Never done that before

[skribs]

I'm intrigued about the variation in spelling of 'axe'.

How much of the US correctly includes the e and why?

If I type "Axe" into my computer, it says it's wrong (red highlight underneath). That's the spelling I used for a long time, but recently I've been changing it based on the feedback from my computer.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I'm intrigued about the variation in spelling of 'axe'.

How much of the US correctly includes the e and why?

If I type "Axe" into my computer, it says it's wrong (red highlight underneath). That's the spelling I used for a long time, but recently I've been changing it based on the feedback from my computer.

Both spellings go back centuries in British and American English. “Axe” has been more prevalent for a while, but “ax” may be making a bit of a comeback.

 

[skribs]

Both spellings go back centuries in British and American English. “Axe” has been more prevalent for a while, but “ax” may be making a bit of a comeback.

Probably because of Microsoft and other applications not having "axe" in their spell check.

 

[skribs]

Both spellings go back centuries in British and American English. “Axe” has been more prevalent for a while, but “ax” may be making a bit of a comeback.

Probably because of Microsoft and other applications not having "axe" in their spell check.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I'm intrigued about the variation in spelling of 'axe'.

How much of the US correctly includes the e and why?

"Axe" is just the way I've always spelled it. "Ax" always looks wrong to me.

 

[pdg]

Probably because of Microsoft and other applications not having "axe" in their spell check.

Have to nitpick first - Microsoft isn't an application, it's a company that produces software that includes operating systems as well as applications

Just about every application designed for an international audience has both versions and will show either or both as correct depending on your location settings.

My computer shows only 'axe' as correct, whereas my phone recognises both 'ax' and 'axe'.

If the popularisation of 'ax' is because of computers, it's solely down to lazy users leaving everything as default - but I think it's more to do with the general trend toward Americanisation that's seeping into everything (some of it is good, some bad - I'm not getting into which bits I think fall on which side )

 

[pdg]

"Axe" is just the way I've always spelled it. "Ax" always looks wrong to me.

I agree, 'ax' looks incomplete.

I just find the variations in what is superficially the same language quite interesting.

 

[skribs]

Have to nitpick first - Microsoft isn't an application, it's a company that produces software that includes operating systems as well as applications

Just about every application designed for an international audience has both versions and will show either or both as correct depending on your location settings.

My computer shows only 'axe' as correct, whereas my phone recognises both 'ax' and 'axe'.

If the popularisation of 'ax' is because of computers, it's solely down to lazy users leaving everything as default - but I think it's more to do with the general trend toward Americanisation that's seeping into everything (some of it is good, some bad - I'm not getting into which bits I think fall on which side )

Pardon me for trusting multiple multi-billion dollar companies to be better at spelling 2- and 3-letter words than me.

Especially when my particular weakness is with silent and double letters. Do you know how many times it takes me to write sheriff? I keep writing it sherrif, then sherriff, then sherif, then sherrif again, then sherriff again, then sheriff, and then I stare at it for 30 seconds because "that can't be it."

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Pardon me for trusting multiple multi-billion dollar companies to be better at spelling 2- and 3-letter words than me.

Especially when my particular weakness is with silent and double letters. Do you know how many times it takes me to write sheriff? I keep writing it sherrif, then sherriff, then sherif, then sherrif again, then sherriff again, then sheriff, and then I stare at it for 30 seconds because "that can't be it."

Well, that is one of "those" words. I work with a sheriff's office, and still misspell it literally every time I type it (including this sentence, when you'd conveniently provided the correct spelling for me to reference).