Realise or Realize?

I am from Wales (Britain) and I prefer to use 'realise'. The same applies for other words that have an alteration between an 'S' and a 'Z'. Is this okay for writing books? I looked-up that it is neither correct nor incorrect. And, what other examples are there that have a letter difference between an 'S' and a 'Z'

 

As a Yank who has lived in Scotland for yonks, I've encountered this many times. In general Americans (and maybe others?) would use 'realize.' British people (and maybe others) use 'realise.' I've slipped into the British usage, myself. Both are correct. However, they both might look strange to somebody from the wrong side of the Big Pond.

British spellings differ from American spellings a lot more that people realise. Like 'traveler' and 'traveller.' It's not all about adding a 'u' in color, neighbor, etc. Or spelling diarrhea with 3/4 of the known alphabet thrown in for good measure...

 

It depends where you want your work to be published, if it ends up that way. If America, then use 'z', and if Britain, then use 's'. Remember it's also words that are different: pavement and sidewalk, lorry and truck, kitchen paper and kitchen towel, etc.

And hello, fellow Welshie. Chi'n siarad Cymraeg?

 

That's interesting, I really need to take a look at this. I knew about the s/z-thing, the u-thing and some word differences, but I've never really considered "obvious" spelling such as 'traveller' vs. 'traveler', etc. I'd suspect I am using a mix of everything, having had a bunch of different English teachers who probably have used different accents.


Another problem similar to s/z: In British English, do you write 'advise' or 'advice', and 'advised' or 'adviced'?

 

Realise is the British spelling. Realize is American. There are quite a few words where the Americans use 'Z' and we use 'S'.
The ones which spring to mind are organise and civlised.

The advice I've seen on these forums previously said something along the lines that because you're British and likely to submit your work to British publishers initially, use the British spellings.

 

Advise is the verb. Advice is a noun.
"I would advise you to listen to my advice."
I don't think adviced is a word.

 

Though confusingly, sometimes British spelling does use 'C' instead of 'S'. Defence rather than defense is the example I can think of.

 

Advise is a verb. It's what you do when you give advice to people. Advice is a noun. They're not interchangeable, either side of the Pond. There is no such word as 'adviced.'

 

be advised that is good advice!

 

Just do what you are comfortable with, and be consistent.

 

Thank you both for your answers! I've definitely learned something new today.
My thought behind 'adviced' was that it was a possible spelling of past time for 'advice' (had it been a verb rather than a noun).

 

So, defeat of deduct went over defence before detail must be a British true-ism, then...???

 

I'm lost here, is that sentence (defeat of ... ) supposed to mean something?

 

Sorry, it's a silly thing we used to repeat a lot when we were children. But if you're from Sweden, you might not 'hear' it the same way we did. We used to think this was terribly funny.

Try: The feet (defeat) of the duck (deduct) went over the fence (defence) before the tail (detail).

Ever try to explain a joke? It doesn't work...

Especially if the joke is crap...

 

Aha I was confused too
You have to say it out loud for it to make any sense.

 

I plan on getting it published in the UK mainly but I wouldn't mind attempting to get my books published in the USA also.
And, sadly - I can't speak fluent Welsh. Only the rudimentary phrases and sentences haha. Where in Wales are you from? I am from Cardiff.

 

Not everyone has to speak Welsh - you're okay. I'm from Carmarthen, so not that far from you. I hope to move to Cardiff in a couple of years, unless plans change (which they probably will, because that's life!). A nice apartment would be great.

 

Here is the definitive answer.

 

I'd suggest writing it your way and then self-published it just like you wrote it if you're doing that, let your editor discuss with you (and probably change it if they so desire; I see no real way you'd really want to fight this one) whether or not it should be changed for publication in your local area, and the same with those responsible for its publishing abroad if you're doing that. So, all in all, simply write it the way you want to write it, because you're the author, and then let the ediotors be editors and edit if that's the appropriate action. I see no real reason to know or care about other spelling conventions than your own when writing.