Leaderboard

One of the videos I watched recently started with a reactor who felt slighted that an app offered two English language options. The first had a Union Jack and was labeled "English (British)" while the second had a Stars and Stripes and was labeled "English (Simplified)". It was pointed out in the comments that when lexicographer Noah Webster wrote the first American dictionary, one of his aims was to simplify spellings. Some of them stuck while others didn't. There's a page at Merriam-Webster.com which lists some of his successes and failures. I don't know which words are down to Mr Webster, but American English often simplifies spellings to use the same word for two completely different meanings. In another reaction video, the reactor had never heard that the British call the edge of the road the kerb rather than the curb. Here are a few examples of words where British English has two spellings for two meanings even when they're pronounced the same: Kerb: the edge of the road or garden bed. Curb: to control or limit something. Both are "curb" in American English. Storey: a level of a building. Story: an account of incidents or events. Both are "story" in American English. Cheque: a method of payment. Check: to examine or inspect something. Both are "check" in American English. Draught: beer on tap. Draft: a preliminary version. Both are "draft" in American English. I'm sure there are many others. That's apart from where we use completely different words!

And keep in mind that in the 80s, the average salary for a year in the US was less than they got per episode.

I know what kind of money Jimmie made at appearances. I helped them run their table several times. I will not be disclosing the amount here, however. But 1 appearance a month at that amount would afford a very nice living.