The '-ize' have it

Many British English speakers disapprove of spellings such as ‘criticize’ or ‘modernize’, as if the letter ‘z’ were some devilish American plot designed to ruin ‘traditional’ English spelling forever.

Yet if these same diehards were to pick up a novel by, say, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy or George Eliot, they might be surprised at the sheer number of words spelt in this way: ‘apologize’, ‘organize’, ‘recognize’, ‘sympathize’, ‘utilize’; the list goes on.

In fact, in the literature of the 19th century this spelling is far more common than the alternative ‘-ise’ which many English children are still taught at school today. And it may surprise you to know that the spelling with ‘z’ has been preferred by the vast majority of British authors and editors from the 18th century to the present.

‘-ize’ derives originally from the ‘-izein’ ending of Greek verbs such as ostrakizein (from which we get ‘ostracize’) and baptizein (‘baptize’). And this ancient heritage is why to this day the Oxford English Dictionary gives ‘-ize’ as the preferred spelling, listing ‘-ise’ only as a variant.

Of course there are always detractors who insist on using the French-derived ‘-ise’ for all verbs, irrespective of the words’ origins. Among their number are Emily and Charlotte Bronte (but not sister Anne), and the Times newspaper (which changed from ‘-ize’ to ‘-ise’ as recently as 1992).

As you might expect, there are exceptions to everything that I have written above. These include verbs whose Latin stem ends with ‘vise’ (from videre, to see) ‘-prise’ (from prendere, to take), and ‘-mise’ (from mittere, to send). All should be spelt with ‘s’, as should ‘analyse’ and ‘catalyse’, both of which share the Greek stem ‘-lys-‘, from the verb ‘luo’, to loosen or untie.

Exceptions to the rule:

• circumcise, exercise

• analyse, catalyse

• compromise. promise, surmise

• comprise, reprise, surprise

• advertise

• advise, devise, revise, supervise