Microsoft Word comes with four kinds of spaces:

* word spaces

* nonbreaking spaces

* em spaces

* en spaces

The word space is just the ordinary space used between words--the kind you insert with the spacebar. Its main strength is its variable size, which is especially important with justified type. Microsoft Word ordinarily expands word spaces to make justification work, but you can also get it to compress them. For more information, see the October 31, 2001, issue of Editorium Update:

http://www.topica.com/lists/editorium/read/message.html?mid=1708754845

The nonbreaking space, unlike the word space, won't break at the end of a line. It's often used to link proper names (so that "J.R.R." stays on the same line as "Tolkien"), as well as percentages ("98 percent"), page numbers ("page 3"), and, as explained in last week's newsletter, ellipses:

http://www.topica.com/lists/editorium/read/message.html?mid=1709407200

Keep in mind, however, that the nonbreaking space is unlike the word space in another way: its size is fixed (relative to the current point size). In certain typefaces, with justified type, that fixed size may make ellipses look unevenly spaced, so be careful. To enter a nonbreaking space, click Insert > Symbol > Special Characters > Nonbreaking Space. Or just press SHIFT + CTRL + SPACE. For more ways to use nonbreaking spaces, see the Readers Write column of the October 3, 2001, Editorium Update:

http://www.topica.com/lists/editorium/read/message.html?mid=1708466498

The em space is as wide as an em, which is a linear measure equal to the point size. For example, in 12-point type, an em is 12 points wide. In traditional typesetting, an em space was used as fixed-width indentation at the beginning of a paragraph. Nowadays we usually specify first line indent as part of paragraph formatting. But if you insist on using an em space, you can get one by clicking Insert > Symbol > Special Characters > Em Space.

The en space is half as wide as an em space. For example, in 12-point type, an en space is 6 points wide. It's basically the same thing as a figure space, and it's used in aligning lists of figures, or numbers. For example, in a list like this--

8. Lorem ipsum.

9. Dolor sit amet.

10. Consectetuer adipiscing elit.

--the periods and terminal figures all line up because the space in front of 8 and 9 is the same width (one en) as the 1 in the number 10. That's right; in professional typefaces, all of the "lining figures" (numbers used in lists) are also one en wide. (Those old typesetters knew what they were doing.) In Microsoft Word you can achieve the same effect with tabs, but if you really want to use an en space, click Insert > Symbol > Special Characters > En Space.

In traditional typesetting, there are several other kinds of spaces, including (getting progressively fatter) the zero-width space, the hair space, the thin space, and the three-to-em space.

As its name indicates, the zero-width space has no width; you can't even see it. Nevertheless, it will break at the end of a line, which comes in handy when you've got a long string of characters that you *do* want to break but that otherwise wouldn't. For example, you might have some words joined by an em dash--like this. Ordinarily Microsoft Word won't break on the left side of the dash, which can make for some ugly typography if you've got long words and narrow columns. To remedy the problem, put a zero-width space in front of the dash. How? Microsoft Word doesn't include one, so you'll have to make your own:

1. Insert an em space (since we want the size to be fixed relative to the current point size).

2. Select the space.

3. Set the space's point size to 1. (We'd set it to 0, but Word won't allow it. Still, 1 works pretty well, although you *can* see it, which means you'd better balance it with another one on the right side of the dash.)

The hair space is also sometimes used, for aesthetic purposes, on both sides of an em dash. I've also seen it used between the letter f and a closing quotation mark or other characters that look crowded together. Again, you'll have to make your own:

1. Insert an em space (since we want the size to be fixed relative to the current point size).

2. Select the space.

3. Set the space's point size to 1/10 of the current size, or as close to it as you can manage. Remember that you can type in .5 (4.5, 5.5, etc.) to bump up the size by half a point. If you need to make the hair space smaller than 1/10 of the current point size, feel free; many typographers do.

Then there's the thin space, which some typographers (French ones, for example) use after certain punctuation marks, such as the colon. It's also used to set off the first two numbers of years that are more than four numbers long: 10 000 B.C. (Remember, commas shouldn't be used in dates.) I've also seen it used between ellipses. To make a thin space:

1. Insert an em space (since we want the size to be fixed relative to the current point size).

2. Select the space.

3. Set the space's point size to 1/5 of the current size, or as close to it as you can manage. Remember that you can type in .5 (4.5, 5.5, etc.) to bump up the size by half a point. Some typographers define a thin space as half the size of a standard word space.

