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

"Defense" is spelled with an "s" rather than a "c" unless I am in some sort of reality warp. Is this one of those famous "approved" guide entries?

Isn't that one of these wonderful USA/UK spelling differences?

No. I looked up this word in the Oxford English dictionary and in the American Webster's. Only saw one spelling. If a British person has alternative information, I will be glad to be proven wrong.

UK spelling is "defence".. and this has nothing to do with de 'fence' dat goes around de garden!

While we're on the subject of spelling, isn't 'pyjamas' sometimes spelt 'pajamas'? Is that the US spelling? American researchers, it's over to you...

A New Zealand researcher butts in. The following comes from Dictionary.com

pyjamas \Py*ja"mas\, or, chiefly US, Pajamas \Pa*ja"mas\, n. pl. A garment, similar to the Oriental pyjama adopted among Europeans, Americans, and other Occidentals, for wear in the dressing room and during sleep; also, a suit of drawers and blouse for such wear.

defence n. and v. Chiefly British Variant of defense

h2g2 style is based on British English usage which, I suppose, is why they keep on putting the letter 's' on Maori plurals - there is no 's' in the NZ native Maori language. Of course h2g2 is written in English, not Maori... nor American... nor German... Munich not Munchen...

Loony