Why did "advertise" not get changed to "advertize" when spelled in US English? It sounds like organize (-se) and all those others. Are there other -se words which were missed in the US-ization (-isation) of spelling?

Fine question, Bean... although do note that US'n pronunciation (ad-ver-TIZE-ment) differs markedly from Brit pronunciation (ad-VERT-iz-ment)...

That's about all I have to add to this conversation. Just pleased to be in at the start of a thread, for once!

Why did "advertise" not get changed to "advertize" when spelled in US English?

Probably because otherwise we would be confronted by a rule without an exception, something extremely rare and unstable.

I decided to LIU, and in fact, I surprisingly found an entry for to advertize in Webster's, but no entry for advertizement (less surprising).
Perhaps the etymology of the word, given by AHD as 'Middle English advertisen', has something to do with the US spelling exception.

advertise isn't quite the exception that proves the rule -- just try to fathom the rule!

from alt.english.usage:
"-ize" vs "-ise"
---------------

The following verbs are always spelled with "-ise": advertise, advise, arise, chastise, circumcise, comprise, compromise, demise, despise, devise, disguise, enterprise, excise, exercise, (dis/en)franchise, improvise, incise, merchandise, premise, reprise, revise, rise, supervise, surmise, surprise, televise. (At least, they're *almost* always spelled that way: "advertize", "merchandize", and "surprize" ARE listed in some U.S. college dictionaries, but are not the usual forms anywhere.) A useful mnemonic is that, except "improvise", none of these make nouns in "-isation", "-ization", or "-ism". (Exceptions in the other direction are "aggrandize", "capsize", "recognize", and verbs from
which no verb "-ization" has been formed because the parent or cognate noun already had the desired meaning.)

"Apprise" means "to inform"; "apprize" means "to appreciate". U.K. "prise open" = U.S. "pry open".

"Exorcize" is most commonly spelled "exorcise" in the U.S., though "exorcize" (which Fowler would have recommended) also occurs.

For other verbs, "-ize" is usual in the U.S. and recommended by Fowler, although "-ise" is also used in the U.K. Fowler recommends "-yse" in "analyse", "catalyse", and "paralyse", although "-yze" is usual in the U.S.


aaarrrrrggh

the OED seems to have taken the approach of using -ize for all words except those already well-established as -ise stemming from French through Latin:
In med.L. and the mod. langs. these have been formed also on L. or modern national names, and the use has been extended to the formation of verbs from L. adjs. or ns. This practice prob. began first in French; in mod.F. the suffix has become -iser, alike in words from Greek, as baptiser, évangéliser, organiser, and those formed after them from L., as civiliser, cicatriser, humaniser. Hence, some have used the spelling -ise in Eng., as in French, for all these words, and some prefer -ise in words formed in French or Eng. from L. elements, retaining -ize for those of Gr. composition. But the suffix itself, whatever the element to which it is added, is in its origin the Gr. [], L. -izare; and, as the pronunciation is also with z, there is no reason why in English the special French spelling should be followed, in opposition to that which is at once etymological and phonetic. In this Dictionary the termination is uniformly written -ize.

US'n pronunciation (ad-ver-TIZE-ment) differs markedly from Brit pronunciation (ad-VERT-iz-ment

It's been my experience that the latter pronunciation is more common than the former. "adverTIZEment" just sounds wrong to these Midwestern ears! Is it really preferred elsewhere in the US?

"adverTIZEment" just sounds wrong to these Midwestern ears! It sounds correct to these midwestern ears!

Does anyone say adVERTisers?

In Canada most people I know say ad-ver-TIZE-ment, although you hear the occasional ad-VER-tiz-ment and then it sounds...pretentious (for lack of a better word)...to my ears. Like the whole ant/ahnt thing.

"adverTIZEment" just sounds wrong to these Midwestern ears! Is it really preferred elsewhere in the US? -- asks Nancy from Detroit

"AdverTIZEment" is preferred all the way over in Lansing.

"adverTIZEment" just sounds wrong to these Midwestern ears! Is it really preferred elsewhere in the US? -- asks Nancy from Detroit
"AdverTIZEment" is preferred all the way over in Lansing.

Let me extend it a bit further... "adverTIZEment" is the preferred pronunciation in PA as well.

I know this may sound strange, but I wouldn't say "advertisement" at all. I would say "ad" or "commercial" (if on TV) or "poster" or "billboard". I guess if I was reading it I would say ad-VERT-iz-ment, and would assume it was Britspeak, but I may be over-thinking it.

And in New England.
But why do we say adverTIZEment and then ADvertise?

But why do we say adverTIZEment and then ADvertise?

Note that in adverTIZEment, AD is a secondary accent.

Also, just thought I'd point out that the AHD prefers advertiSement.

In reply to:

---

But why do we say adverTIZEment and then ADvertise?

---

At least the British pronunciation is consistent here. AdVERTisement and ADvertise are both stressed on the antepenultimate syllable, which I am told is the preferred position for the stress on longer words, except when it isn't, of course.

Bingley

Huh. I've always understood the American pronunciation to be primarily AD and secondarily TIZE: AD-vr-tize-mnt.

My British pronunciation is 'd-VERT-is-mnt with an S.

My British pronunciation is 'd-VERT-is-mnt with an S.

Similarly in Zild.

I know this may sound strange, but I wouldn't say "advertisement" at all. I would say "ad" or "commercial" (if on TV) or "poster" or "billboard". I guess if I was reading it I would say ad-VERT-iz-ment, and would assume it was Britspeak, but I may be over-thinking it.

Okay, granted, I almost never SAY "advertisement" in everyday speech because I tend to say "ad", but when speaking more formally or writing, I use the long version, with the non-British pronounciation, however you choose to write that out. (AD-ver-TIZE-ment?)

preferred all the way over in Lansing

Shouldn’t that be Lanzing?

Lanzing?

No. It is pronounced with an ess sound. Is the zee used elsewhere (New York?)? [or-maybe-this-is-a-joke-and-I-shouldn't-post-until-I've-had-coffee emoticon]

Have a coffee

OK!

I'd suggest that the primary stress is on the first syllable, and a secondary on the third, at least in my own US-midwestern dialect. O'course, the prosodic and syntactic environment of the sentence in which it's said has some impact on where the stresses fall.

...is the preferred position for the stress on longer words, except when it isn't, of course.

Now'e're tawkin' *my 'language'.

I hate these s/z words! I learned many as a young child-- reading books sent to me from Ireland-- and learned the UK spelling-- which most US word processors reject-- and then there is raze (rase)-- the opposite in some ways of raise-- (to tear down-- to raze a building-) While i would most often "erect" or build a building-- in NY you "raise steel" and a building rises up-- (skyscapers are raised-- small house are not)

(and to make matters worse-- my favorite everyday dictionary-- (not my work one, which is M-W 10th) is Chambers.-- ex got the OED in divorce)

the different spellings are shade of grey!

I'd say AD-vert-tise-ment. If I said it at all.

jimthedog

Helen,
Never mind Sparteye's coffee. I want some of whatever it is you're ingesting

but I wouldn't say "advertisement" at all. I would say "ad"

And herein lies the solution, and my excuse! "Advertisement" is so often shortenend to "ad" that I haven't had occasion to hear it - either pronunciation - spoken enough to have a sense of which is used more. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it! ) (But adVERTisment still sounds better to me)