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Questions for Editors, Proofreaders & Writing Gurus


gina_riley2

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I noticed a slight difference in spelling on the forum. Originally, I thought it was a spelling error or using your phone/tablet.

It appears to be consistent.

The way I spell: favorite
Some people spell: favourite

I say:
First, welcome!
Second, nice gigs…
Third, …

Firstly, welcome!
Secondly, nice gigs.
Thirdly, …

Is it just preference or a matter of region? When I use writing and/or proofreading service on other platforms, they ask me which style. 5r sellers do not ask me that question.

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Words with “ou” are common to British spelling, whereas words using “o” are common to American spelling. I noticed that British like to make words longer than Americans in some cases 😃

Here’s an idea: if your buyer’s country is UK, “favour” this, whereas for USA “favor” this 🙂

As for first vs firstly - I think it’s a matter of preference. Some say “firstly” is more formal, but if you want to be a little bit informal, use “first”. And if your numbered list is long, avoid the “ly” suffix, you wouldn’t want “twentyseventhly” haha!

P.S. when I learned English (or “learnt” for some British), I used all those word forms interchangeably, and I don’t think your buyers or forum peers will mind if you use any of those variations, but when you write a paper/article, then it becomes trickier.

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@woofy31 is quite right Gina - we Brits spell a number of words differently, and use different words completely sometimes.

Favourite, colour, flavour, centre etc.

Tap/faucet
Car boot/trunk
Aeroplane/airplane - I’m sure I could think of more, but there’s probably a website somewhere which would explain it much better than I ever could! 🙂

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@woofy31 is quite right Gina - we Brits spell a number of words differently, and use different words completely sometimes.

Favourite, colour, flavour, centre etc.

Tap/faucet

Car boot/trunk

Aeroplane/airplane - I’m sure I could think of more, but there’s probably a website somewhere which would explain it much better than I ever could! 🙂

You forgot to add what most buyers want from a seller: “tailor-made” / “bespoke” (British) vs “custom-made” (American) 😛

When a buyer used for the first time “bespoke report”, I was like: what does this guy want? I’ve never heard of this type of report before…

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Words with “ou” are common to British spelling, whereas words using “o” are common to American spelling. I noticed that British like to make words longer than Americans in some cases 😃

Here’s an idea: if your buyer’s country is UK, “favour” this, whereas for USA “favor” this 🙂

As for first vs firstly - I think it’s a matter of preference. Some say “firstly” is more formal, but if you want to be a little bit informal, use “first”. And if your numbered list is long, avoid the “ly” suffix, you wouldn’t want “twentyseventhly” haha!

P.S. when I learned English (or “learnt” for some British), I used all those word forms interchangeably, and I don’t think your buyers or forum peers will mind if you use any of those variations, but when you write a paper/article, then it becomes trickier.

When I hire proofreaders (& editors) as well as article writers, the spelling tends to have slight variations.

I worked with a 5r seller in Austrailia. She’s the only one of several editor/proofreader who knew the difference between champagne and Champaign.

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Words with “ou” are common to British spelling, whereas words using “o” are common to American spelling. I noticed that British like to make words longer than Americans in some cases 😃

Here’s an idea: if your buyer’s country is UK, “favour” this, whereas for USA “favor” this 🙂

As for first vs firstly - I think it’s a matter of preference. Some say “firstly” is more formal, but if you want to be a little bit informal, use “first”. And if your numbered list is long, avoid the “ly” suffix, you wouldn’t want “twentyseventhly” haha!

P.S. when I learned English (or “learnt” for some British), I used all those word forms interchangeably, and I don’t think your buyers or forum peers will mind if you use any of those variations, but when you write a paper/article, then it becomes trickier.

I’ve always written “learnt” and people kept telling me it was wrong 😞

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I’ve always written “learnt” and people kept telling me it was wrong 😞

Of course, because it’s older and nowadays it seems that both Americans and British use “learned”. I always think to myself: "what’s easier for me to speak, “ned” or “nt”? 😃

@wuerz123, you could tell those buyers something along the lines of “I sincerely apologize, however my country’s regulations regarding the use of English language force me to adhere to the “learnt” form, but I can bypass this limitation for you for $5” 😂 #kidding

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It’s not really wrong but considered as old.

Again, learnt is used more in British English than American English, so I suppose it depends where you come from, or where you learnt your English! 🙂

Don’t worry @wuerz123 - both are correct spellings! 🙂

But if it’s considered old, I’m fine with that as well, because I am!

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@woofy31 is quite right Gina - we Brits spell a number of words differently, and use different words completely sometimes.

Favourite, colour, flavour, centre etc.

