Why is it “cancelled” in Great Britain, but “canceled” in America?

Question

Because we gave'em that L in 1776.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

Noah Webster is the primary figure responsible for simplifying American English spelling. Driven by a desire for cultural independence, he published textbooks starting in 1783 and the groundbreaking An American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828.

Dropping the "u" in words ending in -our (e. g., colour became color).
Reversing -re endings to -er (e. g., centre became center).
Removing silent letters (e. g., musick became music and publick became public).
Using -se instead of -ce (e. g., defence became defense). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Later in the 20th century, the Simplified Spelling Board (which included influential figures like Andrew Carnegie and Mark Twain) attempted further simplifications, though only a few of those later changes (like dropping the 'ue' from catalogue) became widely adopted.

slatyb · Accepted Answer

That's just languages in general. They change constantly, and some changes are localized. For example, while "fewer" is gradually disappearing everywhere, it seems it's already gone in India -- I've never heard an Indian immigrant use "fewer", it's always "less". It's the same between the US and Britain, and between France and other francophone regions, even countries adjacent to France. In France, 70, 80, 90 are "soixante-dix" (60-10), "quatre-vingt" (4x20), and "quatre-vingt-dix" (4x20+10) but in Switzerland and Belgium they are "septante" (7x10), "huitante" (8x10), and "nonante" (9x10). There's more variation between France and Quebec, and the accents are quite different.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

Yeah you kicked us out, then you committed genocide of the Indians, them you slaughtered each other en masses in a civil war. Quite a lot of bloodshed for a Christian country in such a short window.

Interestingly despite being 250 years old with a large migrant population, America hasn't evolved a new language, it's basically identical to the mother tongue bar the odd spelling.

"A nation without a language is a national without heart"

SaoirseS · Accepted Answer

Either spelling is totally acceptable. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK all spell it with two Ls. That makes us the outlier.

loveslongnails · Answer

LOL GAG keeps removing one of my comments as a "member post" violation because I referred to a specific member as being uneducated in his own country's history, after said member posted false information.

If you post historically incorrect, misleading, or outright bullshit information, you deserve to be called on it, especially if you be proven wrong with data. The person making the false statements isn't required to back them up, but GAG doesn't like it when you say something negative about the "member".

So, I guess I should have said: "Dude, your post is bullshit" instead of adding "and you should learn real history because you don't seem to know it thereby rendering you incapable of having an intelligent discussion about it"? Y' think that's the ticket? LOL

strateguy632 · Answer

i got taught spell 2 l in nyc school u. s. cancelled. but one l is better because of "louder first part" CAN +cel so CANceled like ED+ited. but brit fear added e is a problem like hat+e =hate so cel+ed seems sound 'sealed'. but we are better due to louder first part.

Xawyx-2 · Answer

All you need to do now, it to proclaim American language as the official, like in the 1923. Illinois constitution ;)

AviatorTom · Answer

America is about efficiency, eliminating waste. Many America English words have British English letters removed, programme to program, parlour to parlor, for example.

Iron_Man · Answer

Go USA 🇺🇸 the land of the free and the home of the brave. How about that @purplepoppy

Anonymous · Answer

In Australia and New Zealand its spelt cancelled.

Also organization - organisation

Flavour - Flavor

Colour - Color

Harbour - Harbor

The way Americans say can't, tomato is different.

I prefer how the Australia / New Zealand people spell and say things.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

"L for love!"  - Gordon Pibb, Dodgeball

jshm2 · Answer

Lol, it's because here in Britain we spell and speak proper English. Our former colony of America speaks and spells in pidgin English.

Telekinetic-Potato · Answer

We're also more straight to the point. The second L isn't helping anyone

OneViewpoint · Answer

We fixed the English language when we took over running the asylum.

molonski2 · Answer

Many things are vastly different in the two languages.. and yes they are vastly different.

genericname85 · Answer

Cause basically, American English is the retard version of UK English xD

noohair · Answer

We are two people separated by a common language... This is a paraphrased quote from a famous Brit.

Anonymous · Answer

Same reason it's "colour" in the UK but "color" in the United States. Because we wanted "YOU" (U) out.😆

canamlusciouslad73 · Answer

British spelling.(It's also "cancelled" here in British Commonwealth Canada.)

blackeagle007 · Answer

Just different spelling is all. Countries are different. They also spell color with a U

ThisSiteSux · Answer

Americans are efficient. Who needs 2 L's? Losers do

NoDecision · Answer

We definitely gave them hell.

Massageman · Answer

or honour became honor - - - - - -

msmissydc · Answer

English and simplified English.

KostasKouvalis · Answer

We simplified the English language

FrodoSkywalker007 · Answer

The British like adding more letters to look posh

LC75LC71 · Answer

It's still cancer in both countries.

msc545 · Answer

I don't see why not.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

😂😂😂

NathanDavis · Answer

lmfao...

Why is it “cancelled” in Great Britain, but “canceled” in America?

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