The three-to-em space, as you've probably surmised, is as wide as a third of the current point size. For a size of 12, that would be 4. The Chicago Manual of Style says to use this space between ellipses, which is okay with me. By now, you know how to make one.

There ought to be a better solution than making spaces by hand--PageMaker and QuarkXPress come to mind. But if you must work in Word, there is another way. It's dark and dangerous, and its name is Unicode. But that's a subject for another day.

By the way, I'm not saying you should actually *use* all these spaces in your day-to-day work. I'd use them only if I had to approximate fine typography in Microsoft Word, which is possible but certainly not easy. If you ever need to do that, maybe these spaces will help.

_________________________________________

READERS WRITE

Self-proclaimed Word heretic sent the following macros, which use Unicode to set zero-width spaces around various characters and character combinations (/, :/, and so on) to make sure they will break at the end of a line. Notice that you can modify the characters specified in Sub FixWordWrap to suit your own needs. (For example, you could use ^+ for an em dash.) If you don't understand what's going on with the characters, please see the articles on wildcard searching in past issues of Editorium Update. For information on how to use macros like these, see the May 30, 2001, issue of Editorium Update:

Using "Found" Macros

Thanks, Steve!

Sub FixWordWrap()
FixSymbolWordWrap "/{1,2}"
FixSymbolWordWrap ":/{1,2}"
FixSymbolWordWrap "[\]{1,2}"
FixSymbolWordWrap ":[\]{1,2}"
FixSymbolWordWrap "_"
End Sub
Private Sub FixSymbolWordWrap(Symbol As String)
' inserts a zero-width space after the symbol if text either side
Dim R As Range
Dim ZeroSpace As String
ZeroSpace = ChrW(8203)
On Error Resume Next
Const Pre As String = "([a-zA-Z0-9]"
Const Suf As String = ")([a-zA-Z0-9])"
Set R = ActiveDocument.Range
With R.Find
.MatchWildcards = True
.Text = Pre & Symbol & Suf
.Replacement.Text = "1" & ZeroSpace & "2"
.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
End Sub

This macro will remove the zero-width spaces if you change your mind:

Sub UnFixWordWrap()
Dim R As Range
Set R = ActiveDocument.Range
With R.Find
.Text = ChrW(8203)
.Replacement.Text = ""
.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
End Sub

_________________________________________

RESOURCES

For Microsoft's take on typographical spaces, see the article here:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/developers/fdsspec/spaces.htm

Check out this terrific typography primer from Robin Williams (the typographer, not the actor):

Click to access 9507lsrw.pdf

[Last week's newsletter featured an article on British and American spelling. Thank goodness a reader who actually knows about such things sent some corrections. Please see the Readers Write column (below the main article) for details. I'll postpone my article on British to American translation (bonnet/hood) until I've verified my list with more than just Internet research. 🙂 ]

In the documentation for our FileCleaner program, I say, "Authors have numerous ways of typing ellipses. Some use the horrid little ellipses 'character' available in some symbol fonts. Others type three periods in a row with no spacing in between. And there are many other variations."

So is there a *right* way to display ellipses in Microsoft Word? Yes, there is: any way that communicates clearly and looks good. In my opinion, that excludes the ellipses character (?), which Microsoft calls a "horizontal ellipsis" (PC character 133; Mac character 201; Unicode character 2026: press ALT + CTRL + . on a PC or OPTION + ; on a Mac). Let me explain my loathing of this little beast.

First, it doesn't communicate clearly. If it appears between two bits of text, like this?it's really too short to convey the idea that something has been left out (ellipses often indicate omission) or that the reader should pause. You can add a space on either side ? but then what's the point of using the character?

Second, it doesn't look good. It's tiny and ugly, like flyspecks on a wall. If you try to remedy that by putting spaces on the sides, those spaces don't match the spacing between the dots, so the whole thing looks funny. Also, sometimes you'll need to use ellipses with a period. But in many typefaces, the period isn't the same size as the ellipses dots, and there's no way to get the spacing after the period to match the spacing between the dots.?Finally, since spacing in the ellipses character is fixed, it won't justify with the spaces in the rest of your text.

