Re: Constructed Origins

From: Prai Jei (pvstownsend_at_zyx-abc.fsnet.co.uk)
Date: 08/17/04 

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 20:53:23 +0100

Bill Bonde ( ``Soli Deo Gloria'' ) (or somebody else of the same name) wrote
thusly in message <41217AC5.C8E5AF52@backpacker.com>:
>
>
> Prai Jei wrote:
>>
>> Peter T. Daniels (or somebody else of the same name) wrote thusly in
>> message <411D3116.3103@worldnet.att.net>:
>>
>> > MSWord offers both American and British dictionaries. (The latter
>> > didn't come with Word2001; I didn't investigate whether it's a free
>> > download or an add-on purchase. The latter seems more likely.)
>>
>> The beauty of WP v5.2 was that, not only the dictionary, thesaurus and
>> style checker were in UK English, but so were the manuals, the messages
>> within the program, and the keyboard overlay, e.g. ShiftF7 correctly
>> labelled "centre". *That* is what I mean by a full UK edition of the
>> program.
>>
> Good grief. I'd just be thankful for a dictionary and be done with it.

Update: No, WP12 does not have a UK English version as such, only this
all-embracing (i.e. sloppy) "English" version. In addition, WP12 (a) does
not run under Windows ME, (b) does not have a Linux version (c) can't be
paid for with a debit card. Four major obstacles to me upgrading, so I'll
stick to V5.2 thank you.

>> (One slight blemish - the American word "disk" was still used
>> throughout.)
>>
> Why not appreciate the use of 'disk' and 'disc' in their various
> separate uses?

This does happen with program/programme, where UK English has no native word
for the set of instructions for a computer and so has adopted the foreign
word to refer to a computer *program*. By contrast, we continue to write of
TV, radio, concert or football *programmes*.

By contrast, the UK English word for "disc" is "disc". This spelling is
valid for all discs, optical and magnetic :) 

-- 
Paul Townsend
I put it down there, and when I went back to it, there it was GONE!
Interchange the alphabetic elements to reply

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