…to all those who responded. I was genuinely unsure about RAW or raw and am completely happy to accept that RAW refers to a type of file and is widely accepted as such.
I was also interested in the argument about “proper” English being the language spoken in England. I can understand why this might be a popular view among the English but, in the opinion of many people more learned than I, there are now so many varieties of English, even here in England, that there is no longer a “correct” version. Indeed, it is often said that if one wishes to hear the best English grammar, the north-eastern United States is the place to go, or perhaps, a little closer to home for me, the English spoken in Edinburgh, often referred to as “Morningside English” after a district of that city. For those who don’t have much recent experience of English in England, the English of the south-east, sometimes referred to as “Estuary English” * (Thames estuary) has become the norm on TV and radio, especially in advertising and “BBC English” is no longer widespread, even on the BBC!
The point about the influence of French is another can of worms. I am happy to accept the modern American “program”, especially as, in my humble opinion, modern American spelling makes a lot of sense.
* Estuary English is characterised by the elision of many consonants, especially at the end of syllables, and the substitution of “w” for “l”, so that complaints about the poor state of road surfaces often include references to “po’hows” rather than potholes.
I really will shut up now.
RH
