Which Spelling is Correct - Theater or Theatre ?

jeffer...@example.invalid

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Nov 19, 2015, 12:01:28 AM11/19/15

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Which Spelling is Correct - Theater or Theatre ?

I've seen both in use, even on those actual buildings. Or are they BOTH
correct? (If both are, WHY?)

Peter Duncanson [BrE]

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Nov 19, 2015, 6:44:37 AM11/19/15

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Both.
Spellings vary with time and place.

The word comes from the Latin "theatrum". In various languages it
retains a "-tr-" spelling.

British English: theatre
Italian teatro
Spanish teatro
Portuguese theatro
Old French teatre, theatre
modern French théâtre

However:

German, Dutch, Danish: the'ater
Swedish te'ater.

American English now tends to use "theater".

But earlier in the USA:

1798 G. Washington Lett. in Writ. (1893) XIV. 21 The
propriety..of my again appearing on a Public theatre, after
declaring the sentiments I did in my Valedictory Address.

That is G. Washington former Pres. of the USA.

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Don Phillipson

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Nov 19, 2015, 5:12:20 PM11/19/15

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<jeffer...@example.invalid> wrote in message
news:4ilq4blpnn3b8sdsk...@4ax.com...

> Which Spelling is Correct - Theater or Theatre ?

Theatre is the correct British spelling and theater
the correct American spelling.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Peter Duncanson [BrE]

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Nov 19, 2015, 6:04:43 PM11/19/15

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On Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:41:42 -0500, "Don Phillipson"
<e9...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:

><jeffer...@example.invalid> wrote in message
>news:4ilq4blpnn3b8sdsk...@4ax.com...
>
>> Which Spelling is Correct - Theater or Theatre ?
>
>Theatre is the correct British spelling and theater
>the correct American spelling.

Although it seems that "theatre" is sometimes used in the US.

In New York:

http://marquistheatre.com/

http://palacetheatreonbroadway.com/

http://www.shubert.nyc/theatres/barrymore

http://www.shubert.nyc/theatres/belasco/

http://www.shubert.nyc/theatres/majestic/

Those might be the official names but there is no shortage of references
to them with the "theater" spelling.

jeffer...@example.invalid

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Nov 19, 2015, 7:39:33 PM11/19/15

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On Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:41:42 -0500, "Don Phillipson"
<e9...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:

><jeffer...@example.invalid> wrote in message
>news:4ilq4blpnn3b8sdsk...@4ax.com...
>
>> Which Spelling is Correct - Theater or Theatre ?
>
>Theatre is the correct British spelling and theater
>the correct American spelling.

I'm in America and I always spell it THEATER.

But I saw a theater with a sign spelled THEATRE in a city I was visiting
last summer. (I finally remembered to post this, after seeing that
sign).

* Spelling it THEATRE seems odd to me. But I'm not British.

CRNG

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Nov 20, 2015, 8:23:11 AM11/20/15

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On Thu, 19 Nov 2015 23:04:26 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote in
<qrks4btrgapjhhv6q...@4ax.com>

>On Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:41:42 -0500, "Don Phillipson"
><e9...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:
>
>><jeffer...@example.invalid> wrote in message
>>news:4ilq4blpnn3b8sdsk...@4ax.com...
>>
>>> Which Spelling is Correct - Theater or Theatre ?
>>
>>Theatre is the correct British spelling and theater
>>the correct American spelling.
>
>Although it seems that "theatre" is sometimes used in the US.
>
>In New York:

By those who wish to affect a British airs.
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.

Peter Duncanson [BrE]

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Nov 20, 2015, 11:14:19 AM11/20/15

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On Fri, 20 Nov 2015 07:23:10 -0600, CRNG <noe...@atthisdomain.gov>
wrote:

>On Thu, 19 Nov 2015 23:04:26 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
><ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote in
><qrks4btrgapjhhv6q...@4ax.com>
>
>>On Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:41:42 -0500, "Don Phillipson"
>><e9...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:
>>
>>><jeffer...@example.invalid> wrote in message
>>>news:4ilq4blpnn3b8sdsk...@4ax.com...
>>>
>>>> Which Spelling is Correct - Theater or Theatre ?
>>>
>>>Theatre is the correct British spelling and theater
>>>the correct American spelling.
>>
>>Although it seems that "theatre" is sometimes used in the US.
>>
>>In New York:
>
>By those who wish to affect a British airs.

Not necessarily British airs. It could be French airs, or generic
European airs.

ADPUF

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Nov 20, 2015, 12:27:15 PM11/20/15

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jeffer...@example.invalid 01:37, venerdì 20 novembre 2015:

In general BrEn prefers an etymological spelling (closer to
French or Latin), AmEn prefers a phonological spelling.

--
AIOE ³¿³

CRNG

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Nov 20, 2015, 2:15:16 PM11/20/15

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On Fri, 20 Nov 2015 16:13:58 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote in
<rjhu4blfnvtbnasnd...@4ax.com>

Yes, I think that is more accurate than what I previously wrote.