This is an overview of the change to s spellings in nineteenth century British periodicals. As I investigate more publications, the main findings will be added to this page. For more detailed information, and to check my findings, you can look at the posts for individual publications listed at the end.
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.
Periodicals in the nineteenth century
Periodicals were incredibly popular in the nineteenth century. For an overview of Victorian periodicals, you could have a look at the Victorian Research website, listed in the links at the end. For a more detailed account of their importance and variety, I recommend the bulletin from the Newberry Library, Chicago. For a representative list, which I hope to slowly work through, see the Wellesley Index. For individual publications, you could look at the Victorian Web Publications Index. All these are linked to at the end.
Of course, periodicals differ from books in that each issue consisted of material from various different sources. On top of that they included advertising, so it is perhaps not surprising that the spelling of -ize suffix verbs was even less consistent than in book publishing.
Changing from -ize to -ise
The change from z to s in British publishing is very evident when you look at 19th century periodicals. Most seem to have started off the century as mainly z, but with a lot of inconsistencies. The number of s spellings gradually increased during the first half of the century. Intriguingly, in some cases z seems to have made a bit of a rearguard action, before being vanquished more or less completely by s.
Blackwood's Magazine moved definitively to s in 1847, and within a couple of years The Edinburgh Review had followed suit. Between 1849 and 1871, Notes and Queries used predomonantly s endings, with a few stray zs, mainly as far as I can see, in advertisements. An 1870 issue of The Illustrated London News uses s exclusively, and The Quarterly Review finally changed over to s sometime at the end of the nineteenth century.
Timeline
- 1847 Blackwood's Magazine changed definitively to s spellings
- 1848-9 The Edinburgh Review changed definitively to s spellings
- 1849 Notes & Queries first published - s spellings dominate
- 1854 Bentley's Miscellany first published in 1837 goes definitively s
- 1861 Temple Bar first published - 100% s endings although a few z endings creep in later
- 1865 The Fortnightly Review first published - almost all s endings
- 1867 St Paul's Magazine first published (edited by Anthony Trollope). Vol 1 all s, Vol 4 85% s, most z seem to be in two articles
- 1870 Illustrated London News (introduced 1842, with a mix of s and z endings) all s spellings
- 1873 The Spectator definitively changes to s spellings
- By 1905 The Quarterly Review had changed to s spellings
Blackwood's Magazine
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 1 1817 |
9 | 30 | 4 | 15 | 58 |
13 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 40 |
| Vol 7 1820 |
9 | 21 | 5 | 9 | 44 |
8 | 14 | 1 | | 23 |
| Vol 14 1823 |
21 | 47 | 8 | 26 | 122 |
2 | 6 | | | 8 |
| Vol 20 1828 |
22 | 53 | 9 | 40 | 124 |
7 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 29 |
| Vol 25 1829 |
11 | 27 | 4 | 5 | 47 |
13 | 32 | 6 | 7 | 58 |
| Vol 33 1833 |
23 | 60 | 12 | 13 | 108 |
21 | 30 | 3 | 25 | 79 |
| Vol 40 1836 |
