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

I just consulted the writing guidelines and found
Please always try to use correct British English spelling and grammar,
I thought we had decided to only enforce this rule if talking about British Matter.
That if an article was about someplace in the US we would use American spelling and grammar.

Shagbark, thanks for the question.

We are still only a few volunteers and the amount of things needed to be attended to is quite vast. We've not forgotten this, but I would ask for your patience for the time being, until we have time to get around to amending the various help pages.


Lanzababy.

You have it. I am aware of how large h2g2 is. It constantly amazes me that we even managed to keep hootoo running. I am sure in your own good time the writing guidelines will be sorted out.

Thanks Shagbark! We will get there eventually.

Replacing the word 'British' with 'English' would be correct in every sense here.

B

Who is this 'we' who has decided this and is it true?

Yes, the h2g2 Guide Editors have decided to allow American English spelling when the Entry is by an American author about an American subject.

But we haven't had a chance to get it officially changed yet.

I'm sorry to hear that, what was the reason behind that? I think it's going to cause confusion that some entries use it and some don't, will all the Sub-editors know the spellings are 'correct' even when they look wrong? I assume entries in languages other than English will also all now be allowed?

(you knew this was coming)



What about Canadian English? Here 'program' is right and 'color' is wrong.

- I think it's going to cause confusion that some entries use it and some don't

Probably not as much confusion as the British English spellings cause to 300 million potential American readers

- Will all the Sub-editors know the spellings are 'correct' even when they look wrong?

No. Not all sub-editors are fluent in British English spelling either. But we do our best.

- I assume entries in languages other than English will also all now be allowed?

We have the intention of allowing other languages on the site in the future, but haven't got the time to even discuss it at the moment. It's not decided what form this would take. We do, however, have one entry in the Edited Guide at the moment which is in English and German.

- What about Canadian English?

I don't think we have the manpower to support every dialect of English. I haven't asked for Hiberno-English to be accepted.

'I don't think we have the manpower to support every dialect of English'

Then why open the door?

(I know there's no time to discuss this now, but) If French entries start being allowed, will they have to be in French French? Will Quebecois be allowed but not Moroccan? I would think it sensible to choose a single standard for each language.

>>Then why open the door?

We have American writers, American scouts, American sub-editors and an American Guide Editor. And a potential 300 million American readers.

'a potential 300 million American readers'


If potential English speaking readers were the issue, I'd be looking at Indian English.

I did think of that, but we've only got two Indian authors, and neither of them is a sub-editor.

Seriously for a moment, and for what it's worth:


I think a single standard would be more sensible, whatever that standard might be.

The discussion about UK English spellings versus US English spellings has been ongoing for a very long time. (ten months)

A81601184


To ask an American author, writing about a subject that is entirely American, to use what is in fact a totally alien form of spelling makes nonsense of language.

We don't expect books printed in the States to be translated into UK English - we just accept them the way they are.

The move to accept US spellings, where one form of spelling is used consistently, throughout an Entry is the right decision to have been reached.

But then, what about all my entries on specifically Canadian subjects in which I had to muck about with (to me) foreign spellings? Can I use Canadian spellings next time I write an entry? I suspect the real reason is, as Gnomon mentioned, the number of American Editors, etc., not consistency within an entry.

'We don't expect books printed in the States to be translated into UK English - we just accept them the way they are.'

Actually, I believe you would find that British editions of U.S. books and vice versa usually have their spelling regularized to the local standard.

But I want to emphasize, I'm definitely not asking for every national standard to be accepted, and I'm not getting all worked up about having two standards. I just personally think it's a mistake to move away from a single standard.

I'll stop now.

I don't believe it's a case of two standards, simply one of saying that in instances where an American author is writing on an American subject, then use of American spelling for that Entry is both sensible and acceptable. It will, I assume, be sub-edited on that basis by the allocated sub, irrespective of their nationality.

Well, looking at it from the outside, it seems like two standards.

Actually, another question:

Next time I write an article on a purely Canadian subject, should I use American or British spelling? Do I have a choice?

I don't know enough about Canadian English to know whether it is closer to American English or British English. What do you think?