US/British spellings? Do I put people off by the way I write 'practice'?

[happily3]

Every time I write this word I find myself wondering this so I thought I would ask!
I am making lots of French and Spanish resources for kids on my blog, and I am always suggesting what people could practise ...
It's the obvious word to use but I worry about whether the spelling is an issue for anybody?!
www.agreenmouse.com/category/blog/

[SucksToBeMe]

My iPhone switches quite a few of my words round.

[Nicknamenotavailableeither]

Do American's just use practice for both meanings then?

Because in UK there are two words, practise and practice, with two separate meanings...

[happily3]

Yes, I think so. I have lived in a number of countries and switched languages and education systems a lot too. At school in the UK I used to feel I'd achieved when I remembered to write 'to practiSe' but it was a while ago ... With everything so global now I wonder what best 'practice' is!?

[Nicknamenotavailableeither]

Ah, interesting. As a teacher if I found a resource but it had the incorrect (in UK terms) version of the word, I couldn't use it. Depends who your audience is I suppose!

[Nicknamenotavailableeither]

Ah, interesting. As a teacher if I found a resource but it had the incorrect (in UK terms) version of the word, I couldn't use it. Depends who your audience is I suppose!

[Sleepwhenidie]

as Nick says, practise and practice have different meanings - practice is a noun, practise a verb. So you would go to music practice or a doctor's practice but you would practise playing your violin, the doctor would practise medicine.

[LittleBunnyFeileFooFoo]

Americans can use just the one for both noun and verb.

[Sleepwhenidie]

I don't think you would put people off by the way, it is one of those words that I suspect many/most people don't know the distinction between and by default, practice would be used, whichever was technically correct. So I wouldn't worry too much!

[AgentProvocateur]

To be honest, if you're producing language resources, then, yes - it would put me off. I'd wonder what else you had wrong.

If you were writing a recipe book, for example, it wouldn't bother me at all.

I understand that the US uses practice as a noun and a verb, but unless you have a disclaimer on your site to say that you are Anerican, it just looks a bit careless.

[happily3]

As I like words and language, I quite enjoy spelling sentences such as 'I am enjoy practiSing when the teacher is there to help with music practiCe. Regarding my blog, I hope to attract English speakers, wherever they are, and that's why I wonder about Brit/US spelling.
Another example of me pondering was when I was making subtitles for my resource about 'French colours' ... 'gray' in American English, 'grey' in British English.
Priority of course - spell the French or Spanish correctly ... but I don't want the English spelling to dissuade anybody!

[happily3]

oops 'I am enjoy practiSing when ...' WHAT is that?! Sorry! /emo/te/5.gif Please skip the 'am'!

[BertieBotts]

I would pick UK or US spelling and stick with it. Probably UK would be more consistent if it's your own version that you use personally. If any English speakers from other countries use your resources then they'll just have to change the spelling themselves.

[happily3]

Oh dear - I haven't tried 'smiley faces, shocked faces' etc .. before! I liked your smiley face Nick, dragged up put a shocked face and it hasn't worked!

[happily3]

Thank you Everyone!
I agree. I have stuck to British spellings so far and will probably carry on. I do wish I didn't have to use the word 'practice' so often though!!

[Xenia]

It is just a way to find out if people are badly educated (in the UK). If it's a verb it is practise if it's a noun it's practice as people have said above.

[happily3]

I am well aware of how to spell 'practice' or 'practise' in the UK - I just wonder whether it irritates US spellers to have to see 'practise' with an 's' so OFTEN on my blog. (it would jar with me!)

[MirandaWest]

I find it interesting how there is only practice in America but they have a license rather than a licence.

[Xenia]

Ah license.. that is the word I write an awful lot. Yes UK same as with practice - noun has the c and if I license you - very so an s. USA writes "this is a license to use etc." In English English that is wrong.

[BertieBotts]

I don't ever remember being taught practice vs practise at school. It was only recently when someone told me to think of advice/advise that I understood it.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

happily it would irate americans. I was in research in my previous life and we have to write correct american english. If you write british english, you get review comments about incorrect grammar.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

Disclaimer: I'm rubbish at grammar, but we try to stick with spellings like practice, standardize, marshal, etc.

[SoupDreggon]

Is your blog British? If so, who cares if it irritates the Americans.

[happily3]

I like to think my blog is international as I am trying to make listening to French and Spanish more accessible to English-speaking children wherever they are.
I have to do a bit of teaching or an introduction in English to make each video resource accessible to children learning Spanish or French ..

I am sure many people outside the UK are used to British spellings - I'm just asking if the word 'practise' coming up so often with an 's' is annoying?!

Thank you OneLittleToddlerTerror - I suspected as much ... I'd like to think up a word to replace 'practise'!

MirandaWest - how interesting what you say about 'license'!