lol... Try dealing with Canadianisms...

_{We describe our height in feet and inches. We measure things with our rulers in centimeters. We might tell you how far something is in yards, but mainly in feet or kilometers... Don't even get me started on spelling. We spell "neighbour" this way (and spell check hates that). :P}

Really? How do you do this? Spell-check is the bane of my pedantic life!
And, just listening to the link about the Queen (she deserves a big 'Q', I believe, even if she's not my Monarch), I have to say, I'm allergic to the 'erbal remedy.
What a silly affectation! Sort of like dropping the 'i' from aluminium. F'God's sake! Spell-check has pinged aluminium! How can I direct it to the Periodic Table, where it can learn some very basic science?

"Pedantic life"? Did you choose the pedantic life? 'Cause I didn't. Pedantic life chose me.

Hee, hee. "Aluminium." You silly Brits, ignoring your own chemical history as well as proper latinization!

Humphry Davy, who isolated the metal from the source mineral alumina (notice that it doesn't end in "ia"), named the metal aluminum, from the proper latinization "a" -> "um."

See, for example the mineral "lanthana", from which the metal "lanthanum" is derived. Metals like magnesium are derived from minerals (here, magnesia) which end in an "ia."

What is most amusing is that it is the rutting yanks (19th Century U.S.) who came up with the silly name "aluminium", and didn't drop it until the 1920s or so! And you all just picked it up and ran with it, like a rugby fumble.

The one I hate the most that's starting to catch on over here is the mashing of "nuclear" and pronouncing it "nucular".

I'm sorry but I think you are mistaken. The correct spelling is "neighbor." :P

@Brockley: I'm American by naturalization but Scots by birth and early education, and by golly I'm going to spell every word the correct way no matter who approves or not. :): neighbour, colour, favour--

A few years ago I decided to do so in everything I write and it's actually catching on! I've been informed by several who read my writings that my Britishisms bring 'class' to their blogs whenever I comment. Facebook is another good way to quietly express myself.

The thing is--spellchecker's a pain if you want to have your words spelled properly, instead relying on good old-fashioned speed and proofreading. It's better for you anyway--hones your writing and reading skills.

Americans are those who abbreviated everything--they removed the 'u' from the 'our' words, and the 'i' from aluminium. Spelling words the British (and Canadian) way is considered correct everywhere else in the World. I'm no stickler--I'd never correct another for leaving out the 'u', but this is what works for me and I've had nothing but positive feedback.

You on the PC by the stairs? I never bothered to correct its poor spelling, I just ignored it :D Silly americans ;)

Depending on the spell checker you can choose English, Am. or English, Br. etc

Ahhh. Mike's desk. Tip... the computer at the top of the stairs is faster. Much :p

It'll be more fun (for the next intern) if you teach it to recognize that "neighbor" and other such Americanisms are incorrect. :P