British American English spelling mistakes

British or American English spelling mistakes might not really be errors as spelling in the USA has changed from the original English. Some Americans thought that British English needed to be simplified and updated; so they changed some words and this has become accepted as American English.

Unfortunately, this can lead to misunderstandings. If the British had followed the American example it would have been OK but that wasn't really likely to happen as the British have a pride in their language and literature.

The important thing to keep in mind is who your target audience is and consider using a spell checker to get it right as the recipient might not be aware of the alternative spelling.

Some of the most common differences are:
(UK) -- (US)
aluminium, aluminum
analyse -- analyze
anaesthesia -- anesthesia
centre -- center
defence -- defense
dialogue -- dialogue, dialog
fulfil -- fulfill, fulfil
labour -- labor
organise, organize -- organize
programme, program
travelling -- traveling, travelling
tyre, -- tire


So, the next time you see what looks like a typo or bad spelling, remember, it might be a Brit, or if you are one, it could be your American cousin "improving your language".