How do I make my Mac British?

[theblotted]

funnily, i just learned tonight from some linguistic friends that english is the hardest language to learn in the world, cuz it's the only one that has no rules that doesn't have exceptions.

i mulled over the last line above for about a minute.

despite english being my fourth language, i know it better than other 3. and rest of the world is learning it in schools (some mandatory). ironically.

what's next, Chinese? what's with this obsession for hard languages to come up top?

 

[elppa]

If you write down the word "color" and show it to someone from England they will say, "oh, that's American".

If you write down the word "colour" and show it to someone from American they will say, "oh, that's wrong".

This is a key distinction.

 

[beatsme]

what's next, Chinese? what's with this obsession for hard languages to come up top?

English, for the time being, is the language of money. Will Chinese be next? Likely, but who knows exactly when...

 

[gavnor]

Very entertaining everyone...

Cracking bit of cross pond banter. One of the funniest of subject threads I've read, and they can so often go wrong, with extremely 'colourful' language for example! That's it from me, I am now off to try and stop Macmail misspelling the queens English. What Ho!

(BTW is this the spell check in this form Safari or some kind of Java script thingy?)

 

[elppa]

(BTW is this the spell check in this form Safari or some kind of Java script thingy?)

It's Safari. And if you write click and choose “Show Spelling and Grammar” you can choose from British English, U.S English, Australian English and Canadian English.

 

[bob5820]

I believe another key difference is that British MBP's are made of aluminium while the American MBP's are made of aluminum.

 

[bobbytomorow]

draw a monocle on it

 

[robbieduncan]

If you write down the word "color" and show it to someone from England they will say, "oh, that's American".

If you write down the word "colour" and show it to someone from American they will say, "oh, that's wrong".

This is a key distinction.

And if you describe the United Kingdom as England those of us who are not English but are British will notice. We don't refer to all of the USA as New York...

 

[Rhalliwell1]

I believe another key difference is that British MBP's are made of aluminium while the American MBP's are made of aluminum.

To further the point:

British: Al-u-min-i-um
American: Alu-min-um

Wow 5 syllables compared with 3. One really is simpler than the other......

 

[telecomm]

American: Alu-min-um

X

Back to Grade 3 for you!

A-lu-mi-num

And in case your arithmetic is also suffering, that's 4 syllables.

 

[Rhalliwell1]

X

Back to Grade 3 for you!

A-lu-mi-num

And in case your arithmetic is also suffering, that's 4 syllables.

I specialise in British English. I don't specialize in American English.

 

[telecomm]

I specialise in British English. I don't specialize in American English.

Then you may be interested to know that 'specialize' is also the preferred (British) English spelling, as per the OED.

 

[satcomer]

My computer's spell check always seems to want me to use American spelling, how do I make him more British?

Give it bad teeth?