Reason For Certain Spelling

[deemaitch]

how is it arrived that a word ens in er or or,for instance, computer and contractor.

[chrisgel]

Doesn't the or imply a person i.e. creditor debtor etc.

[VHG]

The English language is a mish mash of a whole range of languages including Latin, Viking, German, Roman, French and so on.

This has meant our words can be said and spelt differently depending on their "background".

So we call animals cows, sheep, pigs (based on the old English names), but the names of the MEAT was brought over by the French in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings so we now call them Beef (French Buef), Mutton (French Mouton), Pork (French Porc).

There is an interesting and amusing book on the subject by Bill Bryson (the humorous travel writer) called Mother Tongue that is worth a read.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Mother-Tongue-English-That/dp/0380715430

[VHG]

I should point out that the Bill Bryson book many not be the most ACCURATE book on the subject, but he writes with such a great humorous style you can forgive him some of that.

And he still gives a great history of the English language and how it evolved.

[factor-fiction]

There are some words that I'm sure used to end in OR but now usually shown as ending in ER, such as advisor/adviser

[heathfield]

The change from an 'or' to an 'er' ending seems to take place in the US before finding its way over here.