Besides, the character didn't exist in the days of setting type by hand. It's a capitulation to "desktop publishing" and has no place in fine typography.

How, then, should ellipses be created in Microsoft Word? One way is to type a straightforward succession of spaces and periods. . . . The meaning is clear, and they look fine. I'd recommend that you use nonbreaking spaces around the middle dot of the ellipses so they won't break at the end of a line, like this. .

. . but go neatly to the beginning of the next line, like this.

. . . To illustrate, the ellipses should be entered like this ( indicates a regular space and indicates a nonbreaking space):

...

To enter a nonbreaking space, press CTRL + SHIFT + SPACEBAR, which is nearly as easy as hitting the spacebar alone. In fact, why not record the whole sequence of characters as a macro and then assign the macro to a keyboard shortcut? For more information, see these issues of Editorium Update:

http://www.topica.com/lists/editorium/read/message.html?mid=1706651129

http://www.topica.com/lists/editorium/read/message.html?mid=1707100224 (Reader's Write column)

Some typographers argue that a standard space is too wide to use in ellipses. If you agree, you can use a thin space, which is sometimes defined as half the width of a standard space. Next week, I'll explain how to get one.

_________________________________________

READERS WRITE

After reading last week's article on British and American spelling, Clive Tolley of Clive Tolley Editorial Services wrote:

Please note parallelled is INCORRECT in British spelling: it has one l only.

Also, -ise/-ize is NOT a British/American distinction; it is simply a trend that -ise tends to be used more in Britain, but e.g. Oxford Univ. Press demands -ize.

I think it may be tricky trying to use a list for this sort of replacement; for example, it is probably quicker searching for ise/ize, ise/izing, isa/iza, similarly I should think for ae/e, and changing each in turn - after all there are many exceptions, at least where ize is the norm but ise has to be used in some words. My editing work involves about half and half English and American, and here at least for the companies I work for we don't change the spelling etc., but publish according to the author's usage (which actually sometimes means something in between, quite often American spelling but largely English punctuation - in general we standardise the norm). I find it a bit difficult sometimes when editing American scripts, since I just scarcely notice when I see the to me natural 'travelled' etc., on which point I have found quite a bit of inconsistency in American scripts (of course, many of the standard British forms are also listed in Webster as acceptable alternatives in America).

It is not just spelling which differs; it is also punctuation. E.g. in British English we place punctuation around quotation marks according to logic, so punctuation only goes within them if it belongs to the original quotation. The Editors' Toolkit will place punctuation according to American usage, which is not much use to us here; I wish the opposite function was also included, so we could more easily correct punctuation to what we need.

There are many other differences, e.g. much less of en rules in America, which can't be catered for automatically.

Many thanks to Clive for his astute corrections and observations.

_________________________________________

RESOURCES

Lots of links, news, contacts, fonts, and utilities are available at Microsoft's typography site:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/default.asp

Are you worried about eyestrain and repetitive strain injury? Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., offers a wealth of information to help you stay healthy and productive:

http://www.sfwa.org/ergonomics/

Have you ever needed to change spelling from British English to American English or vice versa? One way to do this is to change the language format of your Word document and then do a spell check. For example, if you needed to change spelling from British to American, you could change the language format from British to American English. Then the spell checker would catch such words as "capitalise" and "colour." To try this approach, follow this procedure:

1. Select the text you want to change (probably the whole document).

2. Click the "Tools" menu.

3. Click "Language."

4. Click "Set Language."

5. In the "Mark selected text as" list, click the language you want (either "English [U.S]" or "English [U.K]"). (A check mark next to the language name means that the spelling files for that language are installed.)

Although this will work, it's a tedious way to go. If you'd like to be more efficient, try our MegaReplacer program, which you can use free for 45 days. You can download the program here:

http://www.editorium.com/14843.htm

MegaReplacer automatically finds and replaces a whole list of words, so now all you need is a list of British and American spellings. I've provided one below, already set up for MegaReplacer. Actually, I've provided two lists: one to replace British spellings with American spellings, and one to replace American spellings with British spellings. Of course, if you don't want to use MegaReplacer, you could always find and replace the words by hand, recording a macro as you go so you'll have it for future use.

