Specialty vs Speciality

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Because depending on which english-speaking country you live in, it's either one or the other...

Poll Results

Option	Votes
Specialty	22
Speciality	16

― Mark G, Wednesday, 9 January 2013 10:29 (twelve years ago)

speciality

― besides Sunny Real Estate (dog latin), Wednesday, 9 January 2013 10:31 (twelve years ago)

I'm American so specialty obv. "Speciality" always reminds me of the tiny scientist gnome guy that Atreyu stays with in The Neverending Story because at one point he says "It is my scientific speciality" in a very cute way that pops into my head randomly every now and then even though I haven't actually watched TNS in maybe 15 years.

― go to party leather (ENBB), Wednesday, 9 January 2013 14:25 (twelve years ago)

Speciality, said in the voice of John Cassavetes imitating Ruth Gordon.

― Zero Dark 33⅓: The Final Insult (Eric H.), Wednesday, 9 January 2013 14:25 (twelve years ago)

I would say speciality in everyday use (if it were a word I used every day), though specialty was the everyday usage when I worked in the NHS and actually *did* use it every day.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 9 January 2013 14:29 (twelve years ago)

i honestly cdn't give a flying one about this

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 9 January 2013 14:37 (twelve years ago)

speciality sounds like a word that would enunciated dramatically in the Blossom theme song

― Z S, Wednesday, 9 January 2013 14:59 (twelve years ago)

May I suggest you try the creamed brocolli and onions? It's the specialty of the house.

― Aimless, Wednesday, 9 January 2013 18:41 (twelve years ago)

Only ever heard "speciality" at the end of "Revolution Rock."

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Wednesday, 9 January 2013 18:42 (twelve years ago)

Voting http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/0ad9995e0f899e0f6a88fdb6b6ead19f/80801.jpg

― The POLLed Geir America (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 9 January 2013 18:47 (twelve years ago)

Only ever heard "speciality" at the end of "Revolution Rock."

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat

― Faster than food (Myonga Vön Bontee), Wednesday, 9 January 2013 23:19 (twelve years ago)

(Eric beat me to it) I like John Cassavetes imitating Ruth Gordon in Rosemary's Baby: "...seeing as it's one of her 'spesh-eee-al-a-tays.'"

― clemenza, Wednesday, 9 January 2013 23:38 (twelve years ago)

special iatee

― impound the alarm (NickB), Wednesday, 9 January 2013 23:43 (twelve years ago)

I'd never given this a thought. I'm sure I have said both, depending on context.

But now all I can think of is Billy Bragg singing SPEC I AL I TAYYYY.

― Una Stubbs' Tears (Trayce), Thursday, 10 January 2013 02:43 (twelve years ago)

isn't this just yet another AmE vs. BrE poll

― autistic boy is surprisingly good at basketball (silby), Thursday, 10 January 2013 02:56 (twelve years ago)

or is this actually a u/non-u issue

― autistic boy is surprisingly good at basketball (silby), Thursday, 10 January 2013 02:57 (twelve years ago)

Dunno, it was prompted by the use of Specialty in uk nhs databases, and when I checked it seemed that Speciality wasn't cited as an actual word in some dictionaries...

― Mark G, Thursday, 10 January 2013 07:25 (twelve years ago)

They are two different main entries in OED, actually!

― autistic boy is surprisingly good at basketball (silby), Thursday, 10 January 2013 07:45 (twelve years ago)

Yeah, I forget where I 'checked'...

― Mark G, Thursday, 10 January 2013 08:23 (twelve years ago)

Being a Little Richard fan I think I go for Specialty but otherwise I'm not sure if I use the word in either variation.

― Stevolende, Thursday, 10 January 2013 08:44 (twelve years ago)

But now all I can think of is Billy Bragg singing SPEC I AL I TAYYYY.

Ha, yes, I've been doing that since I read this thread too.

― ailsa, Thursday, 10 January 2013 09:26 (twelve years ago)

xpost I used to think the record label was Speciality..

― Mark G, Thursday, 10 January 2013 09:32 (twelve years ago)

Voted speciality because I like the way the 'a' is emphasised.

It's weird that one letter effectively adds two syllables.

― Stop Gerrying Me! (onimo), Thursday, 10 January 2013 11:54 (twelve years ago)

three weeks pass...

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Thursday, 31 January 2013 00:01 (twelve years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Friday, 1 February 2013 00:01 (twelve years ago)

What I thought.

― Mark G, Friday, 1 February 2013 09:51 (twelve years ago)

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