British phrases

[monster]

Originally Posted by steppana

I was gobsmacked that you don't realise the difference between Brit licence (noun) and license (verb) - similar to practice (noun) and practise (verb). Other examples may follow. Both pronounced the same but it's nice to have the distinction in writing.
I drooled at the mention of "blace pudding" but it turned out to be a typo.

Gobsmacked? You might need to get out more. Americans use only the license version. Why would you expect them to know the Brit spellings?

Or were you referring to me? In which case, lose no more sleep over it, I can get my Cs and Ss and nouns and verbs in the right place when required This is a bulletin board, not an English exam. Americans would write license, I usually spell in American seeing as I live here, but occassionally revert to Brit subconsciouly when late at night/on an international board/drinking etc... Oh, and I might have been being a teensy-weensy bit facetious. Lighten up, dude, all is OK.

(I am rather hoping that you weren't trying to say that I don't know the difference between a noun and a verb, because that would have been a little bit patronizing and pompous, and rather presumtious, and I'm sure you had no intention off coming across that way at all )


(btw, you need a little more practice () as a pedant -checking the OED would have revealled that both spellings can be using in both contexts in British English, although the uses you described are the most common )

/did I use enough smileys there? I've been practising :p