I’ve recently started a gossipy blog specifically about lawn mowers - or should that be lawnmowers? The development of the English language over time, and in places separated by large geographical distances, is a fascinating subject in itself. My reason for including an article there on the difference between the two terms is more than mere pedantry or English nationalism. It’s very practical because if a web page or blog post is to have any chance of being seen by large numbers of people it needs its major terms to be in a form that most people might enter into Google or Yahoo!

I’ll leave you to read the article on lawnmowers.for-us-all.co.uk rather than repeating it here, except to say that there are significant differences in the words between the two sides of the Atlantic. In this respect as in many others English English and American English are drifting apart.

Anyway, whatever the spelling and word construction, mowing the lawn is an important aspect of gardening for many people. My latest piece over there on the lawnmower site is about environmental responsibility in mowing the lawn. I willingly admit to a degree of hypocrisy as I have written in praise of manual and cordless electric mowers when I myself still use my Honda Izy petrol powered model. Economics and practicality in this case conspire against any short-term improvement as my lawns don’t lend themselves to a manual mower and my bank manager might not approve of a fancy new cordless lithium battery model. Maybe one day!

Enjoy the lawn mowing this weekend.

- David -

Tags: lawn mower, lawnmower