User:Asdfjrjjj/English

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This page in a nutshell: The formal, written use of Caribbean English and its dialects is similar to, but distinguishable from, that of their more well-known counterparts (British, American, so on).

This essay briefly describes the formal, written usage of Caribbean (CarE) or Belizean (BelE) English, as observed either by scholars, or else as observable in appropriate sources. This page is not an exhaustive treatment of language use, nor a reliable, independent, nor peer-reviewed source on the same (rather see literature on or in CarE), nor prescriptivist guidance on the same (rather see WP:BZE/G), nor does it intend to offer any sort of advice or opinion. Nonetheless, it is hoped the following might help editors to familiarise themselves with CarE or BelE, so as to better inform their application of relevant Wikipedia policies or guidelines (including MOS), or their use of {{UCarE}} or {{UBelE}}.^[1]

Background

The following name-value pairs provide abbreviated background and context for CarE and component dialects.

Relation to local English dialects

CarE is deemed a parent dialect composed of various subdialects (BelE, JamE, TrinE, so on)^[2]

Relation to foreign English dialects

CarE is not deemed a subdialect of any foreign English dialect (BrE, AmE, so on)

Relation to local English creoles

at least some linguists deem Caribbean creoles informal registers of CarE;^[3] some deem them distinct languages;^[4] none deem them formal registers of CarE

Relation to informal, verbal usage

is not employed in formal, written media, such as this written encyclopaedia

Place in World Englishes

at least some linguists deem CarE outer circle dialects^[5]

Corpora

currently available only for JamE;^[6] may soon be available for BahE and TrinE too;^[7] not in Google ngrams

Dictionaries

supplemental ones available for CarE,^[8] JamE,^[9] BahE,^[10] and TrinE;^[11] no comprehensive dictionaries available^[12]

Glossaries

available for at least some CarE dialects^[13]

Style guides

none available for CarE^[14]

Automated spelling or vocabulary checkers

CarE not currently supported by any of these^[15]

Standardisation

at least some linguists identify a standardised form of CarE^[16]

Orthography

CarE and its component dialects employ any of three orthographic systems:

• Oxford-style spelling (-ize, centre) - the historical, traditional style.^[17]
• British-style spelling (-ise, centre) - the newer, formal style.
• American-style spelling (-ize, center) - the newest, business style.

Oxford- or British-style are prescribed by at least some authorities for standardised CarE.^[18] American-style is accepted or (possibly) preferred in at least some works or contexts.^[19] An inconsistent or mixed style (eg switching between British- and American-style spellings within the same work) is likewise accepted or (possibly) preferred in at least some works or contexts.^[20]

Comparison

The following prescriptivist chart compares CarE and BelE spellings as preferred by authoritative sources.^[21] BrE and AmE preferred spellings from MOS:S. Supplemental spellings (not in MOS:S chart) flagged by sup;^[22] spellings diverging or different from those in BrE or AmE flagged by italics; spellings only from Google tests (not listed nor obvious in dictionaries) flagged by asterisks.

Prescriptivist or preferred spellings in Caribbean and Belizean English compared to those in British and American English.

