Who Wonders About Spellings? Poem by Terence George Craddock (Spectral Images and Images Of Light)

who wonders about spellings?
judgement made and judgment passed
a word application flags judgement

as an incorrect spelling
but a rolling stone gathers no moss
search the word online

a kiwi familiar with both
British and American spellings
instantly searches in mind

both judgement and judgment
occur with seemingly equal frequency
one English the other American?

Dictionary English
Dictionary American
Program setting in computer?

What a bother!
If both are OK
on differing sides of pond?

Yes Yes you guess
you could...
updat your dictionary?

by adding
the 'judgement'
spelling

but doing
so might
lend

it will it will
assistance...
to spelling

inconsistencies
a certain probability
yes yes a 'judgment call'

your wondering
why the two spellings?
now your saying

you would have to say
British spelling is judgement
American spelling is judgment

now your quoting
early twentieth century?
when H. W. Fowler

was writing
his influential
book on usage

a personal opinion
the spelling judgment
was research evidently

being used
by a lot
of British writers?

It is the British spelling
it is the British rule
for all British spellings!

All American writers
use American spellings
unless living in Britain?

Canada Australia
New Zealand India
Commonwealth nations?

according to Fowler
'modern usage'
favored judgment?

nevertheless
Fowler and the OED
preferred judgement?

What rot old bean
Henry Watson Fowler
was an English schoolmaster

a lexicographer
and commentator
on the usage

of the English language
notable for both achievements
'A Dictionary of Modern English Usage'
and work on the 'Concise Oxford Dictionary'

described by 'The Times'
as 'a lexicographical genius'
he was English following

English spellings
English rules
pure simple or researched

how bizarre to come so far from
judgement to judgment made
but for a different spin read on in

judgements of a poet fanciful made
when waxing romantic artful
'When Soul Walked Night Visions'

when waxing playful insightful delightful
'A Desire To Know Deep Meanings'
explores shift changes in dictionaries made

or knock upon histories door for origins
'Dr Samuel Johnson's Dictionary Masterpiece'
cross channel 'Webster's American Spellings'

final 'Judgement Of A Word' brings us
full circle global internet on line spellings
to swiftly search out basic online meanings


Copyright © Terence George Craddock