Byelaws (UK) or Bylaws (US)? (trivia)

[fandroid]

Intrigued by the spellings used in this subforum, I actually looked it up and the thread title explains all.

Here is a Gov.uk screenshot confirming the UK spelling.

 

[Watershed]

This blog suggests Byelaws is the more common British spelling whilst Bylaws is the more common American spelling:

But note that there are other wrinkles to bylaws. Here’s what Garner’s Modern American Usage has to say:

Both the spelling and the sense differ on the two sides of the Atlantic. In AmE, bylaws are most commonly a corporation’s administrative provisions that are either attached to the articles of incorporation or kept privately. In BrE, bylaws are regulations made by a local authority or corporation, such as a town or a railway.

The spelling without the –e– is preferred in AmE. Though etymologically inferior, byelaw (sometimes hyphenated) is common in BrE.

I believe it's much the same as routeing (as in "Routeing Guide") and routing (as in "IATA fare routing"). Though there's a marked difference in the British vs American pronunciation of those words, with each being fairly phonetic.

 

[fandroid]

This blog suggests Byelaws is the more common British spelling whilst Bylaws is the more common American spelling:

As our lawmakers use the "byelaw" spelling in the case of the railway byelaws which are the ones we often refer to in this subforum, I suggest that we should follow their example.

 

[vinnym70]

Byelaw is appropriate English as far as I can see.
Remember, when our American friends talk about routing, they are usually saying ROW-T-ING and not ROO-T-ING.
Same, but different. It's all still apparently 'English'

 

[randyrippley]

Bypass or Byepass? Or even Bye-pass? (as in one case in northern Lancs)

 

[mrcheek]

As our lawmakers use the "byelaw" spelling in the case of the railway byelaws which are the ones we often refer to in this subforum, I suggest that we should follow their example.

Im not sure that following our lawmakers examples is so wise these days.....

 

[snowball]

Bypass, byway, byproduct, byelaw, bi-mode.

 

[30907]

Bypass, byway, byproduct, byelaw, bi-mode.

At least 3 different root words there, only one being -By = town (as in modern Scandinavia) Odd that we use bye-, I agree!

 

[DelW]

Byelaw is appropriate English as far as I can see.
Remember, when our American friends talk about routing, they are usually saying ROW-T-ING and not ROO-T-ING.
Same, but different. It's all still apparently 'English'

For me, if I see routing or hear the "row-t-ing" pronunciation, I think of either heavy defeat in battle, or the woodworking operation. The different pronunciation and spelling of routeing / "roo-t-ing" seems to me to be a useful distinction. I'm quite used to hearing the US use of rout / "row-t" to mean a way of getting somewhere, but it still always sounds odd to me. And in household equipment, a "row-ter" (woodworking) and a "roo-ter" (internet connection) are definitely not interchangeable.