magnetization vs. magnetisation

[Fabian Hölscher]

Hi,

Google gives 4.9 million findings for magnetization and a tenth of it for
magnetisation.
Up to now I thought the z-version is AE and the s-version BE.
Merriam-Webster (which I think is AE) only knows the z-version.

Are there any native speakers to enlighten me?

Thanks

Fab

[irwell]

On Mon, 8 Jan 2007 17:16:49 +0100, "Fabian Hölscher"

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
Google gives 4.9 million findings for magnetization and a tenth of it for
magnetisation.
Up to now I thought the z-version is AE and the s-version BE.
Merriam-Webster (which I think is AE) only knows the z-version.
Are there any native speakers to enlighten me?
Thanks
Fab

Z=Impedance
Phi=gauss, magnetic flux.

[Fabian Hölscher]

Hi,

sorry for being unclear, if so. I just want to know something about the
correct writing of magnetization and/or magnetisation:

a) Do both versions exist in either AE or BE?
b) Is there a right-pondian or left-pondian preference to one of these (z or
s)

Hope this clearifies my problem.

Thanks.

Fab

[John J. Chew III]

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
sorry for being unclear, if so. I just want to know something about the
a) Do both versions exist in either AE or BE?
b) Is there a right-pondian or left-pondian preference to one of these (z or

In general, -ize and -ization are AE and -ise and -isation are BE.
In Canada, both are tolerated, though the AE spellings are more
common. When I write a mathematical paper, I make a point of using
the BE spellings, but if it's submitted to an American journal, they
will come back corrected to AE. My thesis will use BE spellings. :)

Does anyone know of discipline-specific exceptions to the rule?

John

[Martin Ambuhl]

Post by John J. Chew III

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
sorry for being unclear, if so. I just want to know something about the
a) Do both versions exist in either AE or BE?
b) Is there a right-pondian or left-pondian preference to one of these (z or

In general, -ize and -ization are AE and -ise and -isation are BE.
In Canada, both are tolerated, though the AE spellings are more
common. When I write a mathematical paper, I make a point of using
the BE spellings, but if it's submitted to an American journal, they
will come back corrected to AE. My thesis will use BE spellings. :)
Does anyone know of discipline-specific exceptions to the rule?

There is no such rule. You have been greatly misled by some silly
person. For example, many BrE dictionaries consider the '-ize' and
'-ization' forms *in this very case* to be the more standard ones.

[Robert Bannister]

Post by Martin Ambuhl

Post by John J. Chew III

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
sorry for being unclear, if so. I just want to know something about
a) Do both versions exist in either AE or BE?
b) Is there a right-pondian or left-pondian preference to one of these (z or

In general, -ize and -ization are AE and -ise and -isation are BE.
In Canada, both are tolerated, though the AE spellings are more
common. When I write a mathematical paper, I make a point of using
the BE spellings, but if it's submitted to an American journal, they
will come back corrected to AE. My thesis will use BE spellings. :)
Does anyone know of discipline-specific exceptions to the rule?

There is no such rule. You have been greatly misled by some silly
person. For example, many BrE dictionaries consider the '-ize' and
'-ization' forms *in this very case* to be the more standard ones.

True, it most certainly isn't a rule, but despite the fact that the
Oxford dictionaries chose the z version, the British (and, I think,
Australian and New Zealand) people tend to prefer the s version. All you
can say is that you are quite likely to find s in non-American texts and
that you would be very unlikely to find it in American ones.

The issue is confused by the fact that some words have to have -ise, eg
"comprise", but you will come across "advertize" in some American texts.

[John Holmes]

Post by John J. Chew III
In general, -ize and -ization are AE and -ise and -isation are BE.
In Canada, both are tolerated, though the AE spellings are more
common. When I write a mathematical paper, I make a point of using
the BE spellings, but if it's submitted to an American journal, they
will come back corrected to AE. My thesis will use BE spellings. :)
Does anyone know of discipline-specific exceptions to the rule?

There is no such rule. You have been greatly misled by some silly person.
For example, many BrE dictionaries consider the '-ize' and '-ization'
forms *in this very case* to be the more standard ones.

The Australian Oxford has the headword as 'magnetise (also -ize)'. The other
forms are listed only with the 's' spelling
(-isation, -isable, -iser, -ism).

[Pat Durkin]

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
sorry for being unclear, if so. I just want to know something about
a) Do both versions exist in either AE or BE?
b) Is there a right-pondian or left-pondian preference to one of these
(z or s)
Hope this clearifies my problem.

The "z" is preferred and much more commonly used in the US, while the
"s" form is probably in BrE usage. But I may be wrong. I am in the
US.

[Leslie Danks]

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
sorry for being unclear, if so. I just want to know something about the
a) Do both versions exist in either AE or BE?
b) Is there a right-pondian or left-pondian preference to one of these (z
or s)

Have a look here:

<http://www.yaelf.com/aueFAQ/mifizevsise.shtml>

[Martin Ambuhl]

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
Google gives 4.9 million findings for magnetization and a tenth of it for
magnetisation.
Up to now I thought the z-version is AE and the s-version BE.
Merriam-Webster (which I think is AE) only knows the z-version.
Are there any native speakers to enlighten me?

native *speaking* has little to do with spelling.
BrE desk dictionaries are easily found; find one.

