[Vocabulary] Light music or lite music?

[hooman79108]

Hi all
Who knows which one is correct? Light music or lite music?

Thanks a lot.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Light" is the traditional, proper way to spell the word, but "lite" is a commercially accepted alternative.

 

[Rover_KE]

Up to now, I've only heard of lite in relation to low-calorie and low-fat food and beverages — aimed at people trying to lose weight.

I'm very fond of light music, and hate the thought that it's going to be called anything else.

Rover

 

[Chicken Sandwich]

Up to now, I've only heard of lite in relation to low-calorie and low-fat food and beverages — aimed at people trying to lose weight.

Interesting. I didn't even know up until now that lite was in fact a proper word. (Diet coke is spelt "Cola Light".) But apparently it is indeed:

lite / laɪt / adjective [ usually before noun ]

especially American English used in the names of some food or drink products to mean that they have fewer calorie s or less fat than other similar products : lite beer

Source: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

However, I really don't see the need to spell "light" as "lite". Why the need to spell words differently all of sudden?

 

[Rover_KE]

However, I really don't see the need to spell "light" as "lite". Why the need to spell words differently all of sudden?

There isn't a need, and the mangling of the language hasn't happened all of a sudden. It's just cutesie, eye-catching gimmickry by advertisers and commercial concerns to draw attention to their products, like Kozy Kabins, Chick-fil-A and Krispy K​reme.

Does the same thing not happen in Dutch, Chicken Sandwich?

​Rover

 

[JMurray]

… "lite" is often used now in various contexts to mean "diluted", "superficial", "ersatz".

A few grabs from COCA:

Before the kidnapping, I viewed the organization as a form of Al Qaeda lite.
Still, compared with past hijinks, this is Lohan lite.
"It's a settlement lite," Moti says somewhat jokingly. "It's not like moving to East Jerusalem."
This stuff he peddles – a little Taoism, a little Buddhism, a little this, a little that – it's sort of Zen lite.

not a teacher

 

[BobK]

...
However, I really don't see the need to spell "light" as "lite". Why the need to spell words differently all of sudden?

I think it may have been coined by analogy with 'nite', which is pretty common in collocations like 'nite club/spot/...'. This 'abbreviation' pre-dates SMS by many years, but I wouldn't be surprised if SMS helped.

In the context of this thread - especially with reference to soft drinks - I was initially thrown by JMurray's mention of COCA. ;-)

b

 

[5jj]

Up to now, I've only heard of lite in relation to low-calorie and low-fat food and beverages — aimed at people trying to lose weight.

I've heard 'MA lite' used of some modern MA degrees by people who remember what an MA used to involve some years ago.

 

[Chicken Sandwich]

Does the same thing not happen in Dutch, Chicken Sandwich?

Not that I'm aware of.

People do use shortened versions of words, for example in text messages, but these words never find their way into dictionaries. One example would be, "thnx" instead of "thanks", and "plz" instead of "please".

 

[SoothingDave]

I didn't even know up until now that ​

lite was in fact a proper word.

It might be in the dictionary, but I wouldn't use it in formal writing.

However, I really don't see the need to spell "light" as "lite". Why the need to spell words differently all of sudden?​

Miller Lite was the first (or one of the first) "lite" beers. It was originally "Lite Beer from Miller" and I am sure the misspelled word aided in getting the name trademarked.

 

[5jj]

People do use shortened versions of words, for example in text messages, but these words never find their way into dictionaries. One example would be, "thnx" instead of "thanks", and "plz" instead of "please".

This could be (only a thought) because the publishers of English dictionaries appear to me to be rather less prescriptive than the publishers of dictionaries in many other languages. If a 'word', or the spelling of a word, appears to be used, then English (-speaking) lexicographers record it. They may, or may not, add a note that it is 'informal' or 'slang' or even 'taboo'. they may, personally, loathe it; they see their job as noting 'words' that are used. Pedants often express horror at the 'acceptance' of certain forms by dictionaries, but 'acceptance' means only that it exists.

Just one crude example - most dictionaries now (rightly, in my opinion) include the words f...k, c..t, n.g..r, because some, perhaps many, use them. The fact that they appear in dictionaries does not mean that it is safe to use them in polite circles. English dictionaries record what is said/written, not what should be said/written.

 

[JMurray]

I was initially thrown by JMurray's mention of COCA.

I don't think a serious student of the language would bother with COCA Lite.

 

[bhaisahab]

I don't think any serious student of the language should use the spelling "lite". It's horrible.

 

[5jj]

I don't think any serious student of the language should use the spelling "lite". It's horrible.

u r sooo rite. dood.;-)

 

[Tdol]

People do use shortened versions of words, for example in text messages, but these words never find their way into dictionaries. One example would be, "thnx" instead of "thanks", and "plz" instead of "please".

Dictionaries are not in a rush to put transient words into the publications. The OED, apparently, included squarial for a square satellite dish and the company was bought out a few weeks after publication. There's no point in including words that will be dead in a short time.

However:

Definition of thx | Collins English Dictionary
thx - definition. American English definition of thx by Macmillan Dictionary
THX - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online

 

[emsr2d2]

u r sooo rite. dood.;-)

LOL. OMG. Totes. :shock:

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Hooman:

I believe that before World War II, an American newspaper publisher pushed for simplification of English spelling.

I believe that some of his suggestions were:

lite (for "light")
nite (for "night")
thru (for "through")

But people become accustomed to spelling in a certain way and are reluctant to change.

As you know, people in the United States love their cars. So they can drive to a restaurant and order food without

leaving their cars. We refer to the "drive-thru window." You park your car in front of that window, pay your money,

get your food, and drive away. I think that "drive-through" would look weird because we are accustomed to "drive-thru."

Simplification is not going very well. Today most people spell the word "catalog," while we senior citizens still

insist on "catalogue."

Of course, many Americans cannot understand how Brits spell "jail" as "gaol"!

 

[Rover_KE]

Of course, many Americans cannot understand how Brits spell "jail" as "gaol"!

Very few of us do, these days.

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

I had no idea that any Americans of any age spelt "catalogue" correctly! ;-)