English, Under Construction or Deconstruction?

The English language is very young and is a mix of so many old-world languages, stemming mainly from Danish (Angles) & German (Saxony), with lots of Greek, Latin, French, Albion Celtics (Pre-Roman Native British) and almost every language on the planet that uses the Ancient and Modern Latin Alphabet with some exceptions. [spoiler=Micro History]When William the Conqueror (Normandy) invaded and claimed the Throne of England & Wales, he had to learn England's language. The new language from Anglo Saxon England (post Roman) had become English and was the main language throughout England since most of the original Albions (Britains) had been forced out of England to the Celtic Regions of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, West Wales (West Country) & Brittany (Breton).[/spoiler] Since then, the language has been changing and becoming more refined with sets of rules made for the grammar, but unfortunately the original words (mostly Anglo Saxon) that spawned the modern English words, cause some confusion with pronunciation and spelling. [spoiler=Localised Variations]For very young settled countries that adopted the modern English language (USA, Australia, New Zealand etc), some struggle to accept the original English spelling. For example: The USA doesn't always recognise "ise" as correct grammar and use "ize" instead. Not altogether wrong, as the Oxford English originally established words as "ize" when they were derived from words with the Greek ending -ιζειν, such as "capsize, seize, size & prize" However, when not derived from a Greek word it uses "ise". [i]advertise, advise, apprise, arise, chastise, circumcise, incise, excise, exercise, comprise, compromise, demise, despise, devise, disguise, franchise, improvise, merchandise, revise, supervise, surmise, surprise, televise, prise (as in lever or force) & colonise[/i].... However, there are always other reasons why a word is how it is, which we forget to consider and one reason is, where the word originated from and why. Here's a post I found in a discussion thread by some very clued up language experts. [spoiler=post reply]Hi all, As usual when I start reading a thread like this, I itch to add my twopenn'orth (/two cents worth), then I read on and find that others have beaten me to it and I'm left with about a hap'orth (/half a cent's worth). [i]Art's[/i] Oxford/Cambridge point is answered (superbly) by [i]Garry[/i]: "ize" is historical (the Oxford, in its printed version, does explain in a preface), but is questionable for BrE, since modern UK usage is almost exclusively "ise". Indeed, "ize" is not "overriding "ise" -- quite the contrary. So you're in good company: it's not a case of "for your 'ise' only"! :p One advantage of BrE "ise" is that you don't have to worry about which words can't be "ize", even in AmE (cf [i]Helicopta's[/i] post #5), because (and now here's my half-cent's worth) : ... The ize/ise option is valid only as a suffix for creating a verb from a root noun or adjective : American >> Americanise/ize = 'make American' category >> categorise/ize = 'put in categories' real >> realise/ize = ‘make real’... etc It does not apply to words such as 'compromise', 'surprise', 'otherwise', because they are not formed like this: comprom-ise (to make comprom !?) surpr-ise (to put into a surpr !?) otherw-ise (to make otherw !?) .... :eek: .... but like this: com-pro-mise ('mise' from past participle of French 'mettre'=put) sur-prise ('prise' from past participle of French 'prendre'=take) other-wise (two good English words, wise=way) ... and so they can't be spelt with a z. So I'd advise (never advize) English-language learners to stick to 'ise' -- it's the easy option :thumbs: :), and the worst fate you may suffer is Americans thinking you're not American! W :) :) [/spoiler] An ill-thought out replacement of "s" to "z" is with the word "Laser", because it's not an original word, but an ordinary word derived from an Acronym. [spoiler=Acronym]An acronym is pronounced as a single word, rather than as a series of letters. [b]NASA[/b], for instance, is an acronym. It stands for [b]N[/b]ational [b]A[/b]eronautics and [b]S[/b]pace [b]A[/b]dministration. Occasionally, an acronym becomes so commonplace that it evolves into an ordinary word that people no longer think of as an acronym. The words [b]scuba[/b] and[b] laser[/b], for instance, originated as acronyms ([b]s[/b]elf [b]c[/b]ontained [b]u[/b]nderwater [b]b[/b]reathing [b]a[/b]pparatus and [b]l[/b]ight [b]a[/b]mplification by [b]s[/b]timulated [b]e[/b]mission of [b]r[/b]adiation, respectively).[/spoiler][/spoiler] Another more confusing group of letters in British English are "ough", used in words such as "rough, tough, dough, through & borough", where they can have different pronunciations. [spoiler=The full list] abought aforethought afterthought afterthoughts although besought bethought borough boroughs bough boughed boughpot boughpots boughs bought boughten breakthrough breakthroughs brougham broughams brought chough choughs clough cloughs cough coughed cougher coughers coughing coughs dogfought dough doughboy doughboys doughface doughfaces doughier doughiest doughlike doughnut doughnutlike doughnuts doughs dought doughtier doughtiest doughtily doughtiness doughtinesses doughty doughy dreadnought dreadnoughts drought droughtier droughtiest droughtiness droughtinesses droughts droughty enough enoughs forethought forethoughtful forethoughtfully forethoughtfulness forethoughtfulnesses forethoughts fought foughten furlough furloughed furloughing furloughs gunfought handwrought hiccough hiccoughed hiccoughing hiccoughs infought interborough interboroughs interwrought lough loughs merrythought merrythoughts methought misthought nought noughts ought oughted oughting oughts outbought outfought outthought outwrought overbought overthought overwrought plough ploughed plougher ploughers ploughing ploughs rebought refought resought rethought rewrought rough roughage roughages roughcast roughcasting roughcasts roughdried roughdries roughdry roughdrying roughed roughen roughened roughening roughens rougher roughers roughest roughhew roughhewed roughhewing roughhewn roughhews roughhouse roughhoused roughhouses roughhousing roughing roughish roughleg roughlegs roughly roughneck roughnecks roughness roughnesses roughrider roughriders roughs roughshod slough sloughed sloughier sloughiest sloughing sloughs sloughy sough soughed soughing soughs sought sourdough sourdoughs thorough thoroughbass thoroughbasses thoroughbrace thoroughbraces thoroughbred thoroughbreds thorougher thoroughest thoroughfare thoroughfares thoroughgoing thoroughly thoroughness thoroughnesses thoroughpin thoroughpins thoroughwort thoroughworts though thought thoughtful thoughtfully thoughtfulness thoughtfulnesses thoughtless thoughtlessly thoughtlessness thoughtlessnesses thoughts thoughtway thoughtways through throughither throughly throughother throughout throughput throughputs throughway throughways tough toughed toughen toughened toughening toughens tougher toughest toughie toughies toughing toughish toughly toughness toughnesses toughs toughy trough troughs unbought underbought unfought unrough unsought unthought wherethrough wrought yarborough yarboroughs[/spoiler] Again, some of these words have been Americanised, such as "through" becoming "thru", but "Through" is the only acceptable way to spell the word in a formal situation. In informal situations, and especially when texting or instant messaging, the form thru is becoming increasingly popular. In the case of "Doughnut" becoming "Donut", the age old problem of what makes up the word applies here. A Nut of Dough (pre ring-shaped) and not a Nut of Do. The slang/abbreviated word of Donut has been around since the late 1700's, but has always been an informal use of the correct word. The word Donut was first used commercially by Dunkin' Donuts and anyone who uses the word Donut formally is only serving to spread the advertising of the Doughnut Franchise "Dunkin' Donuts".