‘Math’ versus ‘maths’ and other British differences. ‘Spendthrift’ means what?

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

1122. This week, we look at two subtle but persistent differences between American and British English: why Americans say "math" and Brits say "maths," and why Americans are "in the hospital" while Brits are "in hospital." Then, we look at the historical meaning of the word "spendthrift" and introduce some wonderfully obsolete insults like "dingthrift" and "scrapethrift."

The "maths" segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at dragonflyeditorial.com.

The "spendthrift" segment was written by Karen Lunde, a career writer and editor. These days, she designs websites for solo business owners who care about both words and visuals. Find her at chanterellemarketingstudio.com.

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