Sage-Tips

Which countries use z instead of s?

Z versus S While American English uses ‘ize’, ‘izi’ and ‘iza’ in words like ‘organize’, ‘organizing’ and ‘organization’, Australian/British English uses ‘ise’, ‘isi’ and ‘isa’, as in ‘organise’, ‘organising’ and ‘organisation’.

Is it Z or S in British English?

British English only replaces the ‘z’ with ‘s’ in verbs ending with ‘-ize’, unless Oxford spelling is used, because it was influenced by the French verb ending -iser, whereas American English was influenced by the Latin verb ending -izare, itself derived from the Greek verb ending -ίζειν -ízein.

Is S or Z American spelling?

That isn’t even slightly related, because BE came first. British spelling comes from wherever it came from, and ‘s’/’z’ accordingly; American spelling changes many of those to the more phonetic ‘z’.

Why do the US use z instead of s?

Many American words replace the “s” used in British spelling with a “z” for words such as “realize,” “apologize” and “cozy.” Using a “z” instead of an “s” makes more sense because we pronounce these words with a “z” sound. Thus, “cozy” is the more logical spelling.

What is the origin of the suffix “z”?

But the suffix itself, whatever the element to which it is added, is in its origin the Greek ‑ιζειν, Latin ‑izāre; and, as the pronunciation is also with z, there is no reason why in English the special French spelling should be followed, in opposition to that which is at once etymological and phonetic.

What is the origin of the Z in -yse?

In any case, the z is recent in -yse but not -ize, -yse from Greek -lysis and -ize from Greek -izein, Latin -izare. The spelling -ise comes from French -iser.

Is it correct to spell organization -Z or English (UK)?

These include the following found on a debate about computer dictionaries: My text is marked as English (UK) but it doesn’t flag spellings like organization. It may come as a surprise to many, but most authoritative UK English dictionaries prefer the -z- spelling for many words, and have done so for decades.

Is it spelled with an ‘S’ or a ‘Z’ in the UK?

There is a belief that it is spelt with an ‘s’ in the UK and in the US with a ‘z’. In fact, while the US spelling is with a ‘z’ the UK preferred spelling is also with a ‘z’ and as an alternative with an ‘s’ if you follow the guidance from leading authoritative dictionaries.