On Mon, Dec 07, 2009 at 11:47:38PM +1100, Christian Schladetsch wrote:
This may seem petty, but is there a specific need or demonstrable pretext for the use of Americanised 'z' over the traditional 's' in the term 'normalize'?
Not only petty but misguided. The Oxford English Dictionary gives "normalize" as the primary spelling and notes that both -ise and -ize have been around since the 18th century. It's quite commonplace to assume that -ise is traditional English but -ize is American, but the historical evidence doesn't bear out this world-view. OED's -ize entry notes that "prob. the earliest -ize word in Eng." is "baptize," a traditional spelling that has now fallen into disuse. The -ise/-ize variation long predates the colonisation of the Americas by Europeans. I hope that this helps you to feel better about reading the word "normalize" correctly spelt. -- “But it fareth with Sentences as with coynes: In coines, they that in smallest compasse conteine greatest value, are best esteemed: and, in sentences, those that in fewest words comprise most matter, are most praised.” -- Lancelot Andrewes