Re: Foreigner(s)

On Sat, 14 Feb 2009 13:56:27 +0100, "Arne H. Wilstrup" <ahw> wrote:

According to my English dictionary you can use both ways of spelling
program: Programme and program. But it seems to bother some people, so I
consequently change my way of spelling.

Your dictionary is wrong, or perhaps you have misunderstood it. "Programme"
and "Program" are not direct substitutes.

Each one is correct in different contexts in different national varieties of
English.

There may a few minor exceptions but the general positiuon is:

American English: "program" for all meanings.

British English: "program" for a piece of computer software. "programme" is
used for all other meanings.

Kenneth G. Wilson says in _The Columbia Guide to Standard American English_
http://www.bartleby.com/68/3/4803.html

Americans spell the noun and the infinitive of the verb with one m;
other forms of the American verb are in divided usage: programed or
programmed, programing or programming. The noun with the agentive ending
is similarly divided?programer or programmer?but the adjective
programmable always has two m?s, and Americans usually use the two m?s
when the subject is programmed instruction or computer programming. The
British spell the noun and verb programme and consistently spell the other
forms of the word with two m?s.

Even Wilson omits to mention the British use of "program" for a piece of
computer software. He can be forgiven because his dictionary is about AmE not
BrE.


--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
.

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