Why does the word ‘humour’ have a ‘u’ in it in English?

By Baldmichael Theresoluteprotector’sson

Of course if you are in the United States then you don’t have a ‘u’ and spell the word ‘humor’. Tut, tut!

Now I understand that the English in the States was adapted to make it more logical to the sound of the word.

Historically, why do Americans not use the vowel ‘u’ in words like ‘colour’ and ‘behaviour’?

There is a sub link to this site.

It says of Noah Webster

He believed fervently in the developing cultural independence of the United States, a chief part of which was to be a distinctive American language with its own idiom, pronunciation, and style.

So it looks like Noah Webster may be to blame for dropping the ‘u’.

But then if one was to follow his logic humour could be ‘hughmor’ or ‘hewmor’ or ‘h-yewmor’. I think he just wanted to be different and try and make some differences between the British and the people of the recently formed States.

However I do think there should be a ‘u’ in humour. This is because ‘u’ sounds like ‘you’ and if you are missing from the humour, you won’t be able to join in the joke or humour!

Look out for the sign of Baldmichael, he will be back!

P.S. if you need something more for the weekend then my World Menu on WordPress has various lighter posts which can be found under THE LAUGH ORDER and TAPPER’S BAR subheadings down the page.