Launches today. It is in America, but not in American. Which to me is a missed opportunity, given my previous solo campaign (actually blog post) to adopt American English as the online standard.

Although English (US) has its uglinesses, the Americans care far more about English than we do, as Inigo Thomas admits in his defence of the decision to go with English (UK). He argues that a standard Guardian English is desirable but that English (UK)’s virtue is its informality and refusal to conform to rules. Seems to me like having cake and eating it. But, hey…I don’t actually think it will vex many potential readers.

You can see what it looks like below:

And this is the New York Times:

Personally, I wonder whose side the Guardian will be on? Given that its US USP is as a liberal partisan newspaper, it will undoubtedly have to take sides in conflicts between the national interests of liberal democracies – especially in the field of foreign affairs. Wonder how that rather more interesting battle between Britain and America will shake down? The Guardian stylebook might not have the answers…