The 11th edition _Concise Oxford English Dictionary_ (COD11) has only
the 'z' form of the noun. although with the 's' form of the verb as an
alternative:

magnetize or magnetise
n verb make magnetic.

DERIVATIVES
magnetizable adjective
magnetization noun
magnetizer noun

The somewhat bulkier 5th edition _Shorter Oxford English Dictionary_
(SOED5) has the 's' form as an alternative:

magnetization, noun. /%magnItVI"zeIS(@)n/ Also magnetisation. E19.
[from MAGNETIZE + -ATION.]

The action of magnetizing; the condition of being magnetized.

Comb.: magnetization curve a graph of magnetic induction against
magnetic field strength in the same region.

The somewhat more conservative 2003 Chambers also lists the 's' form as
an alternative form, with the 'z' form as more standard:

[s.v. 'magnet']
magetization or -s- /n./

Read the entry '-ize, -ise, in verbs' in Fowler. You should be able to
find a copy of the Gowers revision (1965) easily. That article should
put an end to any superstitions that you have about British '-ise' and
American '-ize' usage, and it is over 40 years old even in the Gowers
revision.

[Joe Fineman]

In the U.S., -ize, -ization are standard spellings of those suffixes.
In Britain, the popular spellings (in journalism etc.) have s instead
of z; but the prestigious Oxford English Dictionary recommended the z,
and academic usage has largely gone along.

[Steve Hayes]

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
Google gives 4.9 million findings for magnetization and a tenth of it for
magnetisation.
Up to now I thought the z-version is AE and the s-version BE.
Merriam-Webster (which I think is AE) only knows the z-version.
Are there any native speakers to enlighten me?

Pick one and stick to it.

If you use Microsoft Word, let it choose for you.

[Tersen]

I vote for spelling it az pronounst, and that's with a zed.
You are right about British (and African) being the usual source of the
ess-variant.
"haz" may never become British, perhaps owing to "hath", and "hat"
(de).
BTW, I pronounse "intelijent" as most people spell it, which is the
Jerman way.
_______
http://ecn.ab.ca/~brewhaha/Sound/Kompleet_Ingglish_Alfabet.mp3
(You'll know when an mpg supplants the mp3,
that I'm finally done with the audio.)

[Peter Moylan]

Post by Tersen
BTW, I pronounse "intelijent" as most people spell it, which is the
Jerman way.

That would surprise more than a few Yermans.

[Robert Lieblich]

Post by Tersen
I vote for spelling it az pronounst, and that's with a zed.

Another example, in case you're looking for one. (If this doesn't
make sense, see my post of a few minutes ago on the thread "Kompleet
Ingglish Alfabet."

I'll stop now.

[Cece]

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
Google gives 4.9 million findings for magnetization and a tenth of it for
magnetisation.
Up to now I thought the z-version is AE and the s-version BE.
Merriam-Webster (which I think is AE) only knows the z-version.
Are there any native speakers to enlighten me?
Thanks
Fab

Yes, AmE uses the z, and Merriam-Webster is American. A better AmE
dictionary, though, is American Heritage (which also knows only the
z-version). Available on-line at http:www.bartleby.com/61

Cece
native AmE speaker

[Peter Tan]

You're sort of right. Standard AE (and Canadian E) only allows -z-;
standard BE (Australian E, etc.) allows either -s- or -z-. Hence AE,
CanE: _realize_; BrE, AusE, etc: _realise_ OR _realize_ but -s- is more
common - except perhaps in academic publishing. In the UK, the -z-
spelling has been considered the Oxford style, and the -s- the
Cambridge style.

And for certain words, only -s- is available: surprise, advertise.

Peter

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
Google gives 4.9 million findings for magnetization and a tenth of it for
magnetisation.
Up to now I thought the z-version is AE and the s-version BE.
Merriam-Webster (which I think is AE) only knows the z-version.
Are there any native speakers to enlighten me?
Thanks
Fab

[John J. Chew III]

Post by Peter Tan
You're sort of right. Standard AE (and Canadian E) only allows -z-;
standard BE (Australian E, etc.) allows either -s- or -z-.

Canadian E used to lean more toward BE, but has drifted toward AE on
the -s-/-z- issue in my lifetime. When I was in school (in the 1960s
and 1970s), I was not taught Canadian spelling per se, but was told
what the American and British spellings were where they differed,
and generally advised to use the proper British ones. I still do,
but now even the Canadian Oxford Dictionary says "Esp. Brit." for
-s-.

John

[Peacenik]

Post by Fabian Hölscher
Hi,
Google gives 4.9 million findings for magnetization and a tenth of it for
magnetisation.
Up to now I thought the z-version is AE and the s-version BE.
Merriam-Webster (which I think is AE) only knows the z-version.
Are there any native speakers to enlighten me?

The z-version is mostly AE and the s-version almost strictly BE.