Grammar
Random-ise: The Edinburgh Review and the spelling of -ize suffix verbs
The Edinburgh Review (the second of this title), was founded in 1802, and became one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century, alongside its literary ald political rivals The Quarterly Review, and Blackwood's Magazine, the latter also published in Edinburgh.
This is part of an investigation I've been doing into the use and spelling of -ize suffix verbs and their spelling (-ize or -ise) in British English. For more details, related posts and the methods I've used, see the -ize / -ise page. For more on the spelling of -ize verbs in periodicals, see the Periodicals start page.
The Edinburgh Review 1802 - 1929
Started on 10 October 1802 by Francis Jeffrey, Sydney Smith and Henry Brougham, it was published by Archibald Constable in quarterly issues until 1929. It began as a literary and political review. Under its first permanent editor, Francis Jeffrey (the first issue was edited by Sydney Smith), it was a strong supporter of the Whig party and liberal politics, and regularly called for political reform. Its main rival was the Quarterly Review which supported the Tories. The magazine was also noted for its attacks on the Lake Poets, particularly William Wordsworth. Wikipedia
In terms of the spelling of -ize suffix verbs, The Edinburgh Review follows a very similar pattern to its rivals, Blackwood's and The Quarterly. That's to say, it started off with z spellings being dominant, although not exclusively. The use of s spellings gradually increases as the nineteenth century progresses, led especially by the recognise family. Then z spellings make a last-ditch fight, only to finally lose out with a definitive move to s spellings.
The change, when it came, was overwhelming. Just as much as a change from z to s, it was a change from spelling chaos to spelling consistency.
What is fascinating about the change at the Review is that it came within a year or two of a similar change at its Edinburgh-based rival, Blackwood's Magazine, which changed difinitively in 1847. It is all the more frustrating, therefore, not to be able to pinpoint the change quite so accurately at the Review, but unfortunately, the relevant volumes don't seem to be available at Google Books, and I can't find any facsimiles elsewhere.
Main table comparing -ize verbs spelt with a z and with an s.
These figures are taken from looking at individual volumes at Google Books. Below these tables you can find checkable tables for the individual volumes. At the end is a list of all the volumes I've ben able to find at Google Books.
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 1 1802 |
14 | 33 | 4 | 25 | 76 |
2 | 1 | | | 3 |
| Vol 10 1807 |
11 | 24 | 4 | 16 | 55 |
| | | | 0 |
| Vol 20 1812 |
16 | 33 | 3 | 13 | 65 |
3 | 4 | 1 | | 8 |
| Vol 30 1818 |
8 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 36 |
8 | 12 | 1 | | 21 |
| Vol 39 1824 |
4 | 27 | 4 | 6 | 41 |
5 | | 7 | 4 | 16 |
| Vol 50 1829-30 |
11 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 44 |
19 | 28 | 4 | 18 | 69 |
| Vol 59 1834 |
12 | 22 | 4 | 20 | 58 |
9 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 73 |
| Vol 70 1839-40 |
7 | 39 | 3 | 15 | 64 |
14 | 25 | 4 | 26 | 69 |
| Vol 80 1844 |
9 | 33 | 2 | 21 | 65 |
7 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Vol 81 1845 |
10 | 27 | 3 | 11 | 51 |
8 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Vol 83 1846 |
7 | 44 | 1 | 35 | 87 |
17 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 55 |
| Vol 85 1847 |
8 | 26 | 1 | 20 | 55 |
12 | 29 | 2 | 9 | 52 |
| Vol 91 1849-50 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 84 | 8 | 44 | 154 |
| Vol 100 1854 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
36 | 79 | 10 | 49 | 174 |
| Vol 110 1859 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 54 | 5 | 49 | 126 |
| Vol 121 1865 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
25 | 52 | 8 | 32 | 117 |
| Vol 130 1869 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
22 | 55 | 5 | 39 | 121 |
| Vol 135 1872 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
28 | 59 | 6 | 61 | 154 |
The story of recognise
There was a very strong tendency to spell recognise and its variants with an s well before there was a general shift to s. This reflects practice elsewhere, at Blackwood's, and in book publishing. Recognise is one of the most commonly used -ize verbs.
