Entry History
This page displays all the editorial activities made on a specific entry.
angbeenc added the article labor_vs._labour.6 years ago- elijahdavid_t updated the article details of labor_vs._labour.4 years ago
Field Old Value New Value Subtitle Most commonly used from AUSTRALIAN - NEW ZEALANDERS... & as a PACIFIC ISLANDER born with the ENGLISH VOWEL Pronounce as like the EUROPEANS. A, for ART & E, as in ELEPHANT, I, as in EVE pronounced Eee.. ect....LABOR to my PI People & FAMILIES are in CONTRAST to the LMS 1843 Word of GOD the LABOR of CHRIST for Homosapians alike. Amen et. ♡♡♡ Article When some Americans pursued a distinctly American form of English, one of the changes they decided to make was to simplify the spelling of certain words to more closely represent the ways they are likely to be pronounced by American speakers. Whether this effort was laudable or even successful is outside the scope of this article, but one of the results of this movement is a wealth of spelling differences between American and British English. You can see one of these differences in labor and labour. While the word has several senses and two spellings, it is easy to decide whether labor or labour is more appropriate.
In this article, I’ll discuss the difference between these two words. I’ll use each in a sentence. I’ll also explain a useful memory tool to help you decide whether to use labour or labor in your writing.
Origin:
The word labor originated from Middle English: from Old French labour (noun), labourer (verb), both from Latin labor ‘toil, trouble’.
Labor as noun:
Labor is used as a noun which means work, especially physical work.
The price of repairs includes labour, parts, and VAT.
The word labor also means the process of childbirth from the start of uterine contractions to delivery.
The woman went in labor four hours ago.
Labor as verb:
Labor is used as a verb which means to work hard; make great effort.
They laboured from dawn to dusk.
Labor as a verb also means to have difficulty in doing something despite working hard.
United laboured against confident opponents to no avail.
Use of labor:
Labor is the American English spelling of this word.
Examples:
Applications fell last week to a seasonally adjusted 383,000, reinforcing confidence that the labor market is on track to recovery. [Los Angeles Times]
Efforts to jump-start N.F.L. labor talks seem to have stalled. [New York Times]
Use of labour:
Labour is the preferred spelling of this word in British English. It is used in all the same senses as its American counterpart.
Examples:
Initial jobless claims fell by 36,000 to 383,000, the labour department said on Thursday. [Financial Times]
Ottawa is mulling ways to tap into the U.S. labour force as worker shortages loom on our side of the border. [CTV.ca]
Labor vs. Labour:
There are many spelling differences between British and American English, labor and labour being an excellent example. Labor is used in American English, while British English has standardized labour. The word has several senses, but they are shared between both spellings. By looking at the U in both labour and United Kingdom, you can always be sure to use labour with British audiences.
When some Americans pursued a distinctly American form of English, one of the changes they decided to make was to simplify the spelling of certain words to more closely represent the ways they are likely to be pronounced by American speakers. Whether this effort was laudable or even successful is outside the scope of this article, but one of the results of this movement is a wealth of spelling differences between American and British English. You can see one of these differences in labor and labour. While the word has several senses and two spellings, it is easy to decide whether labor or labour is more appropriate.
In this article, I’ll discuss the difference between these two words. I’ll use each in a sentence. I’ll also explain a useful memory tool to help you decide whether to use labour or labor in your writing.
Origin:
The word labor originated from Middle English: from Old French labour (noun), labourer (verb), both from Latin labor ‘toil, trouble’.
Labor as noun:
Labor is used as a noun which means work, especially physical work.
The price of repairs includes labour, parts, and VAT.
The word labor also means the process of childbirth from the start of uterine contractions to delivery.
The woman went in labor four hours ago.
Labor as verb:
Labor is used as a verb which means to work hard; make great effort.
They laboured from dawn to dusk.
Labor as a verb also means to have difficulty in doing something despite working hard.
United laboured against confident opponents to no avail.
Use of labor:
Labor is the American English spelling of this word.
Examples:
Applications fell last week to a seasonally adjusted 383,000, reinforcing confidence that the labor market is on track to recovery. [Los Angeles Times]
Efforts to jump-start N.F.L. labor talks seem to have stalled. [New York Times]
Use of labour:
Labour is the preferred spelling of this word in British English. It is used in all the same senses as its American counterpart.
Examples:
Initial jobless claims fell by 36,000 to 383,000, the labour department said on Thursday. [Financial Times]
Ottawa is mulling ways to tap into the U.S. labour force as worker shortages loom on our side of the border. [CTV.ca]
Labor vs. Labour:
There are many spelling differences between British and American English, labor and labour being an excellent example. Labor is used in American English, while British English has standardized labour. The word has several senses, but they are shared between both spellings. By looking at the U in both labour and United Kingdom, you can always be sure to use labour with British audiences.
- acronimous updated the article details of labor_vs._labour.4 years ago
Field Old Value New Value Subtitle Most commonly used from AUSTRALIAN - NEW ZEALANDERS... & as a PACIFIC ISLANDER born with the ENGLISH VOWEL Pronounce as like the EUROPEANS. A, for ART & E, as in ELEPHANT, I, as in EVE pronounced Eee.. ect....LABOR to my PI People & FAMILIES are in CONTRAST to the LMS 1843 Word of GOD the LABOR of CHRIST for Homosapians alike. Amen et. ♡♡♡ - acronimous updated the article details of labor_vs._labour.3 years ago
Field Old Value New Value Article “Labor” and “labuor” are quite contested and controversy, as some English users believe that one of them is a misspelling, while others believe that one is an older version, out of use. Others think that both are accepted and it’s all about personal preference. For a new English speaker, this can be confusing. Plus, their spellings are so similar that it’s easy to use them wrongly or forget what they mean.