BrE	CarE	BelE	AmE
n/a [sup]	Yucatan*, Yucatán [sup]	Yucatan* [sup]	Yucatán [sup]
n/a [sup]	Gulf of Honduras* [sup]	Bay of Honduras*, Gulf of Honduras* [sup]	Gulf of Honduras [sup]
mestizo, mestiza (n.) [sup]	mestizo (n. or adj.) [sup]	mestizo, Mestizo* (n. or adj.) [sup]	mestizo, mestiza (n.) [sup]
shilling (12 old pence) [sup]	shilling (12 old pence) [sup]	shilling* (25 cents) [sup]	quarter (25 cents) [sup]
papaw, pawpaw (Asimina or Carica), custard apple, papaya (Carica) [sup]	papaw, pawpaw, papaya (Carica) [sup]	papaya, papaw, pawpaw (Carica) [sup]	papaya (Carica), pawpaw, papaw (Carica or Asimina) [sup]
cay [sup]	cay [sup]	caye [sup]	cay, key [sup]
n/a [sup]	n/a [sup]	panades [sup]	empanadas [sup]
n/a [sup]	rice and peas (dish), peas and rice (dish) [sup]	rice and beans (dish) [sup]	n/a [sup]
blackberry (Rubus) [sup]	blackberry (Rubus or not Rubus) [sup]	blackberry (not Rubus) [sup]	blackberry (Rubus) [sup]
acknowledgement	acknowledgement	acknowledgement	acknowledgment
aeroplane	aeroplane	aeroplane*, airplane	airplane
ageing, aging	ageing*, aging*	aging*, ageing*	aging, ageing
all right	all right, alright	all right, alright*	alright, all right
aluminium	aluminium	aluminum*, aluminium*	aluminum
authorise, authorize	authorise*, authorize*	authorize*, authorise*	authorize
analyse	analyse*, analyze*	analyze*, analyse*	analyze
artefact	artifact*, artefact*	artifact*	artifact
cancelled	cancelled*	cancelled	canceled
catalogue	catalogue*, catalog*	catalogue*, catalog*	catalog, catalogue
centre	centre, center	center*, centre	center
civilisation, civilization	civilization	civilization*	civilization
colour	colour, color	color*, colour	color
co-operation	cooperation*, co-operation*	cooperation*, co-operation*	cooperation
defence	defence	defence*, defense*	defense
dialogue	dialogue	dialogue*, dialog* (conversation or text)	dialogue, dialog (conversation or text)
diarrhoea	diarrhoea	diarrhea	diarrhea
encyclopaedia	encyclopedia*, encyclopaedia*	encyclopedia*	encyclopedia
empanel, impanel	empanel*	empanel*	impanel, empanel
foetus, fetus	fetus*, foetus*	fetus*	fetus
fulfil	fulfil*, fulfill*	fulfill*, fulfil*	fulfill
jail, gaol	jail	jail, gaol*	jail
grey	grey, gray	grey, gray*	gray, grey
honour	honour	honour	honor
instalment	instalment*, installment*	instalment*, installment*	installment
judgement, judgment	judgement, judgment	judgement*, judgment*	judgment
kerb (roadside), curb (restrain)	kerb* (roadside), curb* (roadside or restrain)	curb*	curb
labour	labour	labour	labor
licence (n.), license (v.)	licence* (n.), license* (n. or v.)	license (n. or v.), licence* (n.)	license (n. or v.)
liquorice	liquorice, licorice	liquorice*	licorice
manoeuvre	manoeuvre*, maneuver*	maneuver*	maneuver
meagre	meagre	meager*, meagre*	meager
mould	mould	mould	mold
organisation, organization	organisation, organization	organization, organisation*	organization
plough	plough	plow*, plough*	plow
practice (n.), practise (v.)	practice (n.), practise (v.)	practice (n. or v.), practise (v.)	practice (n. or v.)
computer program, training programme	computer program, training programme	computer program, training programme	computer program, training program
pyjamas	pyjamas*, pajamas*	pajamas*, pyjamas*	pajamas
routeing, routing	routing*	routing*	routing
sceptic	sceptic*, skeptic*	skeptic*, sceptic*	skeptic
sombre	sombre*, somber*	somber*, sombre*	somber
sulphur	sulphur	sulphur*, sulfur*	sulfur
theatre	theatre	theatre, theater	theater, theatre
travelling	travelling	travelling*, traveling*	traveling, travelling
tyre	tyre	tyre, tire	tire
veranda	veranda, verandah	veranda, verandah*	veranda
vice (fault or tool)	vice* (fault or tool)	vice* (fault or tool), vise* (tool)	vice (fault), vise (tool)
vigour	vigour	vigor*	vigor
yoghurt, yogurt, yoghourt	yogurt*, yoghurt*	yogurt*, yoghurt*	yogurt

Vocabulary

Some terms and phrases are characteristic of and common to all CarE; some are distinctive to and used only in certain CarE dialects. Any term listed in a CarE dictionary or glossary is either a novel one, or else one used in a novel way.^[23] The bulk of these name or refer to distinctive aspects of culture, cuisine, flora, fauna, geography, history, and the like, or else are distinctive loanwords or loanwords distinctively anglicised. The following name-value pairs provide a very restricted list of such terms or phrases which may or may need to be used and glossed.^[24]

Those with no equivalent common in foreign English dialects

eg some terms or phrases added to OED; eg pelau for the entree in CarE; eg bammy for the flatbread in JamE; eg casiri for the drink in GuyE; eg salbutes for the appetiser in BelE; eg xatero for the palm harvester in BelE; eg wet drop for the illicit parcel in BelE; so on

Those required for context or meaning

eg in quotes; eg in specialised contexts; eg carnal knowledge for the criminal charge in BelE (not rape); so on

