>in Canada we seem to get multiple versions of everything, not just Brit/Yankee, we also get Anglphone/Francophone!
>
>my personal rule of thumb is, spread chaos!
>
>( ok, I use practice all the time! but I still call those measuring instrumants "gauges" ! )
>
>If the french spelling matches either US or Brit, I use the francophone!
>
>when all else fails, I substitute a different word, occasionally won with the same meaning! or naught !
>
>chow

I agree with that view.
My main client is Scottish & I'm convinced they use the same approach, every now & then making up a word & trying to convince me that it's a common word in Scotland.