Barbeque is missing from Cambridge, Collins, Merriam Webster and Macmillan dictionaries, which can only mean one thing.
However, it is present in the Macquarie dictionary as an alternative spelling of barbecue for Aussies. Longman dictionary gives "barbeque" as an alternative spelling for, er, American speakers. I expect a spectacular fistfight between those two bespectacled team of scholars.
Oxford dictionary says "Barbecue is often misspelled as barbeque. This form arises understandably from the word’s pronunciation and from the informal abbreviations BBQ and Bar-B-Q. Although almost a quarter of citations in the Oxford English Corpus are for the -que spelling, it is not accepted in standard English."
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Did you know? (somewhat useless trivia... to others)
Started by mthornton, Oct 15 2011 05:58 PM
47 replies to this topic
#42
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Posted 04 March 2012 - 06:31 AM
Razvan, on 04 March 2012 - 12:16 AM, said:
Longman dictionary gives "barbeque" as an alternative spelling for, er, American speakers. I expect a spectacular fistfight between those two bespectacled team of scholars.
In this case I would definitely expect the Americans to win.
A while ago my wife and I downloaded the fitness requirements for new recruits for US marines. We see that the emphasis is on strength & muscularity... the ability to stand and fight.
Conversely the fitness requirements for new recruits for Canadian soldiers emphasized endurance and running ability.
Aha, this explains a lot.
#43
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Posted 04 March 2012 - 07:58 AM
Do I sense a jab at Quebec and its inhabitants?
Colour is OK - if you're willing to pronounce it "col-oor".
Can you explain the "leftennant" pronunciation of lieutenant?
Colour is OK - if you're willing to pronounce it "col-oor".
Can you explain the "leftennant" pronunciation of lieutenant?
There are three roads to ruin; women, gambling and technicians. The most pleasant is with women, the quickest is with gambling, but the surest is with technicians. Georges Pompidou
#44
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Posted 04 March 2012 - 05:50 PM
Emax, on 04 March 2012 - 07:58 AM, said:
Do I sense a jab at Quebec and its inhabitants?
NO... I would never admit to that... but we DO love their women. (which is why the men hate us so.)
Emax, on 04 March 2012 - 07:58 AM, said:
Can you explain the "leftennant" pronunciation of lieutenant?
I had always thought this was a minor language-patronage give-in to our Quebecois co-patriots, but I read in Wikipedia that the usage of "leftennant" is common throughout the Commonwealth. I'm baffled. In the army they are "leftennant" , but in the police they are "lieutenant". DON'T get it wrong.
And why isn't it spelled wikipaedia?
#45
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Posted 04 March 2012 - 06:07 PM
mthornton, on 04 March 2012 - 05:50 PM, said:
NO... I would never admit to that... but we DO love their women. (which is why the men hate us so.)
I had always thought this was a minor language-patronage give-in to our Quebecois co-patriots, but I read in Wikipedia that the usage of "leftennant" is common throughout the Commonwealth. I'm baffled. In the army they are "leftennant" , but in the police they are "lieutenant". DON'T get it wrong.
And why isn't it spelled wikipaedia?
I had always thought this was a minor language-patronage give-in to our Quebecois co-patriots, but I read in Wikipedia that the usage of "leftennant" is common throughout the Commonwealth. I'm baffled. In the army they are "leftennant" , but in the police they are "lieutenant". DON'T get it wrong.
And why isn't it spelled wikipaedia?
Beware of Wiki. It is not an authority - and Frenchmen are allowed to post.
There are three roads to ruin; women, gambling and technicians. The most pleasant is with women, the quickest is with gambling, but the surest is with technicians. Georges Pompidou
#46
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Posted 05 March 2012 - 05:36 AM
It strikes me that the policy of simplification of the English language undertaken in 19th century America by Webster, Dewey, et. al. has left you guys with a much less expressive language.
Many words that were pronounced in similar ways had their spelling altered in America. So while the difference in meaning between words like Check and Cheque, Meter and Metre, etc. is clear in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Words like these are spelt the same way in the US (and to a lesser extent in Canada). So when I read an American article, the spelling can lead to unnecessary confusion. But I note you have retained different spellings for to, too and two, which is a relief!
As for Lef-tenant versus Loot-enant, I remember when one naive colleague pronounced the word the American way on a recruit course. He was given a thorough bollocking and was told... "There is no Looting in the Australian Army!".
Many words that were pronounced in similar ways had their spelling altered in America. So while the difference in meaning between words like Check and Cheque, Meter and Metre, etc. is clear in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Words like these are spelt the same way in the US (and to a lesser extent in Canada). So when I read an American article, the spelling can lead to unnecessary confusion. But I note you have retained different spellings for to, too and two, which is a relief!
As for Lef-tenant versus Loot-enant, I remember when one naive colleague pronounced the word the American way on a recruit course. He was given a thorough bollocking and was told... "There is no Looting in the Australian Army!".
Details of every Australian ski lift ever built. http://www.australia...ralianskilifts/
#47
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Posted 05 March 2012 - 05:52 AM
Bogong, on 05 March 2012 - 05:36 AM, said:
It strikes me that the policy of simplification of the English language undertaken in 19th century America by Webster, Dewey, et. al. has left you guys with a much less expressive language.
Many words that were pronounced in similar ways had their spelling altered in America. So while the difference in meaning between words like Check and Cheque, Meter and Metre, etc. is clear in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Words like these are spelt the same way in the US (and to a lesser extent in Canada). So when I read an American article, the spelling can lead to unnecessary confusion. But I note you have retained different spellings for to, too and two, which is a relief!
As for Lef-tenant versus Loot-enant, I remember when one naive colleague pronounced the word the American way on a recruit course. He was given a thorough bollocking and was told... "There is no Looting in the Australian Army!".
Many words that were pronounced in similar ways had their spelling altered in America. So while the difference in meaning between words like Check and Cheque, Meter and Metre, etc. is clear in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Words like these are spelt the same way in the US (and to a lesser extent in Canada). So when I read an American article, the spelling can lead to unnecessary confusion. But I note you have retained different spellings for to, too and two, which is a relief!
As for Lef-tenant versus Loot-enant, I remember when one naive colleague pronounced the word the American way on a recruit course. He was given a thorough bollocking and was told... "There is no Looting in the Australian Army!".
Point taken ! I now understand the meaning of Lef-tenant.
The work of Webster and Dewey - while well-intended - was probably not a good idea.
The changes now taking place in the American Colloquial are even more disturbing.
There are three roads to ruin; women, gambling and technicians. The most pleasant is with women, the quickest is with gambling, but the surest is with technicians. Georges Pompidou
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