8 | 45 | 10 | 12 | 55 |
28 | 22 | 3 | 9 | 64 |
| Vol 46 1839 |
17 | 56 | 11 | 14 | 108 |
23 | 41 | 4 | 32 | 100 |
| Vol 50 1841 |
21 | 91 | 18 | 47 | 177 |
14 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 36 |
| Vol 54 1843 |
35 | 76 | 12 | 52 | 175 |
5 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 28 |
| Vol 57 1845 |
23 | 38 | 2 | 28 | 91 |
10 | 10 | 7 | | 27 |
| Vol 60 1846 |
7 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 31 |
31 | 61 | 9 | 39 | 140 |
| Vol 61 1847 |
5 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 27 |
36 | 74 | 7 | 20 | 127 |
| Vol 62 1847 |
| 1 | | | 1 |
37 | 70 | 19 | 28 | 154 |
| Vol 64 1848 |
| | | | 0 |
43 | 97 | 16 | 64 | 200 |
| Vol 81 1857 |
| 2 | 1 | | 3 |
33 | 78 | 12 | 38 | 161 |
| Vol 91 1862 |
| | | | 0 |
43 | 79 | 7 | 36 | 165 |
| Vol 108 1870 |
| | | | 0 |
49 | 73 | 11 | 27 | 160 |
The Edinburgh Review
| -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 | | | 25 |
| Vol 81 1845 |
10 | 27 | 3 | 11 | 51 |
8 | 23 | | | 31 |
| Vol 83 1846 |
7 | 44 | 1 | 35 | 87 |
17 | 36 | 2 | | 55 |
| Vol 85 1847 |
8 | 26 | 1 | 20 | 55 |
12 | 29 | 2 | 9 | 52 |
| Vol 91 1849-50 |
| | | | 0 |
18 | 84 | 8 | 44 | 154 |
| Vol 100 1854 |
| | | | 0 |
36 | 79 | 10 | 49 | 174 |
| Vol 110 1859 |
| | | | 0 |
18 | 54 | 5 | 49 | 126 |
| Vol 121 1865 |
| | | | 0 |
25 | 52 | 8 | 32 | 117 |
| Vol 130 1869 |
| | | | 0 |
22 | 55 | 5 | 39 | 121 |
| Vol 135 1872 |
| | | | 0 |
28 | 59 | 6 | 61 | 154 |
Notes and Queries
From a run of 40 volumes, from 1849 to 1869 at the ILEJ
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
1 | | 1 | | 73 | 15 | 18 | |
| authorise |
3 | 33 | 1 | | 73 | 555 | 27 | 8 |
| characterise |
| 1 | | | 35 | 185 | 11 | |
| civilise |
1 | 8 | | 27 | 9 | 20 | 1 | 214 |
| criticise |
| | | | 38 | 44 | 25 | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 5 | 7 | 1 | |
| organise |
1 | 6 | | 2 | 10 | 68 | 6 | 57 |
| realise |
2 | 11 | | 4 | 77 | 170 | 24 | 22 |
| recognise |
2 | | | | 230 | 535 | 45 | |
| sympathise |
| 1 | 1 | | 32 | 12 | 14 | |
| totals |
10 | 60 | 3 | 33 |
582 | 1611 | 162 | 303 |
Bentley's Miscellany
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 1 1837 |
1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 12 |
17 | 14 | 7 | | 38 |
| Vol 2 1837 |
3 | 6 | | 6 | 15 |
13 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 55 |
| Vol 5 1839 |
6 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 27 |
8 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 39 |
| Vol 14 1843 |
3 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 23 |
13 | 15 | | | 28 |
| Vol 21 1847 |
7 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 31 |
11 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 37 |
| Vol 26 1849 |
8 | 27 | 3 | 21 | 59 |
10 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 39 |
| Vol 31 1852 |
11 | 26 | 10 | 23 | 70 |
11 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 30 |
| Vol 33 1853 |
13 | 34 | 7 | 17 | 71 |
7 | 11 | 1 | | 19 |
| Vol 34 1853 |
12 | 28 | 4 | 16 | 60 |
7 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 31 |
| Vol 35 1854 |
1 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 14 |
17 | 23 | 8 | 15 | 63 |
| Vol 36 1854 |
4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
15 | 45 | 3 | 14 | 77 |
| Vol 37 1855 |
| | | | 0 |
17 | 40 | 7 | 20 | 84 |
| Vol 38 1855 |
