Practice/practise; licence/license

Question

Here in the UK, "practice" and "licence" are nouns and "practise" and "license" are verbs. I thought that in America, "practice" and "licence" served both purposes, but while in the States recently, it seemed to me that you use "practise" and "license" as alternatives. Is there a rule about this in the US?
David

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Here in the UK, "practice" and "licence" are nouns and "practise" and "license" are verbs. I thought that in America, ... it seemed to methat you use "practise" and "license" as alternatives. Is there a rule about this in the US?[/nq]
So far as Americans accept any rules of usage,
viz. when challenged to distinguish the verb from the noun in these cases, they endorse the English rule. But it comes up less often (because the noun practice is not commonly used for the business of a professional lawyer, doctor, accountant etc.); the verb and noun forms remain easily confused; and increased dependance on PC spelling checkers offers no useable help at all.

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Here in the UK, "practice" and "licence" are nouns and "practise" and "license" are verbs. I thought that in America, ... seemed to me that you use "practise" and "license" as alternatives. Is there a rule about this in the US?[/nq]
I am sure there will be some expert replies here, but as an ordinary US user, I write "practice" and "license" on all occasions, and think it odd for an American to use the variations.

Usenet · Answer

In American English, only "practice" and only "license." Both are nouns and verbs.
Cece

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]In American English, only "practice" and only "license." Both are nouns and verbs.[/nq]
Do Americans distinguish between "advise" and "advice" or "devise" and "device"? If so, why?
Cheers,
Daniel.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]In American English, only "practice" and only "license." Both are nouns and verbs.[/nq]
[nq:1]Do Americans distinguish between "advise" and "advice" or "devise" and "device"? If so, why?[/nq]
Yes. Because they are all different words. We give advice, and when we do so we advise. We devise things, and sometimes they are devices.

We don't distinguish between "lose" and "loose", though. Not according to what I read on the 'net, anyway.

Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]In American English, only "practice" and only "license." Both are nouns and verbs.[/nq]
[nq:1]Do Americans distinguish between "advise" and "advice" or "devise" and "device"? If so, why?[/nq]
Yes. But we pronounce"advise" and "devise" with a "z" sound, while "advice, device, practice, practise, and license" all have the "s" sound.
There may be explanations for some things, but other things are "just so" and "because".
I think in some words with the "z" sound, we actually spell the words with "z".

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Do Americans distinguish between "advise" and "advice" or "devise" and "device"? If so, why?[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes. Because they are all different words. We give advice, and when we do so we advise. We devise things, and sometimes they are devices.[/nq]
On the same verb-noun basis, BrE has "to practise" and "two hours' piano practice", and "to license" and "a licence". This seems to one of the very rare instances of BrE being more consistent than AmE.

Alan Jones

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Yes. Because they are all different words. We give advice, and when we do so we advise. We devise things, and sometimes they are devices.[/nq]
[nq:1]On the same verb-noun basis, BrE has "to practise" and "two hours' piano practice", and "to license" and "a licence". This seems to one of the very rare instances of BrE being more consistent than AmE.[/nq]
Where lies consistency? And where is it missing?
In the US we pronounce "advise" with a "z" sound, "advice" with an "s" sound. With differing pronunciations we have different spellings, at least in a few cases.
Our verbs "practice, license" and our nouns "practice, license" are all sounded with the unvoiced "s" sound.
How do you and other Brits pronounce the "s" and "c" in your chosen verbs and nouns?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]On the same verb-noun basis, BrE has "to practise" and ... very rare instances of BrE being more consistent than AmE.[/nq]
[nq:1]Where lies consistency? And where is it missing? In the US we pronounce "advise" with a "z" sound, "advice" with ... unvoiced "s" sound. How do you and other Brits pronounce the "s" and "c" in your chosen verbs and nouns?[/nq]
"Advice/-ise" and "device/-ise" are distinguished as in AmE. "Practice/-ise" are pronounced the same, as are "licence/-nse". Our consistency is in the noun/verb spelling distinction, underlined sometimes by pronunciation. Your consistency is (as you say "at least in a few cases") in letting spelling differences follow the pronunciation. You haven't mentioned stress, but that does seem to underlie your differing treatment of "advice/-ise" and "device/-ise" as against "license" and "practice".

Am I right in thinking that AmE retains the c in verb forms such as "practicing"? That looks really strange to a UK eye, and yet "noticing" passes without even a blink.
UK spelling of these words we're discussing is in fact very haphazard, certainly in everyday writing and to some extent in the Press. As a teacher, I had to correct frequent c/s misspellings in the work of highly intelligent "academic" teenage pupils, and to teach the accepted BrE versions explicitly in class. (The youngsters read, of course, both AmE and BrE material (magazines and books) and hence don't consistently see either pattern.) I'm sure most UK readers, if asked, would say that Americans spell both "practice" and "license" with an s - as, I'm embarrassed to admit, I did until a.e.u. showed me otherwise.
Alan Jones

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Where lies consistency? And where is it missing? In the ... the "s" and "c" in your chosen verbs and nouns?[/nq]
[nq:1]"Advice/-ise" and "device/-ise" are distinguished as in AmE. "Practice/-ise" are pronounced the same, as are "licence/-nse". Our consistency is in ... mentioned stress, but that does seem to underlie your differing treatment of "advice/-ise" and "device/-ise" as against "license" and "practice".[/nq]
I think the stress pattern is accidental in terms of the voiced or unvoiced sibilant, though I can't bring to mind other pairs. "revise, exercise" ( . . .or do you say exercice when it is a noun? office. . .)
[nq:1]Am I right in thinking that AmE retains the c in verb forms such as "practicing"? That looks really strange to a UK eye, and yet "noticing" passes without even a blink.[/nq]
You are correct. We even have the word "icing". Don't you?
[nq:1]UK spelling of these words we're discussing is in fact very haphazard, certainly in everyday writing and to some extent ... both "practice" and "license" with an s - as, I'm embarrassed to admit, I did until a.e.u. showed me otherwise.[/nq]
Don't feel bad. You know we all make mistakes (misteaks) like that. It's the spelling that is the major problem in English usage. Isn't it?

Practice/practise; licence/license

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