The lists are not complete, and you might want to argue with some of the entries. That's okay. Feel free to modify them to suit your needs.

Please note that replacing some of the words will also take care of longer words. For example, replacing "honour" with "honor" will also replace "honoured" with "honored."

Now if we just had a list of British/American *translations,* such as "hood"/"bonnet"! Maybe next week. And now, here are the lists, which I hope you'll find useful:

------------------------------

BRITISH TO AMERICAN

------------------------------

abridgement|abridgment

acknowledgement|acknowledgment

adaptor|adapter

adze|adz

aeon|eon

aeroplane|airplane

aesthete|esthete

aesthetic|esthetic

aether|ether

ageing|aging

aluminium|aluminum

Americanise|Americanize

amoeba|ameba

anaemia|anemia

anaemic|anemic

anaesthesia|anesthesia

anaesthetic|anesthetic

anaesthetist|anesthetist

analogue|analog

analyse|analyze

anti-aircraft|antiaircraft

apologise|apologize

apophthegm|apothegm

appal|appall

arbour|arbor

archaeology|archeology

ardour|ardor

armour|armor

armourer|armorer

armoury|armory

artefact|artifact

ash-tray|ashtray

axe|ax

B.Sc.|B.S.

bannister|banister

battleaxe|battle-ax

baulk|balk

behaviour|behavior

behove|behoove

biassed|biased

biassing|biasing

bisulphate|bisulfate

boloney|baloney

book-keeper|bookkeeper

boracic|boric

burglarise|burglarize

burnt|burned

buses|busses

bye law|bylaw

caesium|cesium

caf?|cafe

calibre|caliber

calliper|caliper

callisthenics|calisthenics

camomile|chamomile

cancelled|canceled

cancelling|canceling

candour|candor

cantaloup|cantaloupe

capitalise|capitalize

carburettor|carburetor

carcase|carcass

catalogue|catalog

catalyse|catalyze

categorise|categorize

centre|center

characterise|characterize

cheque|check

chilli|chili

cigarette|cigaret

citrous|citrus

clamour|clamor

clangour|clangor

clarinettist|clarinetist

colonise|colonize

colour|color

connexion|connection

co-operate|cooperate

cosy|cozy

councillor|councilor

counselled|counseled

counselling|counseling

counsellor|counselor

crayfish|crawfish

criticise|criticize

day-dream|daydream

defence|defense

deflexion|deflection

demeanour|demeanor

dependant|dependent

despatch|dispatch

devilled|deviled

devilling|deviling

diaeresis|dieresis

dialogue|dialog

dialyse|dialyze

diarrhoea|diarrhea

disc|disk

dishevelled|disheveled

distil|distill

disulphide|disulfide

dolour|dolor

doodah|doodad

doughnut|donut

Dr|Dr.

dramatise|dramatize

draught|draft

dreamt|dreamed

?lite|elite

emphasise|emphasize

enamour|enamor

encyclopaedia|encyclopedia

endeavour|endeavor

enquire|inquire

enquiry|inquiry

enrol|enroll

enthral|enthrall

equalise|equalize

equalled|equaled

equalling|equaling

extemporise|extemporize

faecal|fecal

faeces|feces

favour|favor

fervour|fervor

f?te|fete

fibre|fiber

finalise|finalize

flaky|flakey

flautist|flutist

flavour|flavor

fledgeling|fledgling

flower-pot|flower pot

focussed|focused

focussing|focusing

foetal|fetal

foetid|fetid

foetus|fetus

fount|font

fuelled|fueled

fuelling|fueling

fulfil|fulfill

furore|furor

gaol|jail

garrotte|garrote

garrotted|garroted

garrotting|garroting

gauge|gage

genuflexion|genuflection

gipsy|gypsy

glamour|glamor

goitre|goiter

gonorrhoea|gonorrhea

grey|gray

grovelled|groveled

grovelling|groveling

gybe|jibe

gynaecology|gynecology

haemoglobin|hemoglobin

haemophilia|hemophilia

haemorrhage|hemorrhage

haemorrhoid|hemorrhoid

harbour|harbor

haulier|hauler

homoeopath|homeopath

homoeostasis|homeostasis

honour|honor

humour|humor

incase|encase

inclose|enclose

indorse|endorse

inflexion|inflection

instal|install

instil|instill

jeweller|jeweler

jewellery|jewelry

Jnr.|Jr.