| | | | 0 |
15 | 37 | 4 | 16 | 72 |
| Vol 41 1857 |
| | | | 0 |
27 | 42 | 7 | 7 | 83 |
| Vol 44 1858 |
| | | 2 | 2 |
25 | 50 | 7 | 25 | 107 |
Temple Bar
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 1 1861 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
15 | 33 | 6 | 9 | 63 |
| Vol 5 1862 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 39 | 8 | 11 | 76 |
| Vol 15 1865 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
26 | 45 | 8 | 14 | 93 |
| Vol 30 1870 |
2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 10 |
10 | 32 | 6 | 12 | 60 |
| Vol 40 1874 |
0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
15 | 32 | 6 | 11 | 64 |
The Fortnightly Review
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 1 1865 |
4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
40 | 90 | 16 | 50 | 196 |
| Vol 3 1866 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
39 | 95 | 11 | 41 | 186 |
| Vol 5 1866 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
38 | 67 | 16 | 37 | 158 |
| Vol 12 1869 |
0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
40 | 77 | 10 | 61 | 188 |
| Vol 18 1872 |
10 | 32 | 8 | 33 | 83 |
34 | 44 | 5 | 28 | 111 |
| Vol 31 1879 |
13 | 38 | 5 | 47 | 103 |
73 | 141 | 19 | 68 | 301 |
| Vol 41 1884 |
6 | 13 | 4 | 24 | 47 |
67 | 92 | 35 | 36 | 230 |
| Vol 51 1889 |
5 | 17 | 6 | 20 | 48 |
64 | 83 | 17 | 44 | 208 |
| Vol 61 1894 |
9 | 20 | 5 | 23 | 57 |
91 | 145 | 20 | 83 | 339 |
| Vol 70 1898 |
7 | 32 | 3 | 31 | 73 |
98 | 153 | 21 | 69 | 341 |
| Vol 75 1901 |
3 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 33 |
137 | 186 | 31 | 115 | 469 |
| Vol 80 1903 |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
87 | 156 | 34 | 140 | 417 |
| Vol 110 1918 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
72 | 159 | 22 | 97 | 350 |
| Vol 137 1932 |
16 | 30 | 5 | 27 | 78 |
48 | 65 | 12 | 61 | 186 |
| Vol 150 1953 |
53 | 62 | 6 | 51 | 172 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
St. Paul's Magazine
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 1 1868 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
32 | 48 | 12 | 24 | 116 |
| Vol 4 1869 |
3 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 14 |
26 | 63 | 9 | 22 | 120 |
The Spectator
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 6 1833 |
127 | 315 | 40 | 68 | 550 |
16 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 51 |
| Vol 10 1837 |
143 | 291 | 65 | 119 | 618 |
14 | 37 | 3 | 18 | 72 |
| Vol 15 1842 |
78 | 162 | 39 | 60 | 339 |
3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| Vol 20 1847 |
144 | 347 | 78 | 105 | 674 |
7 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 19 |
| Vol 25 1852 |
161 | 348 | 82 | 153 | 744 |
4 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| Vol 32 1859 |
79 | 244 | 26 | 106 | 455 |
10 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 33 |
| Vol 35 1862 |
118 | 186 | 49 | 135 | 488 |
20 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 48 |
| Vol 37 1864 |
125 | 203 | 39 | 113 | 480 |
5 | | 1 | | 6 |
| Vol 41 1868 |
117 | 159 | 41 | 95 | 412 |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Vol 43 1870 |
128 | 220 | 45 | 154 | 547 |
1 | 2 | 1 | | 4 |
| Vol 44 1871 |
112 | 149 | 45 | 99 | 405 |
3 | 1 | 1 | | 5 |
| Vol 45 1872 |
94 | 149 | 38 | 97 | 378 |
41 | 56 | 13 | 19 | 129 |
| Vol 46 1873 |
