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American English Booklet11

BrE fulfil, instil may be interpreted as simplification. In AmE we find double “ll” in fulfill, instill, but both forms are used in AmE install(l), install(l)ment.

BrE may simplify –ection to –exion:

e.g. connexion, retroflexion, inflexion

Here AmE uses “connection”, “reflection”, thus following the principle of derivational unity: connect > connection, connective; reflect > reflection, reflective.

Regularization

This principle is employed more completely in AmE than in BrE. It shows up most obviously in the regularization of the endings -or/-our to the single form -or.

There are no systematic criteria for distinguishing between the two sets in BrE: