Why is colour spelled with AU?

Color is the spelling used in the United States. Colour is used in other English-speaking countries. The word color has its roots (unsurprisingly) in the Latin word color. It entered Middle English through the Anglo-Norman colur, which was a version of the Old French colour.

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Why did America get rid of the U in colour?

He dropped the letter u from words like colour and honour – which had developed from the French influence in England – to make them color and honor instead. He did the same to words ending in -ise to make them -ize, because he thought American English spelling should reflect the way it was said.

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Why do British people use U in color?

Well, words like "colour" were adapted from the French spelling, couleur. The Brits tended to keep that “u” as a nod to the word's origin, but in America, these superfluous vowels were dropped to reflect how the word was actually pronounced, in theory making them easier to spell, read, and say.

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Why did Americans change the spelling of colour?

Whereas British dictionary compilers opted merely to record established usage (which tended to favour French-looking words, hence the superfluous 'u'), early American dictionary compilers, notably Noah Webster, felt that simplifying the spelling - such as 'color' or 'meter' - would aid literacy and create a distinct ...

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When did Americans change the spelling of colour?

Similarly in America 'A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language' was first printed in 1806 and popularised the American English spellings that were being used instead of the British English spellings of words, such as color instead of colour.

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Colour & Color - Why two spellings?

40 related questions found

Is the color gray or grey?

Grey and gray are two different spellings of the same word. Gray is more common in the U.S., while grey is more common in other English-speaking countries. In proper names—like Earl Grey tea and the unit Gray, among others—the spelling stays the same, and they need to be memorized.

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Is it gray or grey in Canada?

Canadians prefer the spelling grey, although gray is also correct. Grey is the preferred spelling in Britain, while gray is favoured in the United States.

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How do Canadians spell color?

It's no secret that we Canadians spell differently from our cousins in the United States: We put a “u” in words like “colour” and “favour”; Americans leave it out.

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How do British spell color?

In US English, “color” (no “u”) is the correct spelling. In UK English, “colour” (with a “u”) is standard. This regional spelling distinction carries over to other forms of the words, including “coloring/colouring” and “colorful/colourful.”

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How do British people spell color?

Both words are correct, but “color” is use in American English and “colour” is used in British (UK) English.

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Why do Americans use Z instead of S?

Much of our modern alphabet comes directly from the Greek alphabet, including a letter, that looked just like our “Z,” that the Greeks called “zeta.” “Zeta” evolved into the French “zede,” which in turn gave us “zed” as English was shaped by Romance languages like French.

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Why do Brits say us instead of I?

It's just an old English way of speaking. Many people say "us" but if they are writing will use the word "me". I was born in Sunderland and I use it some times, depends who I am talking to. "us" meaning you and me sounds like "uss".

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How did Americans lose the British accent?

The first is isolation; early colonists had only sporadic contact with the mother country. The second is exposure to other languages, and the colonists came into contact with Native American languages, mariners' Indian English pidgin and other settlers, who spoke Dutch, Swedish, French and Spanish.

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Why do Americans think Y is a vowel?

The letter is in the middle of a syllable: system, borborygmus. In such cases, the letter y is pronounced as either the long vowel e or short or long i (usually as a long i when ending a word)—and, for all intents and purposes, it is a vowel.

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How did Americans get their accent?

The “American English” we know and use today in an American accent first started out as an “England English” accent. According to a linguist at the Smithsonian, Americans began putting their own spin on English pronunciations just one generation after the colonists started arriving in the New World.

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Does Canada use British or American spelling?

Many people think that the biggest difference between Canadian English and American English is the spelling — after all, Canadians use British spelling, right? Not really. Canadian spelling combines British and American rules and adds some domestic idiosyncrasies.

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How do Australians spell color?

American English uses 'or' in words like 'color', 'favor' and 'labor'. Australian English uses 'our', as in 'colour', 'favour' and 'labour'.

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How do the British spell the color grey?

Gray and grey are both common spellings of the color between black and white. Gray is more frequent in American English, whereas grey is more common in British English.

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Which is correct Doughnut or donut?

The Official Dictionary Spelling of the word in question—if you're into that sort of thing—is “doughnut.” The expedited, simplified, Americanized spelling of “donut,” as Grammarist tells us, has been around since at least the late 19th century.

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How does Ireland spell color?

When choosing between color and colour, keep in mind that both spellings are correct. The shorter one, color, is the preferred spelling in the United States. The rest of the English-speaking world uses the longer form, colour.

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Which is correct favorite or Favourite?

Favorite and favourite mean the same thing. However, the spelling varies depending on whether you're using UK or US English: In US English, “favorite” (no “u”) is standard. In UK English, “favourite” (with a “u”) is correct.

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Is it check or Cheque in Canada?

For the bank order, the preferred Canadian spelling is cheque, while check is favoured in the United States.

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How do Canadians spell Realise?

realize vs. realise Our respondents had a preference for realize with a “z”. This is the spelling most common in the United States, while realise dominates in Britain. These results confirm those in published studies that find Canadians also prefer “z” in the –ize/ise suffix (realize, finalize).

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Is it favor or Favour in Canada?

In such words as favour, Canadians generally prefer the British ending ‑our to the American ending –or (as in favor). Union members voted 92 % in favour of accepting the new contract.

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