the link wouldn't work its http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1998/19980494.htm

anyway just to be sure, are you saying "bylaw" is the correct way to spell it in british and american english? as i am writing a page on a website and need to be sure about this?