Those used in a novel way

eg some senses added to OED; eg zombie as in 'ghost' in CarE but 'creature' abroad; eg winding as in 'dancing' in CarE but 'twisting' abroad; eg snowball as in 'shaved ice' in CarE but 'ball of snow' abroad; eg ridge as in 'forested area' in BelE but 'elevated area' abroad; so on

Those in titles of country-specific articles

null

Other

Other CarE conventions follow either British- (traditionally) or American-style (recently); few (if any) are idiosyncratic or distinctive to CarE or its component dialects. The following name-value pairs provide a restricted list of such conventions.^[25]

Subject-verb agreement

in BelE, collective nouns are most often singular, and rarely plural^[26]

Weights and measures

in BelE, Imperial units are most often employed, with US customary units (possibly) used in some contexts, and SI or metric units used rarely or only in specialised contexts

Currency

in BelE, the dollar sign most often refers to Belizean dollars, with other dollar currencies nearly always disambiguated

Dates

in BelE, dates most often follow than precede month names^[27]

Abbreviations

in BelE, abbreviated words are most often punctuated, eg Ms. not Ms; in BelE, acronyms and initialisms are rarely punctuated, eg NEMO not N.E.M.O.

Addresses

in CarE, country names may be followed by the region name, eg Barbados, West Indies or Belize, Central America; in BelE, house numbers are often preceded by No. or #, eg No. 1 Albert Street

Quotations

in BelE, double quotation marks are most often used, with single ones used rarely

Google queries

The following name-value pairs provide the queries used in Google tests for various data above.^[28] Queries cited G1 to G4 in order listed here, with subqueries listed in decimals (eg G1.1 to G1.5 for G1).

For authoritative CarE use (G1)

For official regional entities (G1.1):

(site:caricom.org OR site:uwi.edu OR site:acs-aec.org OR site:oecs.int OR site:ccj.org OR site:eccourts.org OR site:thecpso.org OR site:caribank.org OR site:carib-export.com OR site:ccreee.org OR site:caricomdevelopmentfund.org OR site:ctu.int OR site:caribbeanclimate.org OR site:crosq.org OR site:crfm.int OR site:caricomimpacs.org OR site:cxc.org OR site:caricomcompetitioncommission.com OR site:cdema.org OR site:cahfsa.org OR site:cassos.org OR site:carpha.org OR site:caricad.net OR site:cardi.org) "add_term_here"

For western Caribbean (G1.2):

(site:.gov.bs OR site:.org.bs OR site:.edu.bs OR site:courts.bs OR site:.gov.bz OR site:.org.bz OR site:.edu.bz OR site:belizejudiciary.org OR site:judiciary.bz OR site:.gov.jm OR site:.org.jm OR site:.edu.jm) "add_term_here"

For eastern Caribbean (G1.3):

(site:.gov.ag OR site:.org.ag OR site:.edu.ag OR site:.gov.bb OR site:.org.bb OR site:.edu.bb OR site:barbadosparliament.com OR site:barbadosparliament-laws.com OR site:.gov.gd OR site:.org.gd OR site:.edu.gd OR site:grenadaparliament.gd OR site:.gov.gy OR site:.org.gy OR site:.edu.gy OR site:supremecourt.gy OR site:.gov.lc OR site:.govt.lc OR site:.org.lc OR site:.edu.lc OR site:.gov.vc OR site:.org.vc OR site:.edu.vc OR site:.gov.tt OR site:.org.tt OR site:.edu.tt OR site:ttparliament.org OR site:ttlawcourts.org) "add_term_here"

For some non-official regional entities (G1.4):

(site:caribbeanprotectedareasgateway.org OR site:caribnog.org OR site:cceoeng.org OR site:caribbeanenergychamber.org OR site:theaceo.com OR site:cari-code.com OR site:cmccaribbean.com OR site:ccrif.org OR site:caribbeanbiodiversityfund.org OR site:cvccoalition.org OR site:competecaribbean.org OR site:agricarib.org OR site:caribbeansexualities.org OR site:organizational-excellence.com OR site:carosai.org OR site:caribbeanhotelandtourism.com OR site:caribbeanactuaries.com OR site:cab-inc.com OR site:caribbeanaah.org OR site:canari.org OR site:onecaribbean.org OR site:clecaribbean.com) "add_term_here"

For more non-official regional entities (G1.5):

