Spelling: "licenced" or "licensed" premises (UK spelling)

[NY]

I know that here in the UK we make a distinction between licence (noun) and
license (verb).

In the phrase "licensed premises" (as in, licensed to sell alcohol) which is
the correct spelling? I'd opt for licensed since that is the past participle
of the *verb* license, and the adjective is formed from this. But is
"licenced" actually wrong or is it an acceptable alternative spelling?

Am I correct that in America the spelling "licence" (and variants of it such
as "licenced") is not used, because both noun and verb are spelled the same
way - with an S.

[Asha Santon]

As in all such things, the OED is your best friend.

You are generally correct, especially with regard to American English
where both noun and verb use the C spelling.

However, licenced 'can' be used in British English as an option so it
is not wrong but it is not the usual thing. The S spelling is almost
always preferred so could be described as correct.

The same situation prevails with practice (noun) and practise (verb) as
you may know.

Personally, I would never use 'licenced' nor have I ever known anyone
who would.

Hope that helps.

--
Asha
http://minnies.opcop.org.uk/brexit.htm
Peterhead, Scotland

[NY]

"Asha Santon" <as...@santon.invalid> wrote in message
news:o0ffub$c47$1...@dont-email.me...

> You are generally correct, especially with regard to American English
> where both noun and verb use the C spelling.

Don't you mean that in American English they both used the *S* spelling?



I asked about licensed versus licenced because I saw a TV episode title
"Unlicenced Premises" and I thought "that's not right, is it?". And when I
thought it through and reasoned that "licensed" was derived from the verb, I
thought "it ought to be S".

I presume with licence and practice, the noun is the only thing that has a
C, because all other forms (licensing hours, licensed premises) are derived
from the verb and so inherit its spelling. Apart, or course, from the third
form, in T: practitioner, licentious etc.

[Molly Mockford]

At 17:58:16 on Tue, 15 Nov 2016, NY <m...@privacy.net> wrote in
<qdednaU7i4Qp0bbF...@brightview.co.uk>:

>I asked about licensed versus licenced because I saw a TV episode title
>"Unlicenced Premises" and I thought "that's not right, is it?". And
>when I thought it through and reasoned that "licensed" was derived from
>the verb, I thought "it ought to be S".

Some things in the media seem to use deliberate mis-spellings; it is, I
suppose, a possibility that this might be one. There is a film which I
have never seen but which succeeds in mis-spelling *both* words in its
title - presumably for some good reason, but it's too obscure for me. It
should be "Inglorious Bastards", and if anybody can explain why it was
released as "Inglourious Basterds" I would be interested to know the
reason. Of course, the reason may be basic illiteracy!

>I presume with licence and practice, the noun is the only thing that
>has a C, because all other forms (licensing hours, licensed premises)
>are derived from the verb and so inherit its spelling. Apart, or
>course, from the third form, in T: practitioner, licentious etc.

A useful mnemonic for anyone who finds it hard to remember which is the
S form and which is the C, is rise (verb) and rice (noun).
--
Molly Mockford
Nature loves variety. Unfortunately, society hates it. (Milton Diamond Ph.D.)
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)

[NY]

"Molly Mockford" <nospam...@mollymockford.me.uk> wrote in message
news:MoudB3ix...@molly.mockford...

> Some things in the media seem to use deliberate mis-spellings; it is, I
> suppose, a possibility that this might be one. There is a film which I
> have never seen but which succeeds in mis-spelling *both* words in its
> title - presumably for some good reason, but it's too obscure for me. It
> should be "Inglorious Bastards", and if anybody can explain why it was
> released as "Inglourious Basterds" I would be interested to know the
> reason. Of course, the reason may be basic illiteracy!

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inglourious_Basterds , Quentin
Tarantino got all uppity when he was challenged to explain the deliberate
(?) mis-spellings. To stonewall with ""I'm never going to explain that" is
the coward's way out. Anyway, if he was going for a quasi-phonetic spelling
of bastard, "bastud" is nearer to what most people say ;-)

[Peter Duncanson]

There is some logic in the use of the "c" version.

The law in England and Wales: Licensing Act 2003:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/17/section/1

It refers to "Licensable activities".

However, it deals with the issue and conditions of a "Premises licence"

In this Act “premises licence” means a licence granted under this
Part, in respect of any premises, which authorises the premises to
be used for one or more licensable activities.

So "Licenced Premises" can be interpreted as "Premises for which a
Licence has been issued".

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in uk.culture.language.english)

[Asha Santon]

On 2016-11-15 17:58:16 +0000, NY said:

> "Asha Santon" <as...@santon.invalid> wrote in message
> news:o0ffub$c47$1...@dont-email.me...
>> You are generally correct, especially with regard to American English
>> where both noun and verb use the C spelling.
>
> Don't you mean that in American English they both used the *S* spelling?

Yes indeed I did. My aoplogies and you remain correct about that.

> I asked about licensed versus licenced because I saw a TV episode title
> "Unlicenced Premises" and I thought "that's not right, is it?". And
> when I thought it through and reasoned that "licensed" was derived from
> the verb, I thought "it ought to be S".
>
> I presume with licence and practice, the noun is the only thing that
> has a C, because all other forms (licensing hours, licensed premises)
> are derived from the verb and so inherit its spelling. Apart, or
> course, from the third form, in T: practitioner, licentious etc.

Indeed so.
The license is may be awarded, requested, or possessed so all verb based.