In response to a recent discussion of whether you spell this field of study Archaeology or Archeology, a reader from an American Bureau of Land Management writes: "The lead archaeologist in my office insists on spelling archaeology "archeology". He states the "aeo" version is English and he is American and will spell it the American way. As for myself and several other archaeologists working for the BLM, we all spell archaeology with the 'a' because we worked too hard for that "a" (and we tell our co-workers that when they question why archaeology is spelled two different ways).
"I did have a professor that would mark down any paper turned in to him if archaeology was spelled without the "a" (and he told us this in class)."
I think she's on to something; the switch to an 'e' alone might be an American thing. But how well did it take? The time-tested way to tell popularity is to ask Google. Google says that the spelling of archaeology is found on about 51,400,000 web pages, while archeology is only on 4,480,000 web pages. Seems like Archaeology wins ten to one. But, what the heck, let's be scientific-like, and run a poll where everyone can vote as many times as he or she likes:
Vote Now: How do you spell it?
"I did have a professor that would mark down any paper turned in to him if archaeology was spelled without the "a" (and he told us this in class)."
I think she's on to something; the switch to an 'e' alone might be an American thing. But how well did it take? The time-tested way to tell popularity is to ask Google. Google says that the spelling of archaeology is found on about 51,400,000 web pages, while archeology is only on 4,480,000 web pages. Seems like Archaeology wins ten to one. But, what the heck, let's be scientific-like, and run a poll where everyone can vote as many times as he or she likes:
Vote Now: How do you spell it?
- Ancient ways are the best, I spell it Archaeology
- I'm a 21st century person, and I like Archeology
- I spell it both ways, depending on how I feel on a particular day
Comments
I spelled it with just the “e”, in search, which brought me to this page. It is written both ways in my Polish/English dictionary. In Poland it is archeologia. /:kl*/ sorry about the * I couldn’t find the correct sign of reversed e. But as you see, there is no ae/, ao I think it is not phonetically correct, and I have not heard it pronounced that way even in England.
Sorry, looks like phonetic signs don’t show up here anyway.
Archeologist…definition..idiots that define any civilization older than thier own tea cup as pottery makers and spear chunkers.
Thankyou.
Archeology without the “a” is the preferred spelling in federal archeology programs. A friend told me the popularity of the spelling of archeology without the “a” came about during the Processual movement. Archeologist were trying to distance themselves from the Cultural Historical period.
archeologist does not have an “a” in it. Simple as that. Plus my iTouch autocorrects it.
iPod Touch doesn’t have an “i” before the “Touch” either. Simple as that.
Obviously David was bested by an archeologist and now holds resentment towards their profession
And its “spear chuckers” not “spear chunkers” they aren’t overweight lol
And it’s “it’s,” not “its.”