(site:cnfo.fish OR site:healthycaribbean.org OR site:cpdcngo.org OR site:officeoftrade.com OR site:thecajo.org OR site:caribbeantradelaw.com OR site:associationofcaribbeanhistorians.org OR site:strongercaribbeantogether.org OR site:birdscaribbean.org OR site:caricomreparations.org OR site:cariphilalliance.org OR site:risecaribbean.org OR site:carbica.org OR site:ccs-ngo.com OR site:exceptionalcaribbean.com OR site:unite-caribbean.com OR site:caribbeanjustice.org OR site:cseao.com OR site:caribbeanaseancouncil.org OR site:caribbeanaccelerator.org) "add_term_here"

For authoritative BelE use (G2)

(site:.gov.bz OR site:.org.bz OR site:.edu.bz OR site:.mil.bz OR site:belizejudiciary.org OR site:judiciary.bz OR site:pactbelize.org OR site:puc.bz OR site:nacbelize.org OR site:sifbelize.org OR site:coastalzonebelize.org OR site:belizebroadcastingauthority.org OR site:fiubelize.org OR site:immarbe.com OR site:dfcbelize.org OR site:beltraide.bz OR site:nichbelize.org OR site:bnlsis.org OR site:pcbbelize.com OR site:bmdc.bz OR site:bmabz.com OR site:belizetourismboard.org OR site:nwcbelize.org OR site:portauthority.bz OR site:centralbuildingauthority.org OR site:belizepolice.bz OR site:kolbe.bz OR site:belipo.bz) "add_term_here"

For popular CarE use (G3)

null

For popular BelE use (G4)

(site:amandala.com.bz OR site:thereporter.bz OR site:7newsbelize.com OR site:greaterbelize.com OR site:channel5belize.com OR site:lovefm.com OR site:belizenews.com OR site:breakingbelizenews.com OR site:cubola.com OR site:belizebank.com OR site:atlabank.com OR site:livedigi.com OR site:bel.com.bz OR site:bws.bz OR site:aicbelize.com OR site:rfginsurancebelize.com OR site:rfglife.com OR site:icbinsurance.com OR site:belize.org OR site:belizelawyer.com OR site:attorneybelize.com OR site:lawbelize.bz OR site:courtenaycoye.com OR site:barrowandwilliams.com OR site:godfreylaw.bz OR site:balderamosarthurs.com) "add_term_here"

See also

• User:Pineapple_Storage/Bibliography/World_Englishes – sources on World Englishes

