Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> News and Comment >> BBC use of american spelling http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1280310603 Message started by Dickie Mint on Jul 28^th, 2010, 9:51am

Title: BBC use of american spelling
Post by Dickie Mint on Jul 28^th, 2010, 9:51am

Perusing the BBC website some weeks back I was irritated to see the american spelling of rumor rather than the correct English spelling of rumour. So I made a complaint. Now you would expect the BBC to apologise, wouldn't you.
But no, the flavour of the response was almost to justify it! Judge for yourselves :

"I understand you had concerns with regards to the term ‘rumor’ rather than ‘rumour’ which was included on the following BBC Press Office site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2010/wk29/tue.shtml

Much of the influence on our lives comes from the United States and some American words and terms have been imported, however, we are conscious of the need to maintain high standards of written and spoken English in our reports and broadcasts."

I note here also that this forum's bulletin board software wants me to use american spelling.... Shouldn't that be changed?!!

Title: Re: BBC use of american spelling
Post by Administrator on Jul 28^th, 2010, 3:03pm

Sadly, there are no language options with this piece of software. We have to use it as it comes.

The reply to the complaint is even worse than the original mistake. Whoever wrote "I understand you had concerns with regards to" should be fired.

Admin