Jim Jools - london_lassie - Aquagility et al

[burnham]

If I can come in on an earlier discussion on 'ise' v 'ize' - I've only just switched on: Fowler seems to prefer 'ize' in the general case, but points out that there are words that must take 'ise' (too many to itemize). Many years ago (before your time) AP Herbert argued for 'ize' to be used for words derived from Greek, and 'ise' for Latin words, but I think he lost that argument. All of which is no help at all!!

[JoolsTwo]

Thanks for that burnham. I settled for 'ize' in the end. Too late to do anything now if it is wrong as I have posted it. :-)

[Brooksy]

I seem to recall that the Oxford often gives s or z as alternitives.

[Town Crier]

Yes, it does - as also does Chambers - which means that the Telegraph has to accept both spellings as correct.

[Aquagility]

I doubt very much if the Telegraph will accept both spellings as correct. There is usually on list of "Last week's solutions" and that's that.

Just think that you might win or lose a Telegraph Pen to hand down to your grandchildren on one turn of an S or a Z.

[Town Crier]

Aquagility - do you really think that the Telegraph are going to refuse to accept one spelling when both are correct? The same goes for adapter/adaptor - both are correct.

[Town Crier]

Oh and just because there is one spelling in the solutions, does not mean that the other spelling would not have been accepted, does it?

[Brooksy]

I recall seeing alternative letters eg s/z squeezed into answer boxes occasionally, but wether or not it was the Telegraph I cannot be sure.

[Aquagility]

You're right, Town Crier, it does not follow. But I just wish I had your faith in there being a well run office with logical decisions being taken. I fear that our fate is more likely to be in the hands of a bored youth with a list of answers to check against - and our best chance is that he (or she) may not check them at all!