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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Should I use the British or American spelling? (check/cheque)
If I am writing an article about paper money, to a world-wide readership, including an uncertain number of Brits, Americans and Australians. Which spelling should I use: "cheque" or "check"?
If I use the American "check", many Brits who are not aware of the American spelling of "cheque" may think I'm ignorant. Others may misunderstand the sentence containing the word. (since "check" has many meanings).
I'm not sure what most Americans would think if they saw the spelling "cheque". The ones who are aware of the British spelling will probably think "Ah, the writer is a Brit". I'm not sure what the rest would think.
So which spelling should I use? It's important that I maintain good credibility as a professional, among both my British and my American readers. On occasion, I have written "cheque (check)" or check (cheque) or even check/cheque, but it seems unweildy.
Any suggestions? Thanks...
Luke (England)
If I use the American "check", many Brits who are not aware of the American spelling of "cheque" may think I'm ignorant. Others may misunderstand the sentence containing the word. (since "check" has many meanings).
I'm not sure what most Americans would think if they saw the spelling "cheque". The ones who are aware of the British spelling will probably think "Ah, the writer is a Brit". I'm not sure what the rest would think.
So which spelling should I use? It's important that I maintain good credibility as a professional, among both my British and my American readers. On occasion, I have written "cheque (check)" or check (cheque) or even check/cheque, but it seems unweildy.
Any suggestions? Thanks...
Luke (England)
Top answer
[nq:1]If I am writing an article about paper money, to a world-wide readership, including an uncertain number of Brits,[/nq] Direct your piece to the decisive Brits. They'll know what to do. [nq:1]Americans and Australians.
- [nq:1]If I am writing an article about paper money, to a world-wide readership, including an uncertain number of Brits,[/nq] Direct your piece to the decisive Brits.
- They'll know what to do.
- [nq:1]Americans and Australians.
- Which spelling should I use: "cheque" or "check"?
- If I use the American "check", many Brits who ...
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228 Answers
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[nq:1]If I am writing an article about paper money, to a world-wide readership, including an uncertain number of Brits,[/nq]
Direct your piece to the decisive Brits. They'll know what to do.
[nq:1]Americans and Australians. Which spelling should I use: "cheque" or "check"? If I use the American "check", many Brits who ... spelling of "cheque" may think I'm ignorant. Others may misunderstan
Direct your piece to the decisive Brits. They'll know what to do.
[nq:1]Americans and Australians. Which spelling should I use: "cheque" or "check"? If I use the American "check", many Brits who ... spelling of "cheque" may think I'm ignorant. Others may misunderstan
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[nq:2]Direct your piece to the decisive Brits. They'll know what ... there and everything. They really have come a long way.[/nq]
We have, indeed. We've even got televisions and electric blankets and things these days! ;-)
[nq:2]The Australians might need footnotes, though.[/nq]
You crack me up, man! I hope there's none reading this. :-)
[nq:2]Writing both forms is patronizing. Hav
We have, indeed. We've even got televisions and electric blankets and things these days! ;-)
[nq:2]The Australians might need footnotes, though.[/nq]
You crack me up, man! I hope there's none reading this. :-)
[nq:2]Writing both forms is patronizing. Hav
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[nq:1]I usually write "colour".[/nq]
You misspelled "color".
[nq:1]I think it's less likely to be interpreted as an ignorant spelling mistake than "color".[/nq]
I think you may have misspelled "culler" too.
You misspelled "color".
[nq:1]I think it's less likely to be interpreted as an ignorant spelling mistake than "color".[/nq]
I think you may have misspelled "culler" too.
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[nq:1]If I am writing an article about paper money, to a world-wide readership, including an uncertain number of Brits, Americans ... On occasion, I have written "cheque (check)" or check (cheque) or even check/cheque, but it seems unweildy. Any suggestions? Thanks...[/nq]
If you are British, you should use British English. It's not just a matter of spelling, and if you attempt to write AmE yo
If you are British, you should use British English. It's not just a matter of spelling, and if you attempt to write AmE yo
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[nq:1]If I am writing an article about paper money, to a world-wide readership, including an uncertain number of Brits, Americans and Australians. Which spelling should I use: "cheque" or "check"?[/nq]
No problem: this is an editorial style decision for whoever publishes your article. (Your speculations about readers' responses to spelling may be on
the money: but you can do nothing about
No problem: this is an editorial style decision for whoever publishes your article. (Your speculations about readers' responses to spelling may be on
the money: but you can do nothing about
00
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[nq:2]Direct your piece to the decisive Brits. They'll know what ... figure out that an American writer uses American spelling conventions.[/nq]
[nq:1]Oh, that's what they're doing ...[/nq]
And all this time you thought that American keyboards didn't come with a "u" key.
Tony Cooper
Orlando FL
[nq:1]Oh, that's what they're doing ...[/nq]
And all this time you thought that American keyboards didn't come with a "u" key.
Tony Cooper
Orlando FL
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[nq:2]If I am writing an article about paper money, to ... and Australians. Which spelling should I use: "cheque" or "check"?[/nq]
[nq:1]No problem: this is an editorial style decision for whoever publishes your article. (Your speculations about readers' responses to spelling may be on the money: but you can do nothing about them.)[/nq]
Don't publishers "translate" books from the US into B
[nq:1]No problem: this is an editorial style decision for whoever publishes your article. (Your speculations about readers' responses to spelling may be on the money: but you can do nothing about them.)[/nq]
Don't publishers "translate" books from the US into B
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[nq:1]If I am writing an article about paper money, to a world-wide readership, including an uncertain number of Brits, Americans ... spelling of "cheque" may think I'm ignorant. Others may misunderstand the sentence containing the word. (since "check" has many meanings).[/nq]
This set of spellings everyone might know. I don't know that but some here seem to think so.
But whenever there is
This set of spellings everyone might know. I don't know that but some here seem to think so.
But whenever there is
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[nq:2]Don't publishers "translate" books from the US into BrE and vice versa. Eg, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone"?[/nq]
No doubt, but the article in question is a self-published thing that I avail to my clients via the web and in hard-copy form.
Luke
No doubt, but the article in question is a self-published thing that I avail to my clients via the web and in hard-copy form.
Luke
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