specials vs specialties

[whl626]

What is the main difference between these two words ?

Is it correct to ask in a restaurant ' What are your restaurant specialties ' to mean the famous dishes here ?

 

[RonBee]

Yes. Say, "What is your special?" (The dish of the day.) Or say, "What are your specialties?" (The dishes the restaurant specializes in.)

 

[whl626]

Then ' special ' and ' specialty ' are interchangeable ?

What is your special / specialty

 

[Casiopea]

Then ' special ' and ' specialty ' are interchangeable ?

What is your special / specialty

Waiter! What's the special today? (What's the special on the menu today? What's not the usual fare?)

Waiter! What's the specialty here? (What's the chef's specialty? What does she cook the best?)

 

[whl626]

I am really not used to words or sentences in a short form . The clears up the mess. Thanks

Oops one more thing. Specialty and speciality are the same right, ? I believe ' speciality used in Britain whereas the other in the US or else where ?

 

[RonBee]

Then ' special ' and ' specialty ' are interchangeable ?

What is your special / specialty

Cas already explained it, but perhaps I can add my two cents. :wink:

A restaurant's specialty is something that they do all the time and, presumably, better than other people. A special is "special" for that day.

(Thanks, Cas.)

 

[RonBee]

I am really not used to words or sentences in a short form . The clears up the mess. Thanks

Oops one more thing. Specialty and speciality are the same right, ? I believe ' speciality used in Britain whereas the other in the US or else where ?

Yes, but as noted below, speciality is chiefly British.

• speciality
  1. A distinguishing mark or feature.
  2. specialities Special points of consideration; particulars.
  3. Chiefly British. A specialty.
  http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=speciality

(Note: elsewhere is one word.)