Is American English too pervasive on this wiki?

Apologies if this is the wrong forum/if the matter has been addressed elsewhere.

Does anyone else feel this is a thing? The USA has less than a fifth of the world's English speakers yet throughout the TV Tropes wiki, it's dialect is pretty much the default version of the English language used. I don't mean this offensively at all, but there can be no doubt that it is a bastardised (note my use of "s" at the end of that sentence rather than "z"), simplified version of the language (am I wrong?). Shouldn't the de facto "first and foremost" version (i.e. British English) be used as the "go to" dialect on TV Tropes? Think about how much more compatible it is with Canadian English, Irish English, AUSNZ English etc than USA English is with most of those (WW 2 GI presence in Oceania and neighbour status with Canada nonwithstanding).

What does everyone else think about this? I can't help but think if I'm massively shot down on the proposal (likely primarily by American tropers, and bear in mind I'm half Yank myself) that would only reinforce international stereotypes regarding Americans as having a "we're most important, and other places in the world... do they even exist?!" 'Murica mentality. I'm ok with a case-by-case basis allowance, though. For example I edited the In Bruges article to say "notes" instead of "bills" because it is a European work set in Europe. If it were American, the converse would be true and so "bills" would be acceptable.

Any and all feedback appreciated!

The rules are that wiki pages should be internally consistent (use the same type of English throughout the page), and that it's "first come, first serve" (the person who creates the page gets to decide what form of English to use, with no one allowed to arbitrarily change it afterwards).

The one clear caveat to this is that any work that contains written English (note the emphasis) should ideally have its page done in the same type of English as the work. A novel written in American English should have the page be the same, and likewise for a British novel and British English. This is the one exception to "don't change" rule: If you see a page on a work containing mostly British English, but the page is written in American English, you can flip it.

Everything else extends from the fact that we have a disproportionate number of tropers from the United States. Assuming you are not American (I apologize if I am wrong), I suggest trying to get some of your friends to join the wiki and learn how to contribute, if you want to see more pages in British English.

Wasn't TV Tropes founded by Americans? It would make sense if U.S. English was the default on here.

Also, it's its. :P

That said, either form is acceptable on here.

edited 24th Jun '15 6:35:08 PM by MrLavisherMoot

"Half Yank" i.e. yes half American. But I hold American English in poor regard. I look forward to other viewpoints.

That's not as an egregrious butchering of the language as other stuff I could mention

edited 24th Jun '15 7:06:45 PM by FlashSteps

See, that's the problem attitude, here. Most of us don't give a flying flip which dialect is used as long as people can understand it and it's consistent. Some, however, get irrationally attached to one or another. If they can't learn to give that up, they find themselves unwelcome.

That sort of "If I lose it only proves my point" assertion is rather bad form...

As for the correctness of particular spellings - at one point there was no such thing as standardized spelling. The first successful attempt (there had previously been many failed attempts in various places) happened to be in America, and the later attempt that worked in England purposefully chose spellings that differed from what had already been set in 'Murica - primarily out of spite due to lingering bad feelings over our little revolt. So really, ours actually came first.

edited 24th Jun '15 8:35:07 PM by Zyffyr

Well, what's with the overuse of "z"'s in American English, and the underuse of "u"'s?

I really don't think this is the proper venue for that conversation. As the original question has been answered, I am closing this thread.