Sage-Tips

Does Canada use UK or US spelling?

Canadian spelling of the English language combines British and American rules. Most notably, French-derived words that in American English end with -or and -er, such as colour or centre, usually retain British spellings (colour and centre), although American spellings are not uncommon.

Should Canadians use English US or English UK?

Full US English spellings are tolerated in Canada, and even often used by Canadians themselves. As an American (and not a Brit), it’s much easier for me to use US English spellings, so it’s kind of a slam dunk. For our needs, written US English is a better fit than written UK English for a Canadian market.

Does Canada use Z or S?

One of the more lovable quirks, Canadians pronounce the last letter in the alphabet ‘zed’, which is clearly superior to the American ‘zee’. This man is wearing a tuque. Virtually all Canadians know and use the word… south of the border words like beanie or cap prevail.

How do I spell check in English UK?

Cheque is the British English spelling for the document used for making a payment, whereas American English uses check. Check also has a number of other uses as a noun (e.g., a check mark, a hit in hockey, etc.)

Do Canadians use British or American English for spelling?

As you can see, with most of the spellings above, Canadians follow the British example. However, there are also words where Canadian English matches the American English spelling instead. These include:

What are the different spelling conventions in Canadian English?

Spelling Conventions in Canadian English. Canadian English favors a mix of British and American spelling. In Canada, for example, the word “favor” would be spelled “favour,” which is the same as in the UK. Some key spelling conventions are summarized below. Canadian English: Prefers-ize and -yze word endings (e.g., organize and analyze)

Are Canadians too picky when it comes to spelling?

Really, when it comes down to it, we Canadian’s aren’t too picky. In elementary and high school teachers tend to favour the British spelling of words, but otherwise, it doesn’t particularly matter to us. Written English is written English; we understand it whether you use American or British spelling.

Is Canadian English a mix of American and English?

If you refer to a Canadian person as being a mix of American and English, they will rightly object (albeit politely). But if you describe Canadian English in those terms, you wouldn’t be far from the truth! What does that mean in practice, though? Let us look at some of the spelling differences. Nice flag, but it could do with more stars…