Notes and references

1. Relative time references (current, now, so on) are as of Aug 2025. English dialects abbreviated as usual where possible (BrE, CarE, JamE), else an abbreviation invented for brevity (BahE for Bahamas, BelE for Belize, TrinE for Trinidad & Tobago, so on). This essay written to fulfil information requirements for {{UCarE}} or {{UBelE}}, as seemingly requested by some editors per this UBE discussion.
2. Like BrE and its subdialects. So we speak of both the CarE dialect (= CarE) and CarE dialects (= BahE, BelE, JamE, so on).
3. Possibly like AAVE and AmE, or Cockney and BrE; aka the creole continuum; cf eg Deuber 2014 pp. 3-11.
4. Possibly like Afrikaans and Dutch, or Haitian Creole and French. Some authoritative bodies do too, eg Kriol Cl.
5. And at least JamE deemed a phase 4 dialect (cf Szmrecsanyi & Grafmiller 2023 p. 51).
6. From ICE.
7. From ICE.
8. DCEU; prescriptivist; first pub 1996 by OUP; flags geographic variance of terms; supplemented by New Register of Caribbean English Usage pub 2010 by UWI Press; cf All D, All R.
9. Dictionary of Jamaican English; first CarE dictionary; first pub 1967 by CUP; rev ed 1980; flags JamE terms used in BarE, BelE, GuyE, SurE, TrinE; cf Cass.
10. Dictionary of Bahamian English; first pub 1982 by Lexik House; flags BahE terms used in US, WCar (BelE, JamE, so on), ECar (BarE, TrinE, so on); cf Hol.
11. Dictionary of the English/Creole of Trinidad and Tobago; first pub 2009.
12. Current CarE dictionaries are meant only to supplement more comprehensive dictionaries (eg OED in case of DCEU), and so list only novel words or words with novel uses, rather that listing the entire lexicon (eg like OED and Webster's do); cf Allsopp 2020 pp. 300-304 on CarE dictionaries.
13. eg Blen, Cros, pp. 381–464 for BelE.
14. Possibly see style guides for regional entities eg UWI 2016 pp. 67–78, or relevant textbooks for CarE speakers eg Simm.
15. Possibly except MS Office.
16. ie Caribbean Standard English or Standard Caribbean English; cf eg Allsopp 2020 pp. 299-300, eg Devonish & Thomas 2012, eg Deuber 2014 pp. 11-15, eg Mair 1992 pp. 76-78, eg Hackert 2016, so on. At least some authoritative bodies do too, eg CXC, eg Kriol Cl, so on.
17. aka British-style spelling in CarE; eg Cros describe their style as British spelling (p. 381) but in fact employ Oxford spelling too (eg pluralization and organization in pp. 7, 63, respectively).
18. cf Allsopp 2020 p. 300: "The British norm that is the basis of Caribbean Standard English became the accepted norm that was largely written ... Caribbean Standard English also followed the example of its British ancestor ... by being adopted as the variety used in all formal contexts ...". cf Cros, p. 381: "British spelling rather than American spelling has been followed for most English words." cf UWI 2016 p. 71: "The English [spelling] style is preferred over American English standards." cf All D, p. xxxix: "Lexicographers of diaspora varieties of English risk being (and usually are) charged with inviting degradation of long-recognized, proper British English, locally used and available to all but the unambitious or wilfully careless." cf Carib Q style: "Use ‘s’ spellings, for example, change organization to organisation, colonization to colonisation, and convert American spellings to British, such as, neighborhood to neighbourhood, theater to theatre."
19. eg in business sectors geared largely towards an American audience (like hospitality), or publications geared largely towards an American audience, so on.
20. eg Cros note "British spelling rather than American spelling has been followed for most English words" [emphasis added] in p. 381, and use pluralization and organization (Oxford) vs airplane (American) vs sympathise (British) in pp. 7, 63, 384, 453, respectively; eg the Cl on Ageing also call themselves the Cl on Aging or Cl on Aging/Ageing on their website; eg Belize's national spelling bee accepts words spelt as per any orthographic style (noted in this thread); so on.
21. In authoritative dictionaries (All D, All R, Cass for CarE; plus Cros for BelE) if listed or obvious, else in authoritative online sources as per Google queries listed in § Google queries. Prescriptivist spellings provided in this descriptivist essay due only to their inclusion in MOS:S.
22. With supplemental spellings from OED or Chamber's for BrE, and Merriam–Webster for AmE.
23. As with any dictionary, both formal and informal terms and phrases are listed, though only formal ones would generally be appropriate for an ancyclopaedia.
24. As per relevant policy or guideline, including at least naming conventions (eg WP:TITLEVAR, WP:NCCST) and MOS (eg MOS:ENGVAR).
25. The following claims may more readily be observed in an appropriate selection of sources in CarE or BelE (eg recent formal writing, recent news, so on). Where possible, Google tests are provided (for convenience, not as a primary citation).
26. eg G4: government was unable seen ca 200:nil to government were unable; eg G4: government was able seen ca 600:nil to government were able; so on.
27. eg G4: on September 10 or on September 21 seen ca 30:1 to on 10 September or on 21 September; so on.
28. Programmable search engines did not seem useful for this (possibly due to differences).

On CarE

1. Allsopp R, ed. (2003) [First published 1996]. Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage (reprint of 1st ed.). Kingston, Jamaica: UWI Press. pp. lxxvii, 697. ISBN 976-640-145-4.
2. Allsopp R, ed. (2010). New Register of Caribbean English Usage. Kingston, Jamaica: UWI Press. pp. xix, 77. ISBN 978-976-640-228-0.
3. Cassidy FG, le Page RB, eds. (2002) [First published 1980]. Dictionary of Jamaican English (reprint of 2nd ed.). Kingston, Jamaica: UWI Press. pp. lxiv, 509. ISBN 976-640-127-6.
4. Holm JA, Shilling AW, eds. (1982). Dictionary of Bahamian English. Cold Spring, New York: Lexik House. pp. xxxix, 228. ISBN 0-936368-03-9.
5. Simmons-McDonald A, Fields L, Roberts P (2012) [First published 1997]. Writing in English: A Course Book for Caribbean Students (2nd ed.). Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle. pp. vii, 631. ISBN 9789766373696.

On BelE

1. Blench R (15 Mar 2013). "A Dictionary of Belize English" (Draft). Belmopan, Belize. pp. i, 35.
2. Crosbie P, ed. (2009) [First published 2007]. English–Kriol Dictionary (reprint of 1st ed.). Belmopan, Belize: Belize Kriol Project. pp. xii, 465. ISBN 978-976-95165-1-9.