So, who is right? What’s the difference between “labor” and “labour” and which is the correct spelling? Check it out right here!
Labor vs. Labour
Both “labor” and “labour” function as nouns and adverbs as well, in the exact same way. The forms are both correct spellings and their meanings, uses and contexts are perfectly identical. Regarding their significances or their functions in a sentence, there is absolutely nothing distinct.
So, the question remains, why are they spelled differently if nothing is different? Well, it’s about the etymology and use of this pair of words. People prefer different spellings in different English-speaking areas or regions. Or, more exactly, it’s about the classical differences between British and American English. It’s exactly the same situation as with “favor” and “favour” or “flavor” and “flavour”. Americans prefer the shorter version, British are for the longer one, with a deeper pronunciation. Apart from this, especially in informal conversations where these linguistic subtleties don’t make that much of a big difference, you can use both words with no effect or modification upon your message.
When do we use “labor”?
“Labor” is the US spelling for “labour”, that’s usually how dictionaries and English guides define it. It works both as a noun and as a verb, with multiple meanings. As a noun, “labor” can define the notion of hard work, usually implying a lot of manual, physical effort; it can also refer to workers/workforce or people who work, or ultimately it can refer to birth, to that stage of the pregnancy when a woman feels pain in her stomach because the baby will come out. As a verb, “labor” defines the action of working hard and putting a lot of effort into it. So given the fact that “labor” is a US form for the UK “labour”, it’s mostly recommended that you use it in American English, especially in a formal context where these subtleties actually matter.
Example 1: There’s a lot of manual labor going on in this factory. – as a noun, “labor” refers to hard work that implies physical effort.
Example 2: They have some really cheap labor in this factory, and it’s still very productive. – “labor” as noun can also refer to workers.
Example 3: She has been feeling labor pains for over two hours, the baby is certainly coming out tonight! – used as a noun, “labor” can also refer to birth.
Example 4: I will labor all day long in order to get the amount of money I need to open my own business. – “labor”, as a verb, defines the action of working very hard.
When do we use “labour”?
“Labour” is used in all the contexts where “labor” is, with the exact same functions and meanings, making no difference in the message of the communication. Yet, given the fact that it’s the UK spelling, it’s mostly recommended in British discussions, publications or other messages, especially if they are in a formal context. For relevant examples of how to use it correctly in British English, simply replace “labor” with “labour” in all the examples provided above; they will have nothing changed in their meanings.
Conclusion
“Labour” and “labor” are both correct spellings of the same word, but in different regions. Even though “labor” is probably most frequently used nowadays, when people prefer shorter spellings everywhere, it is mostly recommended to keep in mind their correct using, especially if you are addressing your message in a formal/official way. “Labour” is the UK spelling and “labor” is the US form of the same notion.Labor” and “labuor” are quite contested and controversy, as some English users believe that one of them is a misspelling, while others believe that one is an older version, out of use. Others think that both are accepted and it’s all about personal preference. For a new English speaker, this can be confusing. Plus, their spellings are so similar that it’s easy to use them wrongly or forget what they mean.
So, who is right? What’s the difference between “labor” and “labour” and which is the correct spelling? Check it out right here!
Labor vs. Labour
Both “labor” and “labour” function as nouns and adverbs as well, in the exact same way. The forms are both correct spellings and their meanings, uses and contexts are perfectly identical. Regarding their significances or their functions in a sentence, there is absolutely nothing distinct.
So, the question remains, why are they spelled differently if nothing is different? Well, it’s about the etymology and use of this pair of words. People prefer different spellings in different English-speaking areas or regions. Or, more exactly, it’s about the classical differences between British and American English. It’s exactly the same situation as with “favor” and “favour” or “flavor” and “flavour”. Americans prefer the shorter version, British are for the longer one, with a deeper pronunciation. Apart from this, especially in informal conversations where these linguistic subtleties don’t make that much of a big difference, you can use both words with no effect or modification upon your message.
When do we use “labor”?
“Labor” is the US spelling for “labour”, that’s usually how dictionaries and English guides define it. It works both as a noun and as a verb, with multiple meanings. As a noun, “labor” can define the notion of hard work, usually implying a lot of manual, physical effort; it can also refer to workers/workforce or people who work, or ultimately it can refer to birth, to that stage of the pregnancy when a woman feels pain in her stomach because the baby will come out. As a verb, “labor” defines the action of working hard and putting a lot of effort into it. So given the fact that “labor” is a US form for the UK “labour”, it’s mostly recommended that you use it in American English, especially in a formal context where these subtleties actually matter.
Example 1: There’s a lot of manual labor going on in this factory. – as a noun, “labor” refers to hard work that implies physical effort.
Example 2: They have some really cheap labor in this factory, and it’s still very productive. – “labor” as noun can also refer to workers.
Example 3: She has been feeling labor pains for over two hours, the baby is certainly coming out tonight! – used as a noun, “labor” can also refer to birth.
Example 4: I will labor all day long in order to get the amount of money I need to open my own business. – “labor”, as a verb, defines the action of working very hard.
When do we use “labour”?
“Labour” is used in all the contexts where “labor” is, with the exact same functions and meanings, making no difference in the message of the communication. Yet, given the fact that it’s the UK spelling, it’s mostly recommended in British discussions, publications or other messages, especially if they are in a formal context. For relevant examples of how to use it correctly in British English, simply replace “labor” with “labour” in all the examples provided above; they will have nothing changed in their meanings.
Conclusion
“Labour” and “labor” are both correct spellings of the same word, but in different regions. Even though “labor” is probably most frequently used nowadays, when people prefer shorter spellings everywhere, it is mostly recommended to keep in mind their correct using, especially if you are addressing your message in a formal/official way. “Labour” is the UK spelling and “labor” is the US form of the same notion.
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