From owner-freebsd-current Fri Apr 10 21:42:37 1998 Return-Path: Received: (from majordom@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) id VAA09740 for freebsd-current-outgoing; Fri, 10 Apr 1998 21:42:37 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG) Received: from conductor.synapse.net (conductor.synapse.net [199.84.54.18]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id VAA09730 for ; Fri, 10 Apr 1998 21:42:34 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from evanc@synapse.net) Received: (qmail 24422 invoked from network); 11 Apr 1998 04:42:34 -0000 Received: from cpu1970.adsl.bellglobal.com (HELO cello.synapse.net) (206.47.37.201) by conductor.synapse.net with SMTP; 11 Apr 1998 04:42:34 -0000 Message-ID: <00d501bd6504$3e926ce0$c9252fce@cello.synapse.net> From: "Evan Champion" To: "dannyman" , "John Fieber" , "John Birrell" Cc: , Subject: Re: whose english is it anyway? Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 00:42:33 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4 Sender: owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG Interesting the sort of things that spark conversation here :-) Authorisation is the British (International) English spelling, authorization is the American English spelling. There are hundreds of words like it, for example centre vs. center, fibre vs. fiber, specialise vs. specialize... I could sit here all day writing out examples. As someone noted, technically either is quite correct. However, due to cultural issues you will likely get odd looks if you use American spellings in Britain and vice versa. Given that FreeBSD is largely an American project, consistent use of American spellings would seem to be the most appropriate solution (as much as I prefer British English :-) Evan -----Original Message----- From: dannyman To: John Fieber ; John Birrell Cc: chadf@bookcase.com ; current@FreeBSD.ORG Date: Saturday, April 11, 1998 12:26 AM Subject: whose english is it anyway? >On Fri, Apr 10, 1998 at 11:12:23PM -0500, John Fieber wrote: >> On Sat, 11 Apr 1998, John Birrell wrote: >> > Chad M. Fraleigh wrote: >> > > >> > > "authorisation" should be "authorization". >> > >> > In my _*English*_ dictionary, either is acceptable. >> >> Citation please? > >1 definition found > >From WordNet (r) 1.6 [wn]: > > authorisation > n : the act of authorizing [syn: {authorization}, {empowerment}] > >> It may be acceptable somewhere, but I dare say that the "z" >> version is much more widely accepted. > >After all, it's the American way; > >2 definitions found > >From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: > > Authorization \Au`thor*i*za"tion\, n. [Cf. F. autorisation.] > The act of giving authority or legal power; establishment by > authority; sanction or warrant. > > The authorization of laws. --Motley. > > A special authorization from the chief. --Merivale. > >From WordNet (r) 1.6 [wn]: > > authorization > n 1: a document giving an official instruction or command [syn: {mandate}] > 2: a grant of authority to the executive branch of government > to spend money for specified purposes; "authority for the > program was renewed several times" [syn: {authority}] > 3: a power delegated from one person to another; "deputies are > given the power to make arrests" [syn: {authority}] > 4: the act of authorizing [syn: {authorisation}, {empowerment}] > >-- > // dannyman yori aiokomete || Our Honored Symbol deserves >\\/ http://www.dannyland.org/~dannyman/ || an Honorable Retirement (UIUC) > >To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org >with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message