This is an abbreviated list of words to watch. UK versus US spelling can be tricky.
(Exhaustive list of UK versus US spellings can be found in this list.)
Don't forget to check out the style guide.
| Accepted Word | Unacceptable Word | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| accessory | Spell with a double c and a double s; the ending is -ory. | |
| accommodate | Spell with a double c and a double m and an o before and after the m's. | |
| Administrator | administrator | Always capitalise when referring to the Joomla! User level or the Back-end Administrator. (Use of the latter should be limited to avoid confusion. Refer to this area as the Control Panel when referring to the facilities and Back-end when comparing to the Front-end. |
| address | Spell with a double d. | |
| ageing | aging | |
| a lot | alot | Use as two words, not one. |
| amend and amendment | Spell with a single m at the beginning. | |
| analogue | analog | |
| apologise | apologize | Spell with -olo- in the middle. |
| apparent | Use double p but only one r and end in -ent. | |
| argument | Do not put an e after the u, as you would in argue. | |
| Article | Capitalise the word Article when referring to the element of Joomla! content. | |
| AutoCorrect | One word with capitalisation as shown | |
| Back-end | backend | Ensure it is always capitalised and hyphenated when referring to the Administrator area of Joomla! Do not capatalise when referring to your own. |
| backup and back up | Use backup when used as an adjective, as in "he had a backup disk in his bag" and use back up when using it as a verb, as in "don’t forget to back up your hard drive". | |
| Banner | Capitalise the word Banner when referring to the element of the Joomla! Banner Component. | |
| bitmap | bit map or bit-map | One word not hyphenated or two words. |
| business | bisiness | Spell with busi- at the beginning |
| capitalisation | capitalization | UK spelling |
| catalogue | catalog | |
| Category (Manager) | Capitalise the word Category when referring to the element of Joomla! content. | |
| centre | center | |
| command | comand | |
| Contact (Manager) | Always capitalise when referring to the Component element or Manager function. | |
| checkbox | check box | |
| check-in (noun/adjective) (Global) Check-in | checkin (noun/adjective) | We will be using check-in, which must be capitalised when referring to a specific function, Menu Item, or button such as Global Check-in. It is correct to use check in (verb) as in "check in your materials". |
| Component (Manager) | Capitalise the word Component when referring to an Extension in Joomla!. | |
| Contact | Capitalise the word Contact when referring to the element of the Joomla! Contact Component. | |
| Control Panel | control panel | Capitalise when referring to the Joomla! Back-end functional area. |
| CSS | css | Always capitalise except in code or when a file extension. |
| database | data base | One word not two |
| dial-up | dialup dial up | Include the hyphen between "dial" and "up". |
| disappoint and disappointment | dissapoint disapoint dissappoint | Remember to spell with one s and a double p. |
| E-mail email | E-mail is obviously correct at the start of a sentence! We will be going with e-mail (lower-case and hyphenated) for consistency. | |
| Extension(s) | extension(s) | Refer to Components, Modules, and Plugins collectively as Extensions. Always capitalise when referring to CMPT’s |
| encyclopedia | encylopedia | |
| extraordinary | extrordinary | Do not omit the “a” of extra. |
| FAQ | faq, faqs | Abbreviation for frequently asked questions. |
| fascinate and fascination | facination | Spell with an s before the c. |
| favourite | favorite | |
| file name | filename | Two words rather than one. |
| friend | Spell with -ie- in the middle. | |
| Front-end | frontend | Ensure it is always capitalised and hyphenated when referring to the User (public) area of Joomla! |
| Front Page front page | Frontpage frontpage | Always two words. Capitalise the words Front Page when referring to the Menu Item element of Joomla! content. |
| fulfil | fulfill | Spell with one l in the middle and one at the end |
| gateway | gate way | One word, not two. |
| gauge | gage | Spell with -au- in the middle. |
| grateful | gratful or graitful | Begin with grate-. Single ‘l’ at the end |
| hard disk | hard-disk | Two words. No hyphenation |
| hardware | hard-ware | One word. No hyphenation |
| home page | homepage | Always two words. |
| HTML | HTM html | Always capitalise, except in code or when a file extension. |
| hypocrisy | hypocrasy hypocrisey | Begin with hypo- and end with -isy. |
| immediate and immediacy | imediate | Spell with a double m. |
| independent | independant | End with –ent rather than -ant. |
| instalment | installment | Spell with one l |
| JavaScript | javascript Java Script | One word but with the J and S capitalised. |
| Joomla! | joomla | Capitalise everytime and include the exclamation mark. |
| the JCM | J!CM, jcm | Abbreviate the second reference to the Joomla! Community Magazine as JCM. Always use the <acronym> tag for accessibility. Don't forget to use "the" before JCM |
| joomla_root/ | Use as the starting point to all references to directories within the core installation to avoid confusion with the web server or database root. | |
| keyboard | key board | One word not two |
| licence and license | license | Use licence as a noun for the permit you obtain to do something like hunt or drive, but use license when you mean it as a verb, to give permission to or allow someone to do something or for something to occur. |
| login, logon, logoff, and logout | Noun always one word one “g” the act of logging into or out of a computer or Web site. | |
