Spelling
Most spelling questions can be answered by referring to a good dictionary appropriate to the target region. As some words have acceptable variants in spelling and hyphenation, adopting a single dictionary and following its recommendations improves consistency. Several general and specialist dictionaries are included in the ISTC's subscription to Oxford Reference Online.
This is often thought to be a difference between British and American English but both endings are acceptable in the UK. Some publishers, including the Oxford University Press, prefer –ize spellings but -ise is common in business and technical communication. Although unpopular among British writers, using –ize is more acceptable internationally.
Some words always take one ending, irrespective of the style adopted. For example, surprise never takes a z and prize (in the sense of valuing something highly) never takes an s.
Words like website and data centre may be written with or without spaces or hyphens. There is no definitive right or wrong version, although the presentation tends to drift towards one word as terms become more established. If a hyphen improves readability, most writers would use one. This is a point on which an organisation's style guide can help to ensure consistency by listing preferred alternatives.
American spellings are common for terms in the computing field, even in documents written in British English. Most organisations use program rather than programme, disk rather than disc and dialog rather than dialogue in computing contexts. Although some writers object to these spellings, most writers who specialise in software documentation view the British spellings as incorrect in this context.
Some organisations take this further and use data center rather than data centre. As it is thought that British readers are more accustomed to American spellings than American readers are to British spellings, even organisations based outside the US sometimes adopt American spellings in documents intended for a mixed readership. |
