Spelling in Advertising

In the twentieth century spelling (traditional orthography) has undergone few changes. The dictionary, accepted as the guide to intelligent usage, has enshrined a fixed spelling to virtually all our words.

US English has given us some uses such as program which have been adopted together with their US spelling, into British English.

Some words take -ise and others -ize, while in some cases either can be used. Look at advertise, surprise, synchronize and criticize.

Words using ligatures such as "æ" have recently been simplified into encyclopedia and medieval.

Trade and product names, however, are not held back by the dictionary and frequently demonstrate creative spelling and blending of words.

Here are some words recently found in a Yellow Pages directory.

• What conclusions do you draw from reading these words?
• What kind of products or market is being targetted?
• Are these neologisms effective?
• What linguistic devices do these names use for their effect?

while-u-wait	Filofax	Glazztek (car windows)
Kwik Fit	Persil Color	Easiclean
Fast-Fit	Bettacars	Dur-a-clean
hozelock	luxicabs	Duracell
kleeneezee	Fenfones (East Anglia)	techniflo
fish 'n' chips	U-Drive	Ecowater
spud-u-like	Mobiloo	Morvend (vending materials)
Tack 'n' Togs	Rentaloo	MaxPax (vending materials)
Rentokil	Aussie Drycoat	Signrite
Drizabone	Klix (drinks)	Walkrite
Toys r Us	Eye Spy Security Services	Xpress
Turf Is Us	Excell (cellnet telephones)	Bar BQ
Oz-Icle (Australian-made container for cooling drinks)	Budjet (cut price air flights)	BBQ
Grin 'n' wear It (tattoos)	Klearvu	Geoff's Plaice (fish and chip shop)