12-19-2022, 06:08 PM | #61 | ||||||
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Archaic spelling is one of those things that I have questions about though. I've actually found examples where, if you hit dictionary lookup, you get an entirely different definition than what was meant! Those, I am inclined to correct and make note of, at least if I have to hunt through pages of Google search to find said archaic spelling listed anywhere! In a children's book, I don't think you can or should expect that kind of effort by a child wanting to look up a word. Mind you, I'm talking about the truly obscure spellings. If an archaic spelling is easy to find, let the child look it up! It's vocabulary building. Quote:
Anyway, a different one of those four titles should be MobileRead eligible in 2024 as the author died in 1953. But what do you think about American authors using British spelling? That is very, very common with vintage books! I've also seen where later editions may change the spelling to the American style. So is that more of a publisher discretionary thing or should such spelling be preserved as is? I'm thinking the latter as the safest bet. At any rate, I think your rules are quite sensible! |
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12-20-2022, 09:57 AM | #62 | |
the rook, bossing Never.
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Thanks, and really more like guidelines than rules.
I do have the odd book were I have an old version and newer print. I also find far more proof errors in new books from big publishers. Of course eBook releases of older books are from scans and OCRs and even with the the big publishers you see typical OCR errors such as r n (without space) being m and lower case l for a !. Especially where the OCR error is still a real word! Quote:
I do find USA University or other retelling of European myth, legend, folktale or fairytale, where there are well known British or Irish versions with USA spelling a bit odd (See Mr & Mrs Lang and associates. The 17th French ones, Grimm, Anderson etc are all in British English translation). Also modern USA written mediaeval or similar style Fantasy using contemporary US adjectives almost never encountered ever outside USA. But we can't be changing those. Just blink and move on. |
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12-20-2022, 10:05 AM | #63 | |
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We used to give people Kindles (mostly PW3) but now of the last 6 gifts; 2 were S/H Kobos, one S/H Kindle Oasis (to someone that uses Audible more than reading) and two new Kobo ereaders. Last edited by Quoth; 12-20-2022 at 10:08 AM. |
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12-22-2022, 10:34 PM | #64 | |
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I can't remember the title where the definition was something completely off the wall, but it was really off! I think it was a book from the 1930s, but I have a fair few of those. |
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12-22-2022, 10:47 PM | #65 | |
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These paperbacks were from late 1960s/early 70s (still on my shelves). I don't know if the same thing was true for the early hardcovers. |
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12-23-2022, 03:05 AM | #66 |
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I've seen quite a number of vintage books from US publishers which have the "centre" oddity, and a few other words as well. I think many of those books were from a British author (and originally published in UK), and I wonder if the publisher wanted to keep the British flavor??? "Trans-Atlantic", so to speak. Likewise, American author's books from UK publishers seem to have sometimes replaced at least part of the American spelling.
When I have done up any of those kind, I tend to use the AUTHOR'S native spelling, rather than following the book scan if I can't find a UK edition. Again, the purists are probably fuming and spitting green pea soup, but I still sleep well at night... |
12-23-2022, 07:26 AM | #67 | |
the rook, bossing Never.
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The non-US English originals often adapted for US Market and I suppose they may miss some words. I've never seen USA fiction adapted for British market. However perhaps my proof reading superpowers are more recent and I didn't notice. Of course some words have alternate spelling in British English that match USA. The OED and British English (Or Hibernian) is not prescriptive but documents usage. Since Webster the aim of US Dictionaries is to be prescriptive and before Webster the -re and -our and internal -ll- all acceptable but he deliberately insisted on -er, -or, single internal l. British usage accepts -ize as alternate to -ise US is prescriptive about using gray for the shades between black and white. Others are not, though grey is common for the shade outside North America (not sure about Canada, it's tricky!) The name is usually Grey (Earl Grey Tea, Mr. Grey in books and real life, Grey's Anatomy TV series) and in US some products. Some animals are grey as part of the name, such as greyhound, which is not referring to the coat shade but is a different root, but for some creatures it does refer to the shade. The more American gray has increased in British/Irish writing since the Nineteenth Century. Last edited by Quoth; 12-23-2022 at 07:28 AM. |
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12-23-2022, 10:08 AM | #68 |
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I might be inventing a memory, but I seem to recall instances of American stories published in UK using spellings such as tyre, saviour, colour --- perhaps I dreamed it!
But I do remember some books from Harper Brothers (US) by American authors, and the publisher definitely used "centre." I think "centre" was in semi-frequent use in the US for a while. |
12-23-2022, 07:57 PM | #69 | |
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Sigil spellcheck is forever pointing these little quirks out, LOL! Otherwise, being that I read a fair few British authors and am used to BOTH sorts of spellings, I'd probably never notice them! I always run Sigil spellcheck as it sometimes picks up something somewhere I didn't catch, whether it's an OCR error or an actual print typo. You can't really say these spellings are wrong, if the author preferred them, but they can sometimes stand out oddly. There's a part of me that says make a book consistently American spelling and a part of me that says leave it be. I have NO IDEA which part of me I should listen to, but generally opt for the leaving well enough be. |
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