Comments on Profile Post by Thad E Ginathom

Generic does not mean general. It has been so much redefined, though that I've forgotten what it does mean.

OEM does not mean the original part. As in...

Canon cameras do not have OEM sensors: they make their own
Nikon has OEM sensors: Sony make them.
Sennheiser headphones may well have OEM pads! But there is no point is using "OEM" except when we know who made them.

(Examples are for illustration purposes only: please excuse if wholly or partly wrong.)

You have my full sympathies: I was the first person ever to correct my wife's grammar (lie vs lay). I was very polite about it, but she didn't take it well. But guess what? She married me anyway! And she still never gets that one right. But I love her anyway!

Shhh! you'll wake up @YMO

American English > British English

I tend to agree (even as a Brit); American English is more consistent and coherent in spelling, with the exception of aluminum, which makes absolutely no sense (magnesum, uranum, titanum, unobtainum?)

American English is absolutely as good if not better than British English. All countries can mangle and degrade the language. Brits certainly join in; India has its own contributions (like upgradation: Ugh!).

America kept some old stuff that Britain changed, like -ize not -ise. There must have been a generation of Grumpy Brits, back then, trying to keep -ize, whilst youngsters were writing -ise!

I do think, though, that with some of different spelling, America got it wrong. Colour and Labour: Wouldn't it make more sense to spell them colur and labur?

So I don't think that this is against America. They might have invented the concept of "OEM," --- you make it, we'll stick our brand on it. In which case they should keep it right.

I don't think generic really had a meaning outside of "belonging to the same genus." The things shared by closely related species.

My old man was a chemistry prof. so I say "aluminium," which is proper IUPAC nomenclature. The phrase "tin foil" used to really annoy him. Following Fowler's reasoning, I always use the English spelling "judgement." Fowler makes a reasonable case for "connexion," but that's a much harder sell.

OEM should mean Original Equipment Manufacturer. Have we strayed from this and it's no longer a given?

Many have so strayed, yes.
@Claritas, in a conversation elsewhere, a friend wondered why "tin roofing?" I replied: it's made of steel, it's coated with zinc, so they call it tin! lol.