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| Vol 1 1802 |
5 | 6 | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| Vol 10 1807 |
3 | 4 | | | | | | |
| Vol 20 1812 |
5 | 5 | 2 | | 3 | 2 | | |
| Vol 30 1817 |
| | | | 8 | 11 | 1 | |
| Vol 39 1824 |
| | | | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Vol 50 1829-30 |
| | | | 7 | 20 | 1 | |
| Vol 59 1834 |
| | | | 7 | 13 | 2 | |
| Vol 70 1839-40 |
| | | | 7 | 12 | | |
| Vol 80 1844 |
| | | | 4 | 14 | | |
| Vol 91 1849-50 |
| | | | 4 | 19 | 2 | |
| Vol 100 1854 |
| | | | 10 | 23 | 5 | |
Individual volumes
Click on the numbers to see the instances at Google Books.
Vol 1 1802
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
1 | | | | | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 2 | | | 1 | | | |
| characterise |
| 3 | 1 | | | | | |
| civilise |
1 | 10 | | 12 | | | | |
| criticise |
1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| monopolise |
| 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| organise |
1 | 7 | | 12 | | | | |
| realise |
2 | 1 | | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
5 | 6 | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| sympathise |
2 | | | | | | | |
| totals |
14 | 33 | 4 | 25 |
2 | 1 | | |
Vol 10 1807
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
3 | | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | | | |
| characterise |
1 | 5 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
| 9 | 3 | 13 | | | | |
| criticise |
1 | | 1 | | | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | 2 | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 3 | | | | |
| realise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| recognise |
3 | 4 | | | | | | |
| sympathise |
2 | | | | | | | |
| totals |
11 | 24 | 4 | 16 |
| | | |
Vol 20 1812
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | 1 | | 1 | | | |
| authorise |
| 2 | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| characterise |
4 | 5 | | | | 1 | | |
| civilise |
| 11 | | 9 | | | | |
| criticise |
| | | | | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 3 | | | | |
| realise |
3 | 7 | | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
5 | 5 | 2 | | 3 | 2 | | |
| sympathise |
3 | | | | | | 1 | |
| totals |
16 | 33 | 3 | 13 |
3 | 4 | 1 | |
Vol 30 18187
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
3 | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 1 | | |
| criticise |
| 6 | | 11 | | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | | 1 | | | | | |
| organise |
| 2 | | 2 | | | | |
| realise |
3 | | | | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 8 | 11 | 1 | |
| sympathise |
1 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
8 | 12 | 3 | 13 |
8 | 12 | 1 | |
Vol 39 1824
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | 1 | | | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 4 | | | | | | |
| characterise |
2 | 5 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
| 10 | 1 | 6 | | | | |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | | | | | | 1 | |
| organise |
| 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| realise |
| 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | | 1 | 1 | |
| totals |
4 | 27 | 4 | 6 |
5 | | 7 | 4 |
Vol 50 1829-30
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
1 | | | | | | | |
| authorise |
2 | 2 | | | 4 | 3 | | |
| characterise |
| 1 | 1 | | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| civilise |
| 9 | | | | 1 | | 16 |
| criticise |
| | | | 4 | | 2 | |
| monopolise |
3 | | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 5 | | | | 2 |
| realise |
2 | 9 | 3 | | 1 | 3 | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 20 | 1 | |
| sympathise |
3 | | | | 1 | | | |
| totals |
11 | 24 | 4 | 5 |
19 | 28 | 4 | 18 |
Vol 59 1834
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 5 | | | | | | |
| characterise |
| | | | 2 | 7 | | |
| civilise |
| 6 | | 1 | | | | 24 |
| criticise |
| | | | | | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | | | |
| organise |
1 | 7 | 2 | 18 | | | | |
| realise |
5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 13 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
5 | | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
12 | 22 | 4 | 20 |
9 | 20 | 2 | 24 |
Vol 70 1839-40
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| authorise |
2 | 11 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