Tap/faucet

Car boot/trunk

Aeroplane/airplane - I’m sure I could think of more, but there’s probably a website somewhere which would explain it much better than I ever could! 🙂

Car boot/trunk

I would have never known what a “car boot” is, but now when I visit England next year, I am going to use that word. I’m thinking that’ll overcome my Asian/slightly southern US accent. 😉

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Car boot/trunk

I would have never known what a “car boot” is, but now when I visit England next year, I am going to use that word. I’m thinking that’ll overcome my Asian/slightly southern US accent. 😉

So you’ll use “rubbish in the car boot” as opposed to “junk in the trunk”? For the latter sounds more fluent and appealing to me 😃

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Car boot/trunk

I would have never known what a “car boot” is, but now when I visit England next year, I am going to use that word. I’m thinking that’ll overcome my Asian/slightly southern US accent. 😉

I got really confused when I moved to England from Scotland many years ago, and saw signs advertising ‘car boot sales’, and couldn’t think why people would be selling car boots! It’s what may be called a table top sale perhaps? So there you go - if you see a sign for a car boot sale, you’ll know what it’s for! 🙂

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Adding to the list… @offlinehelpers

Nappy is the british word for the american word “Diaper.”

@gina_riley2 Bin is for garbage can!

There are many words that are spelt (British way of spelling 🙂) differently in the UK. (Or America!)

However the ones that spell “Favorite” with an added “U” are mostly british writers.

Nappy is the british word for the american word “Diaper.”

@gina_riley2 Bin is for garbage can!

🔼

For some reason, I based you out of U.S. Maybe, I should just check out your profile!

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And let’s not start talking about Australian English vs American English:

biccies = cookies
bum floss = thong
thong = flip flops
choccy = chocolate
knock = thumbs down (imagine telling a buyer “knock knock” to find out later they’re from Australia!)

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And let’s not start talking about Australian English vs American English:

biccies = cookies

bum floss = thong

thong = flip flops

choccy = chocolate

knock = thumbs down (imagine telling a buyer “knock knock” to find out later they’re from Australia!)

knock = thumbs down (imagine telling a buyer “knock knock” to find out later they’re from Australia!)

Ha, ha, ha! 😁

I never really thought about these things when hiring someone on 5r.

I see why other sites ask me which writing style I prefer.

I learned or learnt something today.

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knock = thumbs down (imagine telling a buyer “knock knock” to find out later they’re from Australia!)

Ha, ha, ha! 😁

I never really thought about these things when hiring someone on 5r.

I see why other sites ask me which writing style I prefer.

I learned or learnt something today.

Just remember to take your thongs before going to the beach (yeah, depending on what English you use, that can be your actual thong or your flip flops 😂 )

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Favourite is British/NZ/Australian - basically everywhere that speaks English except America 🙂

Firstly, secondly, etc. I think is style but I might be wrong. I think I’d use ‘Firstly’ over ‘First’ but I don’t know that it’s a British preference.

Even with my Excel spreadsheets I check regional requirements - date formats, spelling etc. I’m guessing your writers are defaulting to America for spelling and using their own style preference?

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Favourite is British/NZ/Australian - basically everywhere that speaks English except America 🙂

Firstly, secondly, etc. I think is style but I might be wrong. I think I’d use ‘Firstly’ over ‘First’ but I don’t know that it’s a British preference.

Even with my Excel spreadsheets I check regional requirements - date formats, spelling etc. I’m guessing your writers are defaulting to America for spelling and using their own style preference?

I guess we’re lazy in the USA, so we like to use the bare minimum. 😁

Firstly, Secondly, etc. just doesn’t sound natural to me. We tend to start with “First of all,” then the second, third, etc.

I use multiple editors and proofreaders for my books, blogs, and web for this exact reason.

So,

Firstly, favourite sounds more elegant

Second of all, I need to update my books for the non USA audiences. ❤️

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I guess we’re lazy in the USA, so we like to use the bare minimum. 😁

Firstly, Secondly, etc. just doesn’t sound natural to me. We tend to start with “First of all,” then the second, third, etc.

I use multiple editors and proofreaders for my books, blogs, and web for this exact reason.

So,

Firstly, favourite sounds more elegant

Second of all, I need to update my books for the non USA audiences. ❤️

I need to update my books for the non USA audiences

We’re kind of used to it.

I write things occasionally and I have to do it in American English or I get shouted at in reviews. Some American English things flummox me though however hard I try. 🙂

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I need to update my books for the non USA audiences

We’re kind of used to it.

I write things occasionally and I have to do it in American English or I get shouted at in reviews. Some American English things flummox me though however hard I try. 🙂

Flummox - haven’t heard that for a while! 🙂

A close relation of kerfuffle!

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Give me all the weird old words!

“Billingsgate”. Formal. Elegant. Professional. Yet it relates to abusive language and cursing 😃 We should use this more often on the forum, like “Please refrain yourself from using billingsgate”.

And vomitorium? For real?!

P.S. Watch out for those snollygosters, for they are hugger-muggers living amongst us.

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