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spelling in the UK

English translation: cooperation

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:spelling in the UK
Selected answer:cooperation
Entered by: mbc

10:29 Dec 11, 2003
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary
English term or phrase: spelling in the UK
I am re-writing a series of articles written in or translated into English by people from all over the EU. The client wants British spelling. In most of the articles co-operation is hyphenated something that in the US is acceptable but certainly antiquated. The articles are not by any means formal. Can I change to cooperation? (It´s the whole theme so I want to be sure!) Thanks.
mbc
Spain
Local time: 16:41
cooperation
Explanation:
I am from the UK and also find "co-operation" antiquated.
Selected response from:

Hazel Whiteley
Local time: 15:41
Grading comment
thanks to both of you! giving hazel the points for speed! the guardian link will be a help.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +8co-operation
David Moore (X)
3 +3cooperation
Hazel Whiteley
5cooperation
Gordon Darroch (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
cooperation


Explanation:
I am from the UK and also find "co-operation" antiquated.

Hazel Whiteley
Local time: 15:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 20
Grading comment
thanks to both of you! giving hazel the points for speed! the guardian link will be a help.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Empty Whiskey Glass
6 mins
agree  Madeleine MacRae Klintebo
7 mins
agree  EmilyLyng (X): Also from the UK and I drop the hyphen
8 mins
agree  Transflux (X): 600,000 google hits from UK pages alone, so I don't think you have anything to worry about
17 mins
disagree  David Moore (X): Endymion, you and I are obviously using different googles; my "co-operation" came out at 536,000, and your "cooperation" at 403,000
36 mins
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +8
spelling in the uk
co-operation


Explanation:
For me; I may be antiquated, but I think that to omit a hyphen where it assists readability is just silly. Not to say positively lazy....
In any case, Chambers 21st Century dictionary gives "Co-operate", "co-ordinate" to give but two examples, so I think that is correct.




David Moore (X)
Local time: 16:41
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 876

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  IanW (X): My sentiments exactly, David, but we're in a minority. (BTW, I do read the Guardian, but would never use it as a guide for correct spelling :->)
7 mins
  -> Thanks Ian; but we're not, you know, not even according to google....
agree  Julia Thompson: agree wholeheartedly!
26 mins
agree  Selcuk Akyuz
56 mins
agree  Tony M: Yes, David I agree entirely --- anywhere it helps reading or avoids confusion, I feel it SHOULD be retained
1 hr
agree  awilliams: Yes.
5 hrs
agree  Henrik Brameus
6 hrs
agree  Mario Marcolin: indeed
8 hrs
agree  Chris Rowson (X): I hyphenate these "coo..." words because I don´t like them without, but sometimes wonder if I´m being too antiquated - nice to have this support :-)
15 hrs
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
spelling in the uk
cooperation


Explanation:
also cooperate, cooperative
ref: Guardian newspaper style guide

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 30 mins (2003-12-11 11:59:56 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

style guides aren\'t meant to be taken as gospel, they\'re designed to ensure consistency within a newspaper\'s pages. However, they are drawn up by sub-editors who have to wrestle with the nuances and ambiguities of language on a daily basis and as such they are a **useful** guide to how the language is evolving, whether or not you agree with them in the end. And unlike a search engine, a style guide has at least benefited from the input of a discerning human mind, which is a scarce enough resource these days.


    Reference: http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide/page/0,5817,184841,00.h...
Gordon Darroch (X)
Local time: 15:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  David Moore (X): Don't treat the Guardian like the Bible, please!!!
17 mins
  -> whereas google, of course, is an infallible authority!
agree  Christine Andersen: This is the one in the Concise Oxford, for what it's worth. To confuse everyone, the Times style guide gives co-operation, co-ordination ... but uncooperative, uncoordinated!! So write what you like.
1 day 3 hrs
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