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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Mum vs mom
Mum vs mom
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LenaMar
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Mum vs mom
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Hi,
I was teaching the family vocabulary with a course book from Oxford University Press to my 5th graders.
On the test one of the students wrote MOM instead of MUM as they learned in classes.
Would you consider it correct?
Thanks
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8 Nov 2013
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Apodo
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Mom is US English, so it�s not incorrect.
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8 Nov 2013
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dutchboydvh
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I agree with Apondo, but the issue is that here in Singapore they use British English. So if they wrote mom, it would be marked incorrect. I tell my students it is American English spelling, and not incorrect... BUT they should spell it the British way to get a correct mark. I would recommend you find out what the local schools expect and go with that. It �s a bit confusing... and frustrating, because English is not black and white like maths... but that �s the way the local schools here teach it. SO we deal with reality as it is. -Dar
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8 Nov 2013
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LenaMar
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Yes Apodo I know it �s not incorrect but I have the same issue as Dar: in Portugal we teach the British English.
In class I even talked about it when the same students wrote it like that the 1st time and explained that we learn the British English.
If it wasn �t a test there would be no problem but I have to decide if I give points or not.
Thanks :)
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9 Nov 2013
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cunliffe
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Half of us in England say �mam � - us lot oop North. (Not a very helpful reply.) |
9 Nov 2013
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s.lefevre
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In my opinion it should be considered correct even if the school teaches British English. People learn English to communicate and not to get marks. Imagine they read a book written in US English and the find the word mom or any other they have spelled in US English and have been corrected. Wouldn �t that be confusing? There are lots of differences in English spelling or pronouncing. I don �t think that one is better than the other. |
9 Nov 2013
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almaz
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I �m with Silvia here. Why mark as �incorrect � something which patently isn �t? I doubt if anyone would penalise the suffix -ize on the grounds that it �s the preferred US spelling rather than the British. Both spellings co-exist quite happily and neither is wrong.
As far as tests/exams are concerned, I tend to go along with Cambridge English Language Assessment guidelines which accepts non-UK standard varieties - as long as there �s an appropriate level of consistency. Then again, I do understand that some examination boards can be weighted heavily in favour of a narrow, prescriptivist definition of �English �.
Incidentally, how do our Canadian colleagues deal with alternate spellings when it comes to consistency? Do you change a tire (US) or a tyre (UK) at the curb or the kerb? Or just push it to the automotive center or centre? Do you have fish and chips? |
9 Nov 2013
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LenaMar
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Thank you all 
I agree that both are correct I just never had this situation on a test and wanted to be sure.
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9 Nov 2013
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