Spelling...

Perhaps it is because I am a graduate student and work in education, but I don't consider it an unreasonable request to modify my spelling.  If I were to resist, it would reflect poorly on me an intellectual, simply for the reason Cheesebiscuit mentioned - the acknowledgment that the differences exist and are understood .

So it might not matter in some cases, but it's really important in others.  Particularly in the British class system, where assumptions are made about your character and quality based on how you present yourself.  It might not be as prevalent as it was, but it's still there - particularly in academics.  

Indeed. I'm going to slightly disagree with the posters above- I'd say US vs UK spelling doesn't matter so much in random work emails and informal correspondence, but if you're expected to write official work documents such as reports, publications or minutes of meetings, you should absolutely be using British spelling for those (and once you're using it for some things, it's just easier to use it for everything!)

This is my view as well.

When you work for a business/company/firm, you're expected to follow their guidelines. If they have a dress code, you comply. So why wouldn't you also adapt the way you spell words?

I worked for a publishing firm in the US and their policy was to follow the AP Stylebook, which included some things which were different from the way I was accustomed to writing. However, it was their business, so I had to adjust. Learning British spellings is really no different.

Best of luck to the OP! Honestly, it doesn't take long before it becomes second nature.

It doesn't take long, and as has been pointed out, spell-checkers set to UK English help.

Yeah, I just roll with it.  If it's work related, and I spell check and it fixes everything to the UK version, and that's fine.    I do a lot of stuff in spreadsheets, so if we classify something as "rumored" vs "rumoured", it can actually be a pain when sorting, so it saves me time to use what is acceptable here.   

I think one of the things people tend to forget when debating whether or not you *should* spell things the US or UK way...is that a lot of us don't *know* the UK way.  We've lived in the US and been educated in the US and had US spelling tests and written US official reports and school essays, etc for the past 20-30+ years.  You don't just shut that off overnight and automatically know all the differences.

For some people, it's not a *willingness* to change or not, it's not being aware that certain words are spelled differently.  If I were going to write a brief, informal note to someone, I wouldn't call my spouse to make sure every single word is spelled the "correct" British way.  Some things (favourite, labour, actualise, etc) are more prevelant and obvious...others are not.  Until recently, I never would have guessed that I should spell it 'cheque' instead of 'check'.  I never would have thought that saying 'period' means only one thing in the UK...whereas in the US it is commonly used to describe the punctuation at the end of a sentence.  I never would have thought telling my daughter to behave or I was going to get her fanny would get so many ackward stares either.

I'm with the others on this one.  I will continue to spell and speak the way I was raised, unless I am in a situation that deems the British way to be the only "correct" way (i.e. using the word fanny in public).

We don't go out of our way to correct people (or insult them) when English isn't there first language.  So why can't we be understanding that UK English is not American's first language?

BTW, I don't know about other programs, but Open Office will even correct dialectal usages.  For instance, if you type in "sidewalk" when using UK English as the language, it will suggest "pavement".

Yeah, the whole idea of Americans willfully not adapting to British culture is a bit ludicrous.  When you've called a "lift" an "elevator" for 20-60 years, it's a hard thing to shut off.  It would be easier if we were speaking a new language.  We're speaking our mother tongue, so it's a totally different process.  I had this mentioned to me once, and only once.  Luckily I am fluent in the icy cold stare because it was never said again.

For the most part I've tried to adapt to British usage in both my speech and spelling, particularly if it will lead to a misunderstanding ("pants", "store"--although I am still working on that one, "prawn"), but I am far from perfect.

I couldn't imagine my friend's parents, British and New Zealand immigrants, being told that the "rubbish bin" was a "garbage pail" since this was America.  Of course, it might have been my community in which I grew up, but people knew what they meant and lacked the hubris to correct them.

In general, a job is a different story.  I worked at McDonalds during high school. Every year they had Barbie and Hot Wheels themed Happy Meals.  We had to ask if the customer wanted "girl or boy" Happy Meals if we were working the drive through.  If we were working the front counter, we'd have to assume that girls wanted Barbies and boys Hot Wheels.  I hated this, and thought it was extremely sexist, re-enforcing gender stereotypes, and so on.  I brought this up with my manager, and she told me I had to do it that way or work in grill during the promotion.  If I didn't hate grill as much as I did or she didn't know this was a pretty effective threat with me, I probably would have had my job threatened.

It's just the way it goes.  

