# Looking at Cheques **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 24, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671 "2012-03-24T04:15:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/21 "2012-03-24T18:07:57Z")
How odd. I thought it was common knowledge that the British and Americans have variant spellings for some words. It’s most unusual to see someone lambast one of these as a spelling mistake. I’m English and I have no problem at all with US variants, some of which forms indeed predate their British counterparts. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/22 "2012-03-24T19:49:54Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Whenever I see it spelled “cheque” I always mentally pronounce it “che-kwee.”\ Whenever I see it spelled “check,” I always mentally see this - [I got a big check!](http://images.clipartof.com/small/31986-Orange-Business-Man-Carrying-A-Briefcase-And-Holding-A-Green-Check-Mark-Symbolizing-Solutions-And-Approval-Poster-Art-Print.jpg) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/23 "2012-03-24T21:48:09Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > How odd. I thought it was common knowledge that the British and Americans have variant spellings for some words. It’s most unusual to see someone lambast one of these as a spelling mistake. I’m English and I have no problem at all with US variants, some of which forms indeed predate their British counterparts. New to the Internet? ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/24 "2012-03-24T23:29:22Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Whenever I see it spelled “cheque” I always mentally pronounce it “che-kwee.” > > Spellings like “cheque,” “colour,” and “centre” aren’t really English anyway; they’re French. I’m an American, not a Frenchman, dammit! Then stop talking about bleu cheese, eating a filet of fish and calling main meals entreés. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/25 "2012-03-24T23:44:27Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > You guys are craqueing me up! That’s two in one day, well played my friend. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/26 "2012-03-25T00:20:39Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > Then stop talking about bleu cheese, eating a filet of fish and calling main meals entreés. “Blue cheese” is more standard, from my experience. No comment on “filet,” but I’ve always wondered how “entrée” got from meaning appetizer to main course in American English. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/27 "2012-03-25T00:26:34Z")
Pretty sure it’s you Brits who are spelling it wrong. You may have invented the language, but we dominated the world with it. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/28 "2012-03-25T01:11:35Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Pretty sure it’s you Brits who are spelling it wrong. You may have invented the language, but we dominated the world with it. Oh dear. Thank you. This thread took 22% longer than average to reach the dick waving stage. Well done, you! _head pat_ ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/29 "2012-03-25T01:13:20Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Whenever I see it spelled “cheque” I always mentally pronounce it “che-kwee.” You’re not unique; your technique is just a little oblique. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/30 "2012-03-25T01:56:24Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > You’re not unique; your technique is just a little oblique. Now you’re getting a little chiquey! ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/31 "2012-03-25T02:30:33Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > This thread took 22% longer than average to reach the dick waving stage. There you go again - don’t you know it is a dique? ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/32 "2012-03-25T02:35:17Z")
The caht cahn’t laawf. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/33 "2012-03-25T06:17:11Z")
Noblesse oblige, bengangmo, noblesse oblige. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/34 "2012-03-25T20:04:30Z")
Even as a Yank, I for one prefer the spelling “cheque” as it differentiates cheques from all the other senses of “check.” But what can you do? ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/35 "2012-03-25T20:46:10Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Even as a Yank, I for one prefer the spelling “cheque” as it differentiates cheques from all the other senses of “check.” But what can you do? You could say “bill” and “tick” for check and check respectively. Just check you’re using the right check. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671/36 "2012-03-26T16:01:15Z")
Personally, I don’t give a fuque. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-cheques/616671.md?page=1)