1 | 3 | | 3 | 7 |
165 | 239 | 66 | 150 | 620 |
| Vol 48 1875 |
1 | | | 2 | 3 |
276 | 379 | 116 | 220 | 991 |
| Vol 51 1878 |
1 | | | | 1 |
170 | 279 | 43 | 154 | 646 |
| Vol 54 1881 |
| 2 | | 4 | 6 |
194 | 272 | 46 | 175 | 687 |
| Vol 60 1887 |
| | | | 0 |
204 | 245 | 73 | 164 | 686 |
The Quarterly Review
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| 1809 Vol 1 |
27 | 47 | 8 | 21 | 103 |
4 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 31 |
| 1816 Vol 14 |
17 | 37 | 2 | 10 | 66 |
1 | 4 | | | 5 |
| 1826 Vol 33 |
16 | 38 | 4 | 9 | 67 |
1 | 2 | | | 3 |
| 1833 Vol 49 |
9 | 32 | 7 | 7 | 55 |
6 | 5 | | | 11 |
| 1836 Vol 57 |
11 | 25 | 1 | 17 | 54 |
4 | 17 | 1 | | 22 |
| 1848 Vol 83 |
9 | 35 | 3 | 42 | 89 |
27 | 21 | 10 | 6 | 64 |
| 1853 Vol 94 |
7 | 28 | 3 | 22 | 60 |
10 | 46 | 10 | 25 | 91 |
| 1869 Vol 126 |
| 8 | 11 | | 19 |
23 | 63 | 8 | 15 | 109 |
| 1869 Vol 127 |
2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
26 | 46 | 5 | 34 | 111 |
| 1870 Vol 128 |
| 9 | 3 | 1 | 13 |
25 | 72 | 8 | 28 | 133 |
| 1871 Vol 130 |
7 | 19 | 3 | 21 | 50 |
28 | 53 | 7 | 45 | 133 |
| 1871 Vol 131 |
13 | 28 | 7 | 35 | 85 |
21 | 33 | 9 | 21 | 84 |
| 1872 Vol 133 |
26 | 53 | 13 | 27 | 119 |
9 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 37
|
| 1874 Vol 136 |
4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
39 | 77 | 11 | 30 | 157 |
| 1875 Vol 138 |
4 | 6 | | 8 | 18 |
29 | 80 | 6 | 34 | 149 |
| 1877 Vol 143 |
1 | | | 2 | 3 |
24 | 54 | 12 | 46 | 136 |
| 1877 Vol 144 |
1 | 1 | | | 2 |
42 | 60 | 11 | 47 | 160 |
| 1880 Vol 149 |
23 | 57 | 6 | 44 | 130 |
4 | 1 | | 1 | 6 |
| 1891 Vol 172 |
37 | 103 | 10 | 30 | 180 |
3 | 9 | | 2 | 14 |
| 1905 Vol 203 |
| 2 | | | 20 |
39 | 109 | 10 | 60 | 218 |
| 1907 Vol 206 |
| | | | 0 |
38 | 87 | 20 | 82 | 227 |
| 1913 Vol 219 |
| | | | 0 |
42 | 76 | 13 | 44 | 175 |
| 1923 Vol 240 |
| | | | 0 |
26 | 42 | 14 | 25 | 107 |
| 1958 Vol 296 |
32 | 71 | 8 | 60 | 171 |
| | | 1 | 1 |
List of posts on individual publications
Wellesley Index
- Ainsworth's Magazine
- The Atlantis
- Bentley's Miscellany - posted
- Bentley's Quarterly Review
- Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine - posted
- British and Foreign Review
- British Quarterly Review
- Contemporary Review
- Cornhill Magazine
- Dark Blue
- Dublin Review
- Dublin University Magazine
- Eclectic Review
- Edinburgh Review (including 1802-1823) - posted
- Foreign Quarterly Review
- Foreign Review, 1828-1830
- Fortnightly Review - checked but not posted
- Fraser's Magazine -
- Home and Foreign Review
- London and Westminster Review (1836-1840)
- London Quarterly Review
- London Review (1829)
- London Review (1835-1836)
- Longmans Magazine
- Macmillan's Magazine
- Modern Review
- Monthly Chronicle
- National Review (1855-1864)
- National Review (1883-)
- New Monthly Magazine (1821-1854)
- New Quarterly Magazine
- New Review
- Nineteenth Century
- North British Review
- Oxford and Cambridge Magazine
- Prospective Review
- Quarterly Review - posted
- Rambler
- Saint Paul's - checked but not posted
- Scottish Review (1882-1900)
- Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (1832-1855)
- Temple Bar - checked but not posted
- Theological Review
- University Magazine
- Westminster Review (1824-1836, 1840-1900)
- Others
- The Spectator - 1828 > posted
Links
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