MyAnswers: Is it calendar or calender?

The following MyAnswers solution 2095 is now available:

Is it calendar or calender?

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz

Word Check (WordCheck) now has its own domain

To make it easier for people to locate Word Check I've now set up Word Check with its own domain http://www.wordcheck.com.au/.

Word Check enables people to check if they are using the preferred Australian English spelling. If you ever ask the question,"is it spelt with an s or a z?", then Word Check will help. If you wonder if it should be spelled or spelt, then Word Check will help. If you need to check the spelling of a word, then Word Check will help with suggestions if you haven't spelt the word correctly, and a convenient link to check the meaning of the word or other suggested words.

You can still find Word Check on the main page of JustLocal (http://www.justlocal.com.au/), and you can still go direct to the Word Check page, but now you have a quick and easy way to remember Word Check and where it is located on the internet.

Enjoy,

Kelvin Eldridge
http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/

La Trobe University shared computers set to American English

It has come to my attention that some of the computers which are provided to students to do their work at La Trobe University have not been set up correctly and are defaulting to American English. If using a shared computer provided by any educational group, you should test whether or not the language is set up correctly.

If the computer isn't set up correctly you'll end up with spelling errors in your work. The problem is even if your own computer is set up correctly and you later continue the work on your own computer, the language for the work done on another computer persists.

The document I read had many errors which was a direct result of the language set up on the university's computer.

To check the language settings when using Microsoft Word, type in the words colour and color.  The word color should be highlighted as being an incorrect spelling. Many academics also consider the ize spelling variations to be American spelling and will mark accordingly. The ize spelling is an accepted secondary spelling in Australia, but if you wish to only use the preferred primary spelling, you'll need to obtain the Exclude file I produce for Microsoft Office, which marks over 2,000 secondary spelling variations as incorrect. Using the Exclude file leads to a more professional document with consistent spelling. There is nothing wrong is using either the ise or the ize spelling variations in Australia, but to use both in the one document is considered incorrect.

Whilst it isn't wrong to use the ize spelling variation in Australia, if your work is read by others, keep in mind many other people consider the ize spelling variation to be an incorrect spelling variation. Whilst they aren't right, if you're applying for job and the potential employer thinks you can't spell, it won't help you and may even reduce your chances of getting that dream position.

Kelvin Eldridge
http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/

I wonder what they charge for bookeeping! Hopefully their rates aren't shocking.

I drove past this sign on the side of the building for a chartered accountant in Thomastown, which made me laugh and I thought others might enjoy it. I've never seen a chartered accountant or business adviser offer bookeeping services before, but there's always a first. So if your accounts are haunting you, perhaps this is the chartered accountant for you.

Kelvin Eldridge
http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/

PS. If you have an interesting photo relating to the usage of Australian English and wish to share it with others, please feel free to send it on.

PPS. One reader advised me the spelling in the above for bookkeeper is incorrect, which of course is a correct observation. They had not noticed the sign, which the accountant no doubt paid good money to have made. The sign would have been checked by the graphic designer, printer and the accountants themselves and all had failed to pick up the spelling error of bookkeeper, which should have been bookkeeper. I found this amusing but perhaps that's just my ghoulish sense of humour;-)