| 3 | | | 5 | 9 | 2 | |
| civilise |
1 | 6 | | 3 | | 1 | | 26 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| monopolise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| organise |
1 | 10 | | 11 | | | | |
| realise |
2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 12 | | |
| sympathise |
1 | | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
7 | 39 | 3 | 15 |
14 | 25 | 4 | 26 |
Vol 80 1844
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 2 | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 7 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
1 | 4 | | | | 3 | | |
| civilise |
| 10 | | 15 | | | | |
| criticise |
2 | | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| monopolise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 5 | | 4 | | | | |
| realise |
4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 4 | 14 | | |
| sympathise |
1 | 1 | | | | | | |
| totals |
9 | 33 | 2 | 21 |
7 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
Vol 81 1845
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| authorise |
| 10 | | | | 1 | | |
| characterise |
| 2 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
1 | 6 | | 5 | | 1 | | |
| criticise |
2 | | | | 1 | | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | | | |
| organise |
2 | 5 | | 6 | | | | |
| realise |
1 | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| recognise |
1 | 1 | 1 | | 6 | 20 | | |
| sympathise |
3 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
10 | 27 | 3 | 11 |
8 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Vol 83 1846
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | 2 | | |
| authorise |
1 | 10 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
2 | 4 | | | 4 | 5 | | |
| civilise |
| 20 | | 20 | | | | |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| monopolise |
1 | 1 | | | | 1 | | |
| organise |
| 4 | | 14 | | 1 | | |
| realise |
1 | 3 | | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
2 | | | | 11 | 26 | 1 | |
| sympathise |
| 2 | | | 1 | | | |
| totals |
7 | 44 | 1 | 35 |
17 | 36 | 2 | 0 |
Vol 85 1847
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| 2 | | 2 | 1 | 6 | | |
| characterise |
| 1 | | | 2 | | | |
| civilise |
| 13 | | 13 | | 8 | | 8 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| 2 | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 4 | | | | 1 |
| realise |
5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| recognise |
2 | 1 | | | 5 | 12 | | |
| sympathise |
1 | | | | 2 | | | |
| totals |
8 | 26 | 1 | 20 |
12 | 29 | 2 | 9 |
Vol 91 1849-50
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | 2 | 4 | | |
| characterise |
| | | | 1 | 9 | 1 | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 21 | | 25 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | 1 | | |
| organise |
| | | | 3 | 18 | 3 | 18 |
| realise |
| | | | 2 | 10 | | 1 |
| recognise |
| | | | 4 | 19 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 84 | 8 | 44 |
Vol 100 1854
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | 2 | 15 | 1 | |
| characterise |
| | | | 5 | | | |
| civilise |
| | | | 3 | 17 | | 29 |
| criticise |
| | | | 3 | 4 | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| organise |
| | | | 4 | 15 | 2 | 18 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 4 | | 2 |
| recognise |
| | | | 10 | 23 | 5 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
36 | 79 | 10 | 49 |
Vol 110 1859
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 3 | 1 | |
| characterise |
| | | | 3 | 8 | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 7 | 1 | 5 |
| criticise |
| | | | 2 | 6 | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | | | |
| organise |
| | | | | 5 | | 43 |
| realise |
| | | | 7 | 5 | | 1 |
| recognise |
| | | | 5 | 18 | 3 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 1 | 2 | | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 54 | 5 | 49 |
Vol 121 1865
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 9 | 1 | |
| characterise |
| | | | 4 | 4 | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 7 | | 17 |
| criticise |
| | | | 3 | | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 3 | | | |
| organise |
| | | | | 6 | 3 | 15 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 10 | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 16 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
25 | 52 | 8 | 32 |
Vol 130 1869
