If a student were to write the expression ‘computer
programme’, he or she would be told off and downgraded. ‘That’s not how it’s
spelt,’ says the person-in-the-know. ‘When you’re referring to computers, it’s
spelt program.’
‘Who says so?’
‘The Americans do.’
‘Quite.’
And this is why I would like to spread the word throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and every place where English is commonly spoken as a second language:
‘Spell it “programme,” I say, with two Ms and an E at the end after the French fashion.’ (English gets much of its structure and vocabulary from French. Did you know?) And that would be sweet revenge for the Boston Tea Party.
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