word up

[darren_stranger]

Okay, i reckon some of you good vocabliary having type persons can help with this'n:

Practise.  Practice.  Which is which?

I have a vague recollection that one spelling is for repeating a task to improve skill (ie rehearsing), while the other is for an ongoing activity (eg a legal practice/practise) but i can't for the life of me remember which is which.  Any dictionaries i've checked say they're interchangeable, but i'm not convinced (these same dic's seem to waver between British and American spellings as well).

Can anyone clue me up?

Comments

Googling presents ...

[quiet101.livejournal.com]

Never could get it right myself, however here's a couple of links that MAY assist:

http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/practice.html

http://www.world-english.org/practise_practice.htm

This may be of more assistance:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/results.asp?searchword=practise
seems to give practical applications of the two words.

or here: http://www.gcse.com/english/practice.htm

Google is your friend :)

Re: Googling presents ...

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Ah. Thank you, good sir.

Re: Googling presents ...

[quiet101.livejournal.com]

You are most welcome ... I've had issues with these two words for more years than I really care to recall :)

[p-cat.livejournal.com]

In Australian English (which is based on British English rather than American):

The '-ce' ending denotes a noun and the '-se' ending is used for verbs. Thus, "medical practice" and "violin practise".

In American English, the noun ending is also "-se", e.g. "driver's license".[1]

[1] I am not proficient in American English and my American isn't here right now, so please feel free to correct me.

Hope that helps!

[i-beloved.livejournal.com]

I agree with the medical practice and the violin practise and have always used it that way.

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that makes sense. The license/licence thing had me confused too.

The blurring of US and UK English is doin' me head in.

Now to see if quiet101's links can sort out center/centre for me..

[p-cat.livejournal.com]

"Center" (similarly "meter") is US English; "centre" is British and Australian English.

Also, "-ize" endings in US English ("familiarize", "organize", "organization") are spelt "-ise" in British and Australian English.

[hbdeath.livejournal.com]

As has been noted, practice = noun, practise = verb. I've never seen any source that says they can be correctly used interchangeably.

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Well, by 'any dictionary' i really meant the one at work, which is the same one that defines 'angst' as 'a feeling of guilt'. I should toss the thing out.

[p-cat.livejournal.com]

Good god, man! What dictionary is this?

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

A crap one at work. Can't remember what it's called.

I have heard once or twice that Australian dictionaries are now listing both US and UK spellings as correct for 'Australian English', though i can't confirm or deny first hand.