[Cryptography] The Strange Story of Satoshi Nakamoto's Spelling Choices: Part 1.

[Dave Horsfall]

On Thu, 7 Jan 2021, Mark Rousell wrote:

> As a British Englisher I can conform that this is not the case. The use 
> of "z" in words like "characterized" is entirely legitimate and 
> consistent with British English. It is a spelling form used most often, 
> from what I have observed, by British English speakers with an academic 
> or university-educated background (but this is just my anecdotal 
> observation). Nevertheless, "z" is considered legitimate in general.

Not when I was there in the late 60s it wasn't...  Same here in Australia; 
the media invariably use "s", and using "z" results in letters to the 
editor about the slow Americanisation of English.

> If Satoshi Nakamoto is British or had a British education (particularly 
> a university education) then it would be consistent for him to use "z" 
> in such words.

Not my experience, and I went to an English grammar school which was 
pretty formal (they were several years ahead of Australian schools, which 
annoyed me no end).

[...]

> P.S. Further to my earlier message, my British English Londoner mother 
> (aged 84) tells me that she was originally taught at school the "z" 
> spelling of words like "characterize" or "legitimize". It was only later 
> that she noticed other people using the "s" version.

My parents always used "s", and they were pretty pedantic.

I guess what we can take away from this is that spelling is not a 
particularly reliable guide to nationality.

Same thing with accents: Americans and Australians think I'm Australian 
(OK, I've lived here for over 50 years) but an Englishman will invariably 
ask me "which county?"...  I have a sort of northern English accent with a 
slight Scottish tinge (courtesy of my mother), and I have to modify it to 
be understood; I've also had to learn Aussie slang (they don't understand 
English/Scottish slang here).

OK, we're getting a bit OT now...

-- Dave