GHQ Models Forums

I notice the catalogue is using the British spelling "armour" rather than the US "armor."

Quite right too - after all, it is written in 'English'!

I'm not sure what the point of this post is. If it was an objection to the use of the British spelling (armour) being used instead of the American (armor) then I find it amusing that the thread title, "Catalogue", is the British spelling, and "catalog" is the American form.

(Deleted duplicate posting. Website reported error when post submitted)

It's all very historical.
Y'see, way back when, even before the US was a country, everything had to be imported from England. Those old ships didn't have a lot of room, so some letters were judged unnecessary and left behind to save space.

Later, when the US was up and running and producing words of its own, people celebrated the new age by using much longer words than the English did, for example, "elevator" in stead of "lift" "apartment" instead of "flat", and "parking lot" instead of "car park". Just to show that we were no longer limited by the need to be stingy with ink.

Some words do not follow this pattern, and have other explanations. For example, we have "Cookie" instead of "Biscuit" because we had Dutch and British bakers, and if you have a choice between a Dutch baker's cookie and a British baker's biscuit, well of course, you're going to eat the cookie.

As I understand it, 'American' is actually much closer in spelling to the original english pre-independence and it's 'English' that's moved on quicker. Still, we invented the tank so you can spell armour our way in tribute!

Jeeeez, it was just an OBSERVATION! Since GHQ in the US USUALLY used the "American" spelling, I thought it was interesting that the remnant website we were left with made use of the English version. As to catalogue vs catalog, I'm old. WE USED to spell it that way, as well. Madison Avenue has been in charge of spelling practices here since the War.

Being reasonably well-read and travelled, I AM familiar with some, but not all of the differences in our common language, which is more than I can say for whatever "corrects" what I type into this forum.

Ben wins best post of the day!

I think I shall continue to spell it "our" way. Millions for defense, not one letter for tribute. When referring to British units, I use the British spelling as a courtesy.

I do the same in reverse when referring to US units.