judgement|judgment

kerb|curb

kidnapped|kidnaped

kidnapper|kidnaper

kidnapping|kidnaping

knelt|kneeled

labour|labor

lasagne|lasagna

leant|leaned

leapt|leaped

learnt|learned

leukaemia|leukemia

levelled|leveled

leveller|leveler

levelling|leveling

libelled|libeled

libelling|libeling

libellous|libelous

liberalise|liberalize

licence|license

liquorice|licorice

litre|liter

louvre|louver

lustre|luster

manoeuvre|maneuver

marvelled|marveled

marvelling|marveling

marvellous|marvelous

matin?e|matinee

meagre|meager

mediaeval|medieval

metalled|metaled

metalling|metaling

metre|meter

misdemeanour|misdemeanor

mitre|miter

mobilise|mobilize

modelled|modeled

modeller|modeler

modelling|modeling

mollusc|mollusk

motorise|motorize

mould|mold

moult|molt

moustache|mustache

na?ve|naive

naturalise|naturalize

neighbour|neighbor

neo-classical|neoclassical

nitre|niter

normalise|normalize

note-paper|note paper

nought|naught

ochre|ocher

odour|odor

oedema|edema

oenology|enology

oesophagus|esophagus

oestrogen|estrogen

oestrus|estrus

offence|offense

omelette|omelet

organisation|organization

organise|organize

orthopaedics|orthopedics

paedagogy|pedagogy

paederast|pederast

paediatric|pediatric

paediatrician|pediatrician

paediatrics|pediatrics

paedophile|pedophile

paedophilia|pedophilia

palaeobotany|paleobotany

Palaeocene|Paleocene

palaeoclimatology|paleoclimatology

palaeogeography|paleogeography

palaeography|paleography

palaeolithic|paleolithic

palaeomagnetism|paleomagnetism

palaeontology|paleontology

Palaeozoic|Paleozoic

panelled|paneled

panelling|paneling

panellist|panelist

parallelled|paralleled

parallelling|paralleling

paralyse|paralyze

parlour|parlor

pasteurised|pasteurized

pedlar|peddler

phial|vial

philtre|philter

pleaded|pled

plough|plow

polythene|polyethylene

popularise|popularize

practise|practice

pre-ignition|preignition

premise|premise

pretence|pretense

primaeval|primeval

programme|program

pseudo-intellectual|pseudointellectual

pseudo-science|pseudoscience

pyjamas|pajamas

quarrelled|quarreled

quarreller|quarreler

quarrelling|quarreling

rancour|rancor

realise|realize

recognise|recognize

reconnoitre|reconnoiter

reflexion|reflection

retroflexion|retroflection

revelled|reveled

revelling|reveling

rigour|rigor

r?le|role

routeing|routing

rumour|rumor

sabre|saber

saleable|salable

saltpetre|saltpeter

satirise|satirize

saviour|savior

savour|savor

scallywag|scalawag

sceptic|skeptic

sceptre|scepter

sepulchre|sepulcher

skilful|skillful

smelt|smelled

smoulder|smolder

Snr.|Sr.

