Why American and British English spellings diverge despite their shared linguistic roots
In short: The spelling differences between American and British English are not merely random choices. They emerged from the competing influence of two 18th and 19th-century dictionaries, reflecting distinct nationalistic and philological goals. While some variations were once common in both regions, deliberate standardization solidified these regional identities over time.
The divergence between American and British orthography is largely a product of two influential dictionaries. Samuel Johnson’s 1755 A Dictionary of the English Language established a British standard, while Noah Webster’s 1828 An American Dictionary of the English Language codified an American system. Before these publications, English spelling was notoriously inconsistent, with many spellings now labeled 'American' or 'British' appearing interchangeably in early texts, including the first folios of Shakespeare.
Webster, driven by both nationalistic and philological motives, sought to simplify English spelling. He favored forms like 'center' and 'color' for their etymological clarity or simplicity. In contrast, Johnson preferred spellings that reflected the French origins of many English words. While Webster is often credited with inventing these American forms, he largely selected existing options that were already in use, popularizing them through his dictionary to create a distinct American standard.
These differences are most visible in Latin-derived words. British English typically retains the '-our' ending, whereas American English favors '-or'. Similarly, British English often uses '-re' for words like 'centre' and 'theatre', while American English standardizes these to '-er'. Despite these trends, some spellings remain uniform across both varieties, such as agentive suffixes like '-or' in 'translator'.
Other regions have navigated these standards differently. Canada and Australia generally align with British norms, though they occasionally incorporate American spellings due to geographic or cultural influence. For instance, Canadian newspapers shifted toward British '-our' spellings in the 1990s to reinforce a distinct national identity. Ultimately, these spelling variations serve as markers of cultural history, illustrating how dictionaries can shape language as much as they record it.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: American and British English spelling differences
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