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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

Center / Centre

English answer:

if it's a part of a name, don't change

Added to glossary by Yasutomo Kanazawa
Feb 5, 2010 08:55
14 yrs ago
English term

Center / Centre

Non-PRO English Other Names (personal, company)
I'm correcting a grant application that's supposed to be in UK English (for an EU institution). If there's a reference to a US "center" (e.g. Center for Measuring University Performance). Is there any rule on whether or not to change "Center" to "Centre". My instinct is to change it, but if anyone can give me a reference for a definitive ruling on this point, I'd be grateful.
Responses
3 +14 if it's a part of a name, don't change
4 +9 center if it is part of a name
Change log

Feb 5, 2010 09:21: writeaway changed "Field" from "Other" to "Social Sciences" , "Field (specific)" from "Education / Pedagogy" to "Names (personal, company)"

Feb 5, 2010 14:45: Charlesp changed "Field" from "Social Sciences" to "Other"

Feb 5, 2010 16:06: Sheila Wilson changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"

Feb 8, 2010 10:25: Yasutomo Kanazawa Created KOG entry

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (3): writeaway, Charlesp, Sheila Wilson

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Discussion

Mirra_ Feb 5, 2010:
thank you *very* much for asking it!!

I always wonder about the meaning of this difference.
:)
Jenni Lukac (X) Feb 5, 2010:
There are exceptions to the rule, especially whe Americans want to be wordly. Some theaters style themselves as "theatres", etc. I go with the style that the particular institution has adopted.
Charlesp Feb 5, 2010:
The Royal Theater would too look out of place to a Brit. And so too to an American who had knowledge of England.

A more difficult question is, eg: When I was in the US, I visited this very interesting centre, the "Center for Measuring University Performance). "

Now the use of centre here would really generate a discussion and perhaps a difference of opinion.
Ross Andrew Parker (asker) Feb 5, 2010:
The "-er" just looks out-of-place, I suppose, but I will go with the consensus view.
Charlesp Feb 5, 2010:
Ross, why? why is your instinct is to change it? (there must be more to this question)
Ross Andrew Parker (asker) Feb 5, 2010:
That definitely looks like a consensus!

Responses

+14
6 mins
Selected

if it's a part of a name, don't change

As you may know, they are AE and BE spellings respectively. But if the word is used as a proper noun, I would write it as they are written and would not change it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-02-05 10:44:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

One example, but you'll see "Labour Party" referring to the UK Labour Party spelled with a "u" inserted when referred to in The New York Times or The Washington Post.
Peer comment(s):
agree Melissa Mann
4 mins
Thank you Melissa
agree Craig Meulen
26 mins
Thank you Craig
agree Dr. Andrew Frankland
38 mins
Thank you Andrew
agree Patricia Townshend (X)
1 hr
Thank you Patricia
agree Oliver Lawrence
1 hr
Grazie, Oliver
agree English2Korean
1 hr
Thank you English2Korean
agree Nikki Graham
2 hrs
Thank you Nikki
agree Paula Vaz-Carreiro
2 hrs
Thank you Paula
agree Jack Doughty
2 hrs
Thank you Jack!
agree Stephanie Ezrol
2 hrs
Thank you Stephanie
agree John Detre
3 hrs
Thank you John
agree Adsion Liu
5 hrs
Thank you Adison
agree Rolf Keiser
5 hrs
Thank you Goldcoaster
agree Peter Skipp
8 hrs
Thank you Peter
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks"
+9
7 mins

center if it is part of a name

Center is used primarily in American English. If it is the name of an institution I would not change it. Used generically I would otherwise use centre in the document for a British text.
Peer comment(s):
agree Craig Meulen
25 mins
Good morning and thanks, Craig.
agree Patricia Townshend (X)
1 hr
Good morning and thanks, Patricia.
agree Oliver Lawrence
1 hr
Good morning and thanks, Oliver.
agree Nikki Graham
2 hrs
Good morning and thanks, Nikki.
agree Gary D
2 hrs
Good afternoon and thanks, Gary.
agree Adsion Liu
5 hrs
Good afternoon and thanks, Adison.
agree Charlesp
5 hrs
Good afternoon and thanks, Charles.
agree Peter Skipp
8 hrs
Good evening and thanks, Peter.
agree Kim Metzger
17 hrs
Good morning and thanks, KIm.
Something went wrong...
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