sombre|somber

speciality|specialty

spectre|specter

spelt|spelled

spilt|spilled

splendour|splendor

spoilt|spoiled

stabilise|stabilize

standardise|standardize

storey|story

succour|succor

sulphate|sulfate

sulphide|sulfide

sulphur|sulfur

symbolise|symbolize

synaeresis|syneresis

synaesthesia|synesthesia

tantalise|tantalize

theatre|theater

tiro|tyro

titbit|tidbit

towards|toward

travelled|traveled

traveller|traveler

travelling|traveling

trisulphate|trisulfate

trowelled|troweled

trowelling|troweling

tumour|tumor

tyre|tire

ultra-high|ultrahigh

ultra-modern|ultramodern

valour|valor

vaporise|vaporize

vapour|vapor

vice|vise

vigour|vigor

waggon|wagon

wilful|willful

woollen|woolen

woolly|wooly

worshipped|worshiped

worshipper|worshiper

worshipping|worshiping

------------------------------

AMERICAN TO BRITISH

------------------------------

abridgment|abridgement

acknowledgment|acknowledgement

adapter|adaptor

adz|adze

aging|ageing

airplane|aeroplane

aluminum|aluminium

ameba|amoeba

Americanize|Americanise

analog|analogue

analyze|analyse

anemia|anaemia

anemic|anaemic

anesthesia|anaesthesia

anesthetic|anaesthetic

anesthetist|anaesthetist

antiaircraft|anti-aircraft

apologize|apologise

apothegm|apophthegm

appall|appal

arbor|arbour

archeology|archaeology

ardor|ardour

armor|armour

armorer|armourer

armory|armoury

artifact|artefact

ashtray|ash-tray

ax|axe

B.S.|B.Sc.

balk|baulk

baloney|boloney

banister|bannister

battle-ax|battleaxe

behavior|behaviour

behoove|behove

biased|biassed

biasing|biassing

bisulfate|bisulphate

bookkeeper|book-keeper

boric|boracic

burglarize|burglarise

burned|burnt

busses|buses

bylaw|bye law

cafe|caf?

caliber|calibre

caliper|calliper

calisthenics|callisthenics

canceled|cancelled

canceling|cancelling

candor|candour

cantaloupe|cantaloup

capitalize|capitalise

carburetor|carburettor

carcass|carcase

catalog|catalogue

catalyze|catalyse

categorize|categorise

center|centre

cesium|caesium

chamomile|camomile

characterize|characterise

check|cheque

chili|chilli

cigaret|cigarette

citrus|citrous

clamor|clamour

clangor|clangour

clarinetist|clarinettist

colonize|colonise

color|colour

connection|connexion

cooperate|co-operate

councilor|councillor

counseled|counselled

counseling|counselling

counselor|counsellor

cozy|cosy

crawfish|crayfish

criticize|criticise

curb|kerb

daydream|day-dream

defense|defence

deflection|deflexion

demeanor|demeanour

dependent|dependant

deviled|devilled

deviling|devilling

dialog|dialogue

dialyze|dialyse

diarrhea|diarrhoea

dieresis|diaeresis

disheveled|dishevelled

disk|disc

dispatch|despatch

distill|distil

disulfide|disulphide

dolor|dolour

donut|doughnut

doodad|doodah

Dr.|Dr

draft|draught

dramatize|dramatise

dreamed|dreamt

edema|oedema

elite|?lite

emphasize|emphasise

enamor|enamour

encase|incase

enclose|inclose

encyclopedia|encyclopaedia

endeavor|endeavour

endorse|indorse

enology|oenology

enroll|enrol

enthrall|enthral

eon|aeon

equaled|equalled

equaling|equalling

equalize|equalise

esophagus|oesophagus

esthete|aesthete

esthetic|aesthetic

estrogen|oestrogen

estrus|oestrus

ether|aether

extemporize|extemporise

favor|favour

fecal|faecal

feces|faeces

fervor|fervour

fetal|foetal

fete|f?te

fetid|foetid

fetus|foetus

fiber|fibre

finalize|finalise

flakey|flaky

flavor|flavour

fledgling|fledgeling

flower pot|flower-pot

flutist|flautist

focused|focussed

focusing|focussing

font|fount

fueled|fuelled

fueling|fuelling

fulfill|fulfil

furor|furore

gage|gauge

garrote|garrotte

garroted|garrotted

garroting|garrotting

genuflection|genuflexion

glamor|glamour

goiter|goitre

gonorrhea|gonorrhoea

gray|grey

groveled|grovelled

groveling|grovelling

gynecology|gynaecology

gypsy|gipsy

harbor|harbour

hauler|haulier

hemoglobin|haemoglobin

hemophilia|haemophilia

hemorrhage|haemorrhage

hemorrhoid|haemorrhoid

homeopath|homoeopath

homeostasis|homoeostasis

honor|honour

humor|humour

inflection|inflexion

inquire|enquire

inquiry|enquiry

install|instal

instill|instil

jail|gaol

jeweler|jeweller

jewelry|jewellery

jibe|gybe

Jr.|Jnr.

