Hi again, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to Paul Quinn:   
      
    PQ>>  By the way, we spell our neighbours with the extra   
    PQ>>  "u" here.  'Neighbors' is a North American,   
      
      
             USAian, to be exact....  :-)   
      
      
      
    PQ>>  and possibly Canadian, variation from the normal.   
      
      
             Either way is correct in Canada.   
      
             You may see variations in Canadian spellings depending on the age &   
   ethnic background of the writers.  I suspect Aussies are much like Canadians,   
   however, in that while we "do our own thing" we don't expect everyone else to   
   follow suit.  I have my own preferences, of course... and in this case my own   
   preference is the same as Paul's.  But if reputable sources agree that xxx is   
   correct in [esp. UK] or [esp. US] usage I will accept it....  :-)   
      
      
      
    ak>   I know it - my choice was deliberate. In school I   
    ak>   studied British English, but when I and Everette   
    ak>   checked my translation he was very unhappy with my   
    ak>   British spelling. And I decided to write as an   
    ak>   American. ;-)   
      
      
             I imagine Everett was in much the same position I'd be in if I were   
   expected to mark high school papers written in British English.  I understand   
   the lingo, and I recognize (recognise) numerous variations in spelling, but I   
   would not be able to distinguish grade eight errors from Awful Americanisms &   
   English-as-a-Second-Language errors with the same facility I do at home.  :-)   
      
      
      
    ak>   Actually I can't please everyone on this account.   
      
      
             No, you can't.  But now that you have a solid background in British   
   English I believe you are ready to expand your horizons as a translator right   
   here.  When Fidonetters are posting from the US in US English, there's little   
   doubt about which dialect *they* prefer... and you can ask them directly what   
   they would do & why they'd do it that way.  When you see folks from Canada or   
   Australia... i.e. two relatively minor players on the world stage in terms of   
   population... writing in their own unique blend of UK & US English you can be   
   sure they've devoted some thought to which version they prefer to use in what   
   circumstances.  There are Canadians who get paid for interpreting Europeans &   
   USAians to one another... and there are international publishing houses which   
   rely on Australians to produce such seamless prose that even I can't tell for   
   sure where the author comes from without googling his or her name.  While our   
   dialects may not be universally appreciated, we all have our talents....  ;-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)