Grey or Gray?

Mumbling · **on:** October 01, 2009, 02:03:59 PM

Hello GoF

I've been wondering for a long time what spelling is correct, grey or gray, or if they are both correct and just have a different meaning.

I've seen both words used in the same context, just to describe a colour. As in Dan Brown's latest book, I noticed he uses 'the gray eyes'. However, if I zap a pet on neopets, it will turn Grey, not Gray... So what exactly is the difference. Is it maybe the difference in brittish and american english?

Thanks for clearing it up for me, if anyone knows

DarkHououmon · **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:06:54 PM

They're both correct, and both refer to the same color.

Noname · **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:08:00 PM

Same color, different spelling. One is more common among the British, the other is more common in the US.

Malte279 · **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:08:51 PM

According to www.leo.org gray would be more common in American and grey in British English.

Mumbling · **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:20:47 PM

Okay, well that clears things up. Thanks

Noname · **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:22:41 PM

Your welcome!

Littlefoot1616 · **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:43:06 PM

If you want verification from a brat who actually has to deal with the prose, I can tell ya that "grey" (with the "e") is the Brits' way of spelling it. There are other examples of UK/US spelling difference. Most are only minor but depending on which side of the Great Pond you're on will determine a tick or a cross on your English spelling test!

Other examples (UK/US):

U - colour/color, favourite/favorite

S/Z - realise/realize, symbolise/symbolize, analyse/analyze

RE/ER - centre/center

Other difference would come down to the difference in pronounciation. Words like "mum" and "mom". Schedule is another one. Do you say "sked-ual" or "shed-ual"? A UK bloke would write a "cheque" but a US fella would write a "check" (I think). There are lots of others...

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:52:30 PM

I always use "grey" when I'm writing, but then it tells me it's wrong so I always do the correction and spell it "gray". Even now in FireFox it says that "grey" is spelled wrong.

jedi472 · **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2009, 04:57:12 PM

I usually use gray, although I think grey looks cooler.

Serris · **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2009, 05:15:31 PM

I use grey.

DarkWolf91 · **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2009, 05:25:22 PM

I always use grey, too.
Gray just seems innacurate to me, for some reason. I don't like it.

jedi472 · **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2009, 05:26:14 PM

I think the a sticks out in gray. It doesn't flow with the letters like the e in grey.

Malte279 · **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2009, 05:33:10 PM

Which version is supposed to be American and which one English is easy to remember

A = America E = England.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2009, 07:58:44 PM

I'm American, but I use grey to refer to the color. When it's a name (say, for a fictional character) I'd use Gray. Course, I also use "Theatre" and say process with a long o.

Noname · **Reply #14 on:** October 01, 2009, 10:08:40 PM

I use "Gray" when I spell it...

I'm also amazed we have said so much about it. Not that I think it is BAD or anything... it must set some sort of record on a conversation of how to spell a four letter word...

Pangaea · **Reply #15 on:** October 01, 2009, 10:55:39 PM

Quote from: Noname,Oct 1 2009 on 09:08 PM

it must set some sort of record on a conversation of how to spell a four letter word...

Not sure if it was intended to be humorous, but I laughed when I read that line.

I say gray.

It's the version I originally learned; plus I seem to have a preference for phonetically spelled words. "Grey" looks almost like it would be pronounced "gree".

Serris · **Reply #16 on:** October 01, 2009, 11:17:34 PM

I use grey and gray both for names. Gray's Anatomy vs Grey's Anatomy. The first is a textbook, the second is a TV show

Mumbling · **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2009, 12:48:35 AM

Quote from: Littlefoot1616,Oct 1 2009 on 10:43 PM

If you want verification from a brat who actually has to deal with the prose, I can tell ya that "grey" (with the "e") is the Brits' way of spelling it. There are other examples of UK/US spelling difference. Most are only minor but depending on which side of the Great Pond you're on will determine a tick or a cross on your English spelling test!

Other examples (UK/US):

U - colour/color, favourite/favorite

S/Z - realise/realize, symbolise/symbolize, analyse/analyze

RE/ER - centre/center

Other difference would come down to the difference in pronounciation. Words like "mum" and "mom". Schedule is another one. Do you say "sked-ual" or "shed-ual"? A UK bloke would write a "cheque" but a US fella would write a "check" (I think). There are lots of others...

Thanks Littlefoot, that sure clears up a whole bunch. Most of you might have noticed I use both Z/S in most cases since I'm just unsure

Oh well!

If we want to keep discussing the difference, go ahead

Quote

it must set some sort of record on a conversation of how to spell a four letter word...

Amaranthine · **Reply #18 on:** November 10, 2009, 11:30:20 PM

Lol, I didn't know that. I always wondered why some people spelled it "grey" or "gray".

Anyhow, I was raised spelling "gray". I never really used "grey" that much.