judgment|judgement

kidnaped|kidnapped

kidnaper|kidnapper

kidnaping|kidnapping

kneeled|knelt

labor|labour

lasagna|lasagne

leaned|leant

leaped|leapt

learned|learnt

leukemia|leukaemia

leveled|levelled

leveler|leveller

leveling|levelling

libeled|libelled

libeling|libelling

libelous|libellous

liberalize|liberalise

license|licence

licorice|liquorice

liter|litre

louver|louvre

luster|lustre

maneuver|manoeuvre

marveled|marvelled

marveling|marvelling

marvelous|marvellous

matinee|matin?e

meager|meagre

medieval|mediaeval

metaled|metalled

metaling|metalling

meter|metre

misdemeanor|misdemeanour

miter|mitre

mobilize|mobilise

modeled|modelled

modeler|modeller

modeling|modelling

mold|mould

mollusk|mollusc

molt|moult

motorize|motorise

mustache|moustache

naive|na?ve

naturalize|naturalise

naught|nought

neighbor|neighbour

neoclassical|neo-classical

niter|nitre

normalize|normalise

note paper|note-paper

ocher|ochre

odor|odour

offense|offence

omelet|omelette

organization|organisation

organize|organise

orthopedics|orthopaedics

pajamas|pyjamas

paleobotany|palaeobotany

Paleocene|Palaeocene

paleoclimatology|palaeoclimatology

paleogeography|palaeogeography

paleography|palaeography

paleolithic|palaeolithic

paleomagnetism|palaeomagnetism

paleontology|palaeontology

Paleozoic|Palaeozoic

paneled|panelled

paneling|panelling

panelist|panellist

paralleled|parallelled

paralleling|parallelling

paralyze|paralyse

parlor|parlour

pasteurized|pasteurised

pedagogy|paedagogy

peddler|pedlar

pederast|paederast

pediatric|paediatric

pediatrician|paediatrician

pediatrics|paediatrics

pedophile|paedophile

pedophilia|paedophilia

philter|philtre

pled|pleaded

plow|plough

polyethylene|polythene

popularize|popularise

practice|practise

preignition|pre-ignition

premise|premise

pretense|pretence

primeval|primaeval

program|programme

pseudointellectual|pseudo-intellectual

pseudoscience|pseudo-science

quarreled|quarrelled

quarreler|quarreller

quarreling|quarrelling

rancor|rancour

realize|realise

recognize|recognise

reconnoiter|reconnoitre

reflection|reflexion

retroflection|retroflexion

reveled|revelled

reveling|revelling

rigor|rigour

role|r?le

routing|routeing

rumor|rumour

saber|sabre

salable|saleable

saltpeter|saltpetre

satirize|satirise

savior|saviour

savor|savour

scalawag|scallywag

scepter|sceptre

sepulcher|sepulchre

skeptic|sceptic

skillful|skilful

smelled|smelt

smolder|smoulder

somber|sombre

specialty|speciality

specter|spectre

spelled|spelt

spilled|spilt

splendor|splendour

spoiled|spoilt

Sr.|Snr.

stabilize|stabilise

standardize|standardise

story|storey

succor|succour

sulfate|sulphate

sulfide|sulphide

sulfur|sulphur

symbolize|symbolise

syneresis|synaeresis

synesthesia|synaesthesia

tantalize|tantalise

theater|theatre

tidbit|titbit

tire|tyre

toward|towards

traveled|travelled

traveler|traveller

traveling|travelling

trisulfate|trisulphate

troweled|trowelled

troweling|trowelling

tumor|tumour

tyro|tiro

ultrahigh|ultra-high

ultramodern|ultra-modern

valor|valour

vapor|vapour

vaporize|vaporise

vial|phial

vigor|vigour

vise|vice

wagon|waggon

willful|wilful

woolen|woollen

wooly|woolly

worshiped|worshipped

worshiper|worshipper

worshiping|worshipping

_________________________________________

RESOURCES

Cambridge Dictionaries Online features The Cambridge International Dictionary of English, with words and definitions for American, Australian, and British English:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

After you've searched for a word, be sure to click the words found in order to see the full definitions and usage examples.