I worked for an american subsidiary of a UK company while living in the US.  It destroyed my spelling.  Things going to London were spelled one way, things going anywhere else in the US were spelled another. The constant switching was a nightmare.

Just thinking back gives me a headache.   

This.  I don't understand why people get worked up about spelling the British vs American way, particularly when it doesn't matter for understanding (-ise vs -ize or -ou vs -o).

I work at a British organisation but our clients are primarily American.  I have one colleague in particular that proofs all of our company mail out type docs and will froth at the mouth if American spellings are used.  Dude, it is going to Americans, hardly something to worry about -- particularly when some things are lost in translation (cheques vs check being a frequent one, if you can believe). Who cares when you are dealing with a mixed nationality client base?

There is a small (thankfully) subset of the population here that is fiercely protective of the English language and do behave a bit like that. Ignore.

We don't go out of our way to correct people (or insult them) when English isn't there first language.  So why can't we be understanding that UK English is not American's first language?

I would imagine that most employers are understanding and do realise that UK English may take some time to learn for Americans. However, they should also expect their employees to make an effort to learn, and not say, "I will continue to spell and speak the way I was raised." Don't you think that's being a bit unnecessarily stubborn in a work setting? If I were an employer, that wouldn't make me happy. 

Certainly. There's a difference between not knowing (innocence) and refusing to change (arrogance).

I am on the side of spelling things the British way in Britain, in my case especially at work.  I teach academic English to foreign students who are preparing for masters' courses in a British university, so it would be irresponsible of me to teach them American spelling when they are going to have to function in a British academic setting.  I do teach them the differences between British and American spellings, as well as when different words are used for the same thing.  It's really not that difficult to learn the differences.  There aren't that many, really (it is the same language despite what some say) and while I don't see anything wrong with making mistakes when you first arrive, persisting in doing things "the way you were raised" seems to indicate not only a worrying refusal to adapt to new circumstances, but also disrespect to the country you now live in.  Using British words and spellings doesn't make you less American, it just acknowledges your understanding and acceptance of the place you now call home.  

Certainly. There's a difference between not knowing (innocence) and refusing to change (arrogance).

Well said.

There is a small (thankfully) subset of the population here that is fiercely protective of the English language and do behave a bit like that. Ignore.

Much of the American usage that differs from British usage is actually not where Americans have changed English, but where it didn't change when British did.  American English, when spoken or written properly, but not necessarily in formal usage, tends to be a bit more stiff and a lot less colloquial. We could be accused of being a wee bit pretentious with our language.  Some of that is the way we tend to be as a culture, but some is just because we went one way and the British went another when it comes to language with us keeping some of the language that eventually fell out of favour here (for example: "gotten" or "fall").

ETA:  Some additional help for the OP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences

Just because the British have a different way of spelling certain words, doesn't make it the CORRECT way.

It makes it the correct way in Britain though! Then again, so many Brits seem incapable of spelling I doubt anyone will notice if she uses the American spelling, and they'll accept it anyway (being American).
If it's for a CV, then just use the UK English spell check option.

Much of the American usage that differs from British usage is actually not where Americans have changed English, but where it didn't change when British did.  American English, when spoken or written properly, but not necessarily in formal usage, tends to be a bit more stiff and a lot less colloquial. We could be accused of being a wee bit pretentious with our language.  Some of that is the way we tend to be as a culture, but some is just because we went one way and the British went another when it comes to language with us keeping some of the language that eventually fell out of favour here (for example: "gotten" or "fall").

ETA:  Some additional help for the OP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences

SOME of the differences, yes. You'll see that I've already mentioned "fall". Aluminum is another original British spelling. Believe me, you're preaching to the converted, having fended off insulting and ignorant remarks from pretentious Brits.


Don't forget, though, that many spelling differences occurred (some never adopted like "tung" instead of "tongue" which my Midlands DH charmlingly pronounces "tong" LOL) when Noah Webster (of Miriam-Webster fame) deliberately changed the spellings of words to simplify (read: "Americanize") them.

I agree, when in Britain, spell the British way--I intend to make a better effort at checking spellings to make sure I do.

Then again, so many Brits seem incapqable of spelling I doubt anyone will notice if she uses the American spelling,

I don't know if this is really true, but as an aside, my old manager spelled the word "discussed" as "disgust" no less than three times on my performance review as she undeservedly ripped me to shreds.  I did not point this out to the b!tch.