Operation B.O.R.E.D. - Being Overly Restless: Engaging Degeneration
RANDTed: Henry Yew at 9:24:00 PM
I'm sorry for double-posting here, but seriously, I'm BORED to death to the extent that I can't help being restless. My relatives have just left and within the past four hours, I couldn't help feeling bored and looking for something not so heavy to do. Therefore, I have decided to do a bit of blogging here (to make up for my absence).
Being a random entry here, I'd like to discuss more about the usage of English. Upon the existence of this blog, StMaverick had advertised it in UTPian.NET and the response was quite encouraging. The administrator of UTPian.NET even mentioned about the standard of English of undergraduates and their hope that this blog can inspire many more undergraduates, especially, to improve their English.
However, we cannot help but to be engaged in quite a dilemma here. While I personally insist on British (UK) English while writing my entries here and even in my blog, some prefer the American (US) English. So, who is right? Well, there is no such question. It is actually up to one's preference, but as I am living in Malaysia, I would prefer the British.
Are the following words from the American or British English?
- Estrogen
- Behavior
- Marvelous
- Esophagus
- Sidewalk
- Program (as in "the agenda of an occasion")
- Sideburns (you know, the hair that grows at the side of your face)
- Gray
- Meter
- Bail out
Let me not take so much of your time now. The above words are all in American English. Here are the British equivalents:
- Oestrogen
- Behaviour
- Marvellous
- Oesophagus
- Pavement
- Programme
- Sideboards
- Grey
- Metre
- Bale out
All right, I'll admit it. Even I, at times, use American English, albeit unintentionally. But the most important question is this: why is it that American English differs from that of British English? This question perhaps can only be answered by an Anglo-Saxon from the UK and an Anglo-Saxon from the US (whose ancestors came from the UK). Still, I doubt if that question can be answered with assurance.
Nevertheless, I do not care whether you follow the British or the American English. Suit yourself to whichever you feel more comfortable with. However, do bear in mind this point: in any spelling bee competition, only British English answers are accepted. And the Australians are now looking back to the UK to gauge their standard of English.
So, now that you know, you decide for yourself whether to stick with which system.
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In a globalised world it doesn't matter what English you use as long as it's universally understood by Anglophones and English speaking people.