| log in, log on, and log off log out | Verb to go through the procedure of logging in to or out of a Web site for example | |
| maintenance | maintainence | Spell with -ten- in the middle and end with -ance. |
| Mambot | mambot | Always capitalise when used for a Joomla! Extension. Remember from 1.5 this is replaced by Plugin. |
| Manager | manager | When referring to either the User level or a Manager screen (Poll Manager) it is capitalised. |
| Media Manager | media manager | Capitalise when referring to the Joomla! function. |
| Menu | menu | When referring to a specific menu in Joomla! always capitalise. |
| Menu Item | menu item | Two words and capitalise both when referring to the specific element within Joomla! but not when generally discussing any old menu items |
| metadata | meta data | One word |
| millennium | Spell with a double l and a double n. | |
| misspell | mispell | Spell with a double s. |
| Module | module | Always capitalise when used for a Joomla! Extension. |
| multitasking | multi-tasking multi tasking | one word |
| MySQL | mysql MYSQL | |
| News Feed (Manager) | newsfeed Newsfeed | Always capitalise when referring to the Component within Joomla!, and always two words. Manager when included is always capitalised |
| necessary and necessity | neccessary | Spelled with one c and a double s. |
| occasion | occassion | Spell with a double c and a single s. |
| OK | Ok, ok | capitalise both letters. Do not use okay. |
| omission | ommission | Spell with one m and a double s. |
| online | on-line on line | One word |
| Open Source (OS) | open source | Capitalise the O and S. |
| original | Spell with an i before and after the g. | |
| overwrite | over write over-write | One word |
| password | pass word | One word |
| PHP | php | Always capitalise except when used as a file extension or in code |
| Poll (Manager) | poll manager | Always capitalise when referring to the Component in Joomla!. |
| platform | ||
| Plugin(s) | One word, always capitalise when referring to the Extension. | |
| possess and possession | posess | Spell with a double s before and after the e. |
| PostScript | Post Script post-script | One word. Capitalise P and S. |
| practice and practise | Use practice as a noun when describing actually doing something rather than just discussing it or theories about it, as in “put your good manners into practice”. Use practise as the verb, “improving your skill by doing something over and over”. | |
| presence | presance | End with -ence. |
| privilege | privilage privildge | Spell with -ege at the end. |
| proofread | proof-read, proofed, proof read | This applies to all derivatives as well, such as proofreader, proofreading, etc. |
| questionnaire | questionare | Spell with a double n and end with -aire. |
| really | realy | Spell with a double l in the middle. |
| receive | recieve | Use i before e except after c. |
| recommend and recommendation | reccomend | Spell with a single c and a double m. |
| rhythm | writhm | |
| secretary | secratary secretery | Use an e after the r and end with -ary. |
| Section | section | Always capitalise when referring to the specific element within Joomla! cms. |
| seize | sieze | Spell with the e before the i. |
| separate | seperate | Spell with -par- in the middle. |
| similar | simalar simillar similer | End with –lar rather than -ler. |
| skilful, skilfully, skilfulness | skillfull | Watch for variations as shown |
| smart phone | smartphone | Two words based on entries in various writing style guides. |
| software | soft ware soft-ware | One word |
| source code | sourcecode | Two words |
| style sheet | stylesheet style-sheet | Two words no hyphen |
| subdirectory | sub-directory sub directory | One word |
| subdocument | sub-document sub document | One word |
| success and successful | sucess | Spell with a double c and a double s. |
| sufficient | suficient | Use a double f in the middle and end with -cient. |
| Super Administrator | super administrator | Always capitalise when referring to the Joomla! User level. |
| surprise | Spell with an r before and after the p. | |
| toolbar | tool bar tool-bar | One word |
| travelling | traveling | In British English, words that end in -l preceded by a vowel usually double the -l when a suffix is added, while in American English the letter is not doubled. The letter will double in the stress is on the second syllable. |
| unfortunately | Spell with -ately at the end. | |
| URL | Url url | Capitalise except when used in code. |
| User | user | When referring to a specific Joomla! User always capitalise first letter |
| vehicle | Spell with -icle at the end. | |
| Web | web | Capitalise except when using to refer to a spiders trap! |
| Web link Web Link |
weblink web-link |
Two words unhyphenated. Capitalise the words when discussing the Component variant - Web Link Manager. |
| website | Website Web Site web site |
A location on the World Wide Web that maintains one or more pages at a specific address. Also, webcam, webcast and webmaster. But as a short form and in terms with separate words, the Web, Web page, Web link and Web feed. |
| weird | wierd | Spell with the e before the i |
| who whom | Who is the pronoun used for references to human beings and to animals with a name. It is grammatically the subject (never the object) of a sentence, clause or phrase: The woman who rented the room left the window open. Who is there? Whom is used when someone is the object of a verb or preposition: The woman to whom the room was rented left the window open. Whom do you wish to see? |
|
| withhold | withold | Spell with a double h in the middle. |
| World Wide Web (WWW) | Worldwide Web | Capitalise, as it is a proper noun. Three separate words. Capitalise the abbreviation (except in URL’s) |