“Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

maxmcd wrote: post #2

I think I found another one, and it looks like it swapped twice: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Aesthetic.esthetic Edit: Another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Archaeology.archeology A very early switch: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Toward.towards Another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=catalogue.catalog And another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=centre.center A weaker one: http…

Very cool.

Re: “Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

#4

Post by jacobolus » Sun, Aug 03, 2014, 5:32 AM UTC

This was discovered a week ago on Hacker News: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8090272

Re: “Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

#5

Post by wyager » Sun, Aug 03, 2014, 6:14 AM UTC

These swaps are clearly "non-organic" (i.e. didn't emerge from gradual changes in colloquial language). Are they the result of a change in editing staff? Spelling correction software?

Re: “Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

#6

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Aug 03, 2014, 6:16 AM UTC

wyager wrote: post #5

These swaps are clearly "non-organic" (i.e. didn't emerge from gradual changes in colloquial language). Are they the result of a change in editing staff? Spelling correction software?

[deleted]

Re: “Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

#7

Post by ghshephard » Sun, Aug 03, 2014, 6:27 AM UTC

I could have really used Chronicle in high school english (1987) - I was constantly getting essays handed back with the accusation that I was making up words (said evidence being the lack of the words in my English instructor's somewhat dated dictionary).

"Horrific" was one that always got me in trouble - though, apparently, it is a somewhat new word.

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=horrific

Re: “Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

#8

Post by ghshephard » Sun, Aug 03, 2014, 6:28 AM UTC

wyager wrote: post #5

These swaps are clearly "non-organic" (i.e. didn't emerge from gradual changes in colloquial language). Are they the result of a change in editing staff? Spelling correction software?

They updated their style guide.

Re: “Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

#9

Post by lstamour » Sun, Aug 03, 2014, 6:59 AM UTC

maxmcd wrote: post #2

I think I found another one, and it looks like it swapped twice: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Aesthetic.esthetic Edit: Another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Archaeology.archeology A very early switch: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Toward.towards Another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=catalogue.catalog And another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=centre.center A weaker one: http…

via http://artvoice.com/issues/v12n6/theaterweek and its suggestions, I found:

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=calibre.caliber (1936)

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=manoeuvre.maneuver (1943)

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=sombre.somber (1929)

Slightly less clear cut but still strong:

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=goitre.goiter&format=c... (1935)

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=lustre.luster (1935)

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=meagre.meager (1927)

Might be interesting to graph all these next to editor or leadership changes, as well as style guide revisions. Or actually, current events, now that I look at some of the years where it's been sharpest.

Re: “Theater” vs. “Theatre”: The Great New York Times Language Swap

#10

Post by thret » Sun, Aug 03, 2014, 7:12 AM UTC

maxmcd wrote: post #2

I think I found another one, and it looks like it swapped twice: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Aesthetic.esthetic Edit: Another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Archaeology.archeology A very early switch: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=Toward.towards Another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=catalogue.catalog And another: http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=centre.center A weaker one: http…

http://chronicle.nytlabs.com/?keyword=disk.disc