Why can’t we get it right? In the
UK you apply for an export licence but the act of applying is licensing the
goods … yet even in official documents you see the words spelt Export License
and licencing. There is correct way of
using these spellings they are not interchangeable, and it’s got nothing to do
with international trade it’s an old fashioned grammar/spelling questions.
Under the rules of the English language a change from a “C” to “S”
changes it from a noun to a verb. It
happens with other words such as practice and practise. For me, the easiest way to remember is if you
can see -“C” - it and touch it you write LICENCE, everything you can’t “C”, the
process or doing something, eg applying for permission, is LICENSE.
The USA complicate this understanding by just using LICENSE for
everything – this was thanks to Mr Noah
Webster. Webster was a revolutionary during
the American War of Independence from English rule but he also wanted to make
America independent from the cultural thralldom to Britain. So, in 1828, he published a dictionary which
purposely split USA spellings of words from their parent English getting rid of
a lot of rules and superfluous letters (eg colour/ color). I suppose we could do a little link to
international trade here, as our older readers will be aware, Webster’s
Dictionary was Morocco bound! (Sorry)
If you’re in the UK there is no excuse for spelling Licence incorrectly. I have an export licence in my hand after
licensing the goods!!! Easy
How can Strong and Herd LLP help?
Sign up to our Free Spotlights!
Subscribe to our free information emails covering
international trade topics .... Spotlights on key topics
SAMPLE
A fine Grumble, and one after my own heart! Some would accuse us of being pedants, but if we can't understand our own language, why should we expect people who don't have English as a first language to fully comprehend everything we say?
ReplyDelete