Part of my editing process is applying paragraph styles (like Heading 1) to a manuscript. As I've done this, I've noticed an annoying bug: Applying the paragraph style often makes character formatting (such as italics) disappear. You can see this for yourself:

1. Create a new document in Word 6, 95, 97, 98, 2000, or 2001.

2. Type the words "This is" at the beginning of the document.

3. Italicize the word "This."

4. Apply the paragraph style for Heading 1.

Ouch! The italic formatting disappears. Word's Help file gives this "explanation":

"Applying a style turns off bold, italic, or underlining.

"The format you apply by using a paragraph style or character style may change the existing character formatting of the text. For example, when you apply a built-in heading style such as Heading 1 to underlined text, the underlining disappears. This will not occur if you format the characters after you apply the style."

If I'm writing, fine. But if I'm editing, this is a nuisance.

Now try this:

1. Create a new document in Word 6, 95, 97, 98, 2000, or 2001 (2002 works a little differently).

2. Type the words "This is a test" at the beginning of the document.

3. Italicize the word "This."

4. Apply the paragraph style for Heading 1.

Well, look at that; the italic formatting is still there. What's going on here, anyway?

I think what's going on is that Word is trying (unsuccessfully) to be helpful, as the italics *sometimes* toggle off or on depending on the formatting of the paragraph style. For example, if you apply an italic Heading 2 to "*This* is" (the asterisks here represent italics), the character formatting of the text changes to "This *is*"--pretty cool! The problem is, the feature doesn't always work. If you try applying an italic Heading 2 to "This *is* a test," for example, the whole line goes italic. Ackk! Then reapplying a roman Heading 1 removes all italics from the line.

There is a way to keep Word from wiping out your character formatting: Use character styles rather than Word's built-in character formatting (such as italic). Here's how:

1. Click the "Tools" menu.

2. Click "Style" (or "Styles and Formatting").

3. Click the button labeled "New" or "New Style."

4. Give your new style a name, such as "Italic."

5. Under "Style Type," specify "Character."

6. If you'd like to add the style to your document's underlying template, put a check in the box labeled "Add to template."

7. To specify a shortcut key combination for your new style, click the "Shortcut Key" button. (If you're using 2002, you'll have to click the "Format" button before "Shortcut Key" is available.) For more information, see the Readers Write column here:

http://www.topica.com/lists/editorium/read/message.html?mid=1707100224

I'd recommend using Word's built-in key combinations for these character styles--CTRL + I for italic, CTRL + B for bold, and so on. Then, whenever you use the key combinations, you'll get your custom character style rather than Word's character formatting. (To remove the style, select the text to which it was applied and press CTRL + SPACEBAR.)

8. Click the "Format" button.

9. Click "Font."

10. Click "Italic" (or whatever formatting you want to use). Please notice that you can also specify an actual italic font if you're interested in quality typesetting.

11. Click the "OK" button.

12. Click the "OK" button.

13. Click the "Close" button.

After you've formatted some text with your new character style, applying a paragraph style will no longer wipe it out. Hooray!

_________________________________________

READERS WRITE

In our December 19 issue, I wrote about resizing drop-down lists:

http://www.topica.com/lists/editorium/read/message.html?mid=1709196044

Tony Dalton wrote to suggest a clarification in the instructions, which say:

__________________________

1. Click the "Tools" menu.

2. Click "Customize." The Customize dialog box will appear.

3. Click inside of the drop-down list you want to resize. A black border

will appear around the list window.

__________________________

At this point you might be tempted to click one of the items in the dialog box itself, which won't work. Instead, click *outside* of the dialog box and inside of the drop-down list (such as the style list on the Formatting toolbar) that you want to resize.

Thanks to Tony for his helpful observation.

_________________________________________

RESOURCES

The Editor's Pen is a useful compilation of editorial resources, including links to various dictionaries, lists of freelancers, editorial challenges, and a FAQ:

http://users.myepath.com/dwlacey/default.htm

I especially like the resources page:

http://users.myepath.com/dwlacey/resource.htm