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 7 | | |
| characterise |
| | | | | 2 | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 13 | | 25 |
| criticise |
| | | | | 1 | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| organise |
| | | | 1 | 8 | | 13 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| recognise |
| | | | 10 | 17 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 3 | | | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
22 | 55 | 5 | 39 |
Vol 135 1872
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 4 | | |
| characterise |
| | | | 4 | | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 18 | 3 | 32 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | 2 | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| organise |
| | | | | 5 | 1 | 27 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 5 | | 2 |
| recognise |
| | | | 13 | 23 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 3 | 2 | | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
28 | 59 | 6 | 61 |
The Edinburgh Review 1802-1929 at Google Books (NF = not found)
- Vol 1 1802 (1814)
- 2 NF
- Vol 3 1805
- 4 NF
- Vol 5 1805
- 6 NF
- Vol 7 1805-6
- Vol 8 1806
- 9 NF
- Vol 10 1807
-
- 11 NF
- Vol 12 1808
- 13 NF
- Vol 14 1809
- Vol 15 1809-10
- Vol 16 1810
- 17 NF
- Vol 18 1811
- Vol 19 1811-12
- Vol 20 1812
-
- Vol 21 1813
- Vol 22 1813-14
- Vol 23 1814
- 24 NF
- Vol 25 1815
- Vol 26 1816
- Vol 27 1816
- 28 NF
- Vol 29 1817-18
- Vol 30 1818
-
- 31 NF
- Vol 32 1819
- Vol 33 1819 (S)
- Vol 34 1820
- Vol 35 1821
- Vol 36 1822
- Vol 37 1822
- Vol 38 1823
- Vol 39 1823
- 40 NF
-
- Vol 41 1824-5
- Vol 42 1825
- Vol 46 1827
- Vol 47 1828
- Vol 48 1828
- Vol 49 1829
- Vol 50 1829-30
-
- 51 NF
- Vol 52 1830
- Vol 53 1830-1
- Vol 54 1831
- Vol 55 1832
- Vol 58 1834
- Vol 59 1834
- Vol 60 1834-5
-
- Vol 61 1835
- Vol 62 1835-6
- Vol 63 1836
- Vol 64 1837
- Vol 65 1837
- Vol 66 1837-8
- Vol 67 1838
- 68 NF
- Vol 69 1839
- Vol 70 1939-40
-
- Vol 71 1840
- Vol 72 1840-41
- Vol 73 1841
- Vol 74 1841-2
- Vol 75 1842
- 76-77 NF
- Vol 78 1843
- 79 NF
- Vol 80 1844
-
- Vol 81 1845
- 82 NF
- Vol 83 1846
- 84 NF
- Vol 85 1847
- 86-90 NF
-
- Vol 91 1850
- Vol 92 1850
- 93 NF
- Vol 94 1851
- 95 NF
- Vol 96 1852
- 97-99 NF
- Vol 100 1854
-
- 101 NF
- Vol 102 1855
- 103-107 NF
- Vol 108 1858
- 109 NF
- Vol 110 1859
- Vol 111 1860
- 112 NF
- Vol 113 1861
- Vol 114 1861
- Vol 115 1862
- Vol 116 1852
- Vol 117 1863
- Vol 118 1863
- 119-120 NF
-
- Vol 121 1865
- Vol 122 1865
- Vol 123 1866
- Vol 124 1866
- Vol 125 1867
- Vol 126 1867
- 127 NF
- Vol 128 1868
- Vol 129 1869
- Vol 130 1869
-
- Vol 132 1870
- Vol 133 1871
- 134 NF
- Vol 135 1872
List of later editions
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Random-ise: The Spectator And The Spelling Of -ize Suffix Verbs
The Spectator started off life as a liberal-radical periodical, and is now the intellectual forum of modern conservatism. It bears the same name as, but has nothing to do with, a famous 18th century magazine published by Joseph Addison and Richard...
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Random-ise: Blackwood's Magazine, The Spelling Of -ize Suffix Verbs
This is part of an investigation I've been doing into the use and spelling of -ize suffix verbs and their spelling (-ize or -ise) in British English. For more details, related posts and the methods I've used, see the -ize / -ise page. For...
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Random-ise: The Novels Of Jane Austen And -ize And -ise Verbs
This is part of an investigation I've been doing into the use and spelling of -ize suffix verbs and their spelling (-ize or -ise) in British English. For more details, related posts and the methods I've used, see the -ize / -ise page.
Jane...
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Random-ise: The Quarterly Review, -ize Verbs
This is part of an investigation I've been doing into the use and spelling of -ize suffix verbs and their spelling (-ize or -ise) in British English. For more details, related posts and the methods I've used, see the -ize / -ise page. For...
-
Thackeray's Use Of -ise/-ize Verbs In Vanity Fair
In which I list all the instances of this type of verb in Mr. Thackeray's fine work and note certain inconsistencies in the spelling thereof, and do the same for Mr. Darwin and his Origin of Species.
Background
This is part of an investigation...
Grammar
