spelt vs spelled

Spelt is becoming an archaic form. For purposes of communicating effectively with other English-speakers, i would suggest that you use spelled. I can't say for certain, but i don't believe that spelt was ever used do describe relieving someone of their tour of duty.

1. In British English, spelt is still the preferred past participle of the verb spell when used to mean write or name the letters that form a word in correct sequence. It is current and not archaic in British English.

2. In US English, spelled is the preferred past participle of the verb spell when used to mean write or name the letters that form a word in correct sequence.

3. See also:
burnt, learnt, dreamt, smelt (British)
burned, learned, dreamed, smelled (US)

4. British English speakers very rarely, if ever, use spell to mean to take the place of someone for a time. If they saw or heard spelled used by a US writer or speaker as the past participle they would probably not object.

Thanks, Setanta.

The Cambridge Dictionaries state that the past tense and past participle of 'spell' is 'spelt UK. It states that the American version is 'spelled'.

Thanks, Tes yeux noirs.

4. British English speakers very rarely, if ever, use spell to mean to take the place of someone for a time. If they saw or heard spelled used by a US writer or speaker as the past participle they would probably not object.

If I am writing in British English, would it be wrong if I use 'spelt' to mean to take the place of someone for a time?

Cambridge Dictionaries states that the mainly UK participle of spell verb (FORM WORDS) is spelt. They also state that spell verb (DO INSTEAD) is mainly US and has the participle spelled. This is as I stated above. I would go further than Cambridge and assert that "mainly US" should be read as "almost exclusively US".

I obviously did not make myself clear. In British English you would not be using the verb spell with that meaning unless for example you were reporting the speech of an American. If you did so, you would use spelled as the past participle.

4. British English speakers very rarely, if ever, use spell to mean to take the place of someone for a time.

Sorry, Tes yeux noirs, for having misunderstood what you said earlier. The above sentence, especially 'British English speakers very rarely...' gave me the wrong impression that 'spelt' should have been used. Evidently, I had misinterpreted your reply.

In the USW, the word "Spelt" has an agricultural preferred . Its a kind of full kernel wheat berry.

I know at grain elevators and grain auctions they will list SPELT (and add grades in the lists ) as copaerd to D(durem) or Red.
It has to do with the kind of wheat variety , like tritcali (Which noone can spell)

In British and American English that word has the meaning of hulled wheat or dinkel wheat (Triticum spelta). Spelt bread, flour, crackers, pasta etc. Supposed to be healthy. Used as the basis for Dutch gin and some German and Belgian beers.

Then there's smelt, which can be quite good if freshly caught and lightly fried. Actually, many of the old English forms of past participle are used in the United States. Smelt, rather than smelled is on example. Dealt, of course--i don't think anyone would say "dealed." (My spell-checker doesn't like that one.)

I like those Anglo-Saxon survivals--i'm opposed to the homogenization of human culture. I hope the United States never goes metric. Fahrenheit divides the difference between the freezing and boiling of water into 180 degrees--centigrade divides it only into 100 degrees, and therefore doesn't specify temperatures very precisely--especially in the "what should i wear today?" realm. The suffix -en was used for past participles--broken spoken, token (as in we were token all night). It was also used for plurals--children, brethren, sistren . . . uhm, i'll get back to ya on that last one.
The more obscurity and confusion there is, the better.

In Britain, at least, when someone asks "Who farted?" you can reply "Who smelt it, dealt it".

We have a similar expression. The Anglo-Saxons may well have invented that one.

Don't forget Keith (an American)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TL-F5iLo28

UK weather forecasting went over to Celsius first, Fahrenheit second in 1962 and dropped Fahrenheit altogether in the 1970s. The weather forecasts on the radio & TV give "what clothing to choose" guidance by talking about "low single figures" (brrrr!) or "struggling to get into double figures" (a bit warmer) or "mid teens" (maybe a light coat if there's a wind blowing) or "around twenty" (Tee shirt weather). Above 20 C is warm and above 25 is hot.

Fahrenheidt's scale is rather looney. Its not based on a single temp but on some dipshit guess that the orginator's own body temperature was about 96 degrees (by his scale)> the rest is dumass history.

At -40 F and C are the same . BUT C actually is dominant for science because , as equipment is almost all digital,its convenient to calibrate on the bases of tens/hundreds/ thousands -yada yada. (Try to create instruments that record digital data on 213. (something) degreed F. They would be needing recalibration daily, whereas C instruments get calibrated as they run.

THERE are actually waay more measurable degree points in C because its decimal and can be read and measured to the 1/10000 without any sweat.

As far as distances, because our instruments can easily give us both major systems (Including a few dynamic ones based on universal coorinates) its no biggy any more.
I rather feel more comfy driving in MPH or Miles distance. However, when surveying, all our maps are done in hectares, meters and tenths. Only licensed lnd surveyors still use feet and chains

This fucks up engineering constants like huge volumes of liquids, and rates of flow, but beyond that, its just an annoyance .

Britain's railways still mainly use miles and chains; there is a plan to go over to kilometres/metres over the next two decades. Our road signs and speed limits are still in miles and miles per hour. A tall man is still over six feet.

Well I just posted something similar to this today. I think it really depends on culture. If one person spells it "spelt" and another spells it "spelled" there shouldn't really be a difference.

Thanks, Ryan.

That is what I thought too. The past tense of "spell" in American English is "spelled". The British version is "spelt". My conclusion, which may not correct, is "spelt" could be used if I use British English.

In British English you can only use 'spelt' as the past participle of 'spell' when you use 'spell' to mean 'name or correctly write the letters of a word'. You would use 'spelled' as the participle for any other meaning of 'spell', e.g. 'to temporarily replace someone performing a task', which is an Americanism.

I am more comfortable in miles and miles per hour. As for temperature, most of us are not there recalibrating anything. I prefer fahrenheit for temperature readings, which i get online or from the radio.