When to use "Greys" and "gray".

[major bill]

While both describe the exact same color and are pronounced the same, are the two interchangeable?

While 'grey' is the English version of the American 'gray, when is it proper to use each? Many American militia companies used the term 'Greys' in their name. So the Adrian Greys wore gray uniforms.

In the 1970s Great Britain was a leading source of information about uniforms. Due to this I have found some American works using the English 'grey' by saying X company wore 'grey' uniforms. Where this become a problem for me is in my Michigan militia uniform data base. I will state that the Adrian Greys wore gray uniforms But the quote I use to support this has the newspaper using "grey' for the uniform color.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

While both describe the exact same color and are pronounced the same, are the two interchangeable?

Yes - believe the use of both spellings are interchangeable.
(Although the preponderant spelling in Britain seems to be 'grey'; in the US it's 'gray').

 

[Pollaco]

I've been wondering about that myself. My gg grandfather was briefly a member of Walker's Greyhounds or was it Walker''s Grayhounds?

 

[rebelatsea]

Strangely I seem to use both spellings - something I will have to look out for when I start proof reading my manuscript.
Doesn't help that a friend of mine is called Gray !

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

Yes - believe the use of both spellings are interchangeable.
(Although the preponderant spelling in Britain seems to be 'grey'; in the US it's 'gray').

I am amused by this small bit of trivia. In the Scottish peerage, there is a Lord Gray, an extant title whose holder is a Lord of Parliament (and therefore equivalent to an English baron) and in the peerage of the United Kingdom is an Earl Grey.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Gray if referring to the Blue and the Gray. That's the spelling of the magazine and the Gettysburg restaurant.

Gray's Anatomy if referring to the science book, but Grey's Anatomy for the TV medical dramedy.

There are shades of gray if debating morality, but 50 Shades of Grey if you read naughty novels because the character's last name.

The founding member of the X-Men is Jean Grey.

Greyhounds and gray whales.

Greys vs Grays for a historical unit name depends how that unit chose to spell their name.

Greys for the space aliens.

I hope that makes everything black and white.

 

[Old Soldier]

It the old color/colour and honor/honour problem: gray = US dictionary spelling, grey is the British dictionary spelling = UK, Canada, Oz and NZ.
Both derive from Old English "grǽg" (pronounced gr-ai-ee). The 'gray' spelling is generally (but not exclusively) used for names in Britain, being a common Scottish family name. The color will vary as to which dictionary is standard, but both are recognosed as a spelling for the color.

BTW - gray whales were quite possibly named after John Edward Gray - a British zooologist and the 'gray' - a unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation - was named after British physicist Louis Harold Gray

**As many US readers will already have sussed, I tend to use US spelling on my comments - Yorkshire English is rarely used online - unless it is directed at Yorkshire folk - rather like a Geordie in London or a Southerner in New York city!

 

[limestone1863]

What if we just call gray/grey color "less color than" black? Less confusion.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

While both describe the exact same color and are pronounced the same, are the two interchangeable?

While 'grey' is the English version of the American 'gray, when is it proper to use each? Many American militia companies used the term 'Greys' in their name. So the Adrian Greys wore gray uniforms.

In the 1970s Great Britain was a leading source of information about uniforms. Due to this I have found some American works using the English 'grey' by saying X company wore 'grey' uniforms. Where this become a problem for me is in my Michigan militia uniform data base. I will state that the Adrian Greys wore gray uniforms But the quote I use to support this has the newspaper using "grey' for the uniform color.

I have always thought the two words were interchangeable, and have always used them that way, with my personal preference being "gray."

 

[6thMichCav]

I was marked down on a third-grade spelling test for spelling "gray" as grey. Still sticks in my craw.

 

[bdtex]

I am amused by this small bit of trivia.

It is that. Very small.

 

[milhistbuff1]

Noah Webster deliberately changed many spellings when drafting his dictionary, e.g removing u from labour. Wouldn't be surprised if grey/gray was another of those alterations.

 

[JOHN42768]

Not to mention that words spelled and meaning differently are pronounced the same. For example Hair vs Hare or maybe For vs Fore vs Four

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Not to mention that words spelled and meaning differently are pronounced the same. For example Hair vs Hare or maybe For vs Fore vs Four

They're their there

 

[Old Soldier]

It's only words; And words are alli have; ........

 

[Nathan Stuart]

I am amused by this small bit of trivia. In the Scottish peerage, there is a Lord Gray, an extant title whose holder is a Lord of Parliament (and therefore equivalent to an English baron) and in the peerage of the United Kingdom is an Earl Grey.

For people with either spelling of this name, can only imagine the number of times spelling mistakes might have occurred on documents/writings bearing their name (and the frustrations/inconveniences this may have created for them).

 

[gary]

Concur with Old Soldier. US spelling is gray. British spelling is grey.

Go with the unit. If a unit called itself Greyhouds, use Greyhound of if they were the University Grays, then the're the University Grays.

Years ago I submitted a manuscript to an British pubisher and their editor changed all my British spelling to American spelling.

 

[Old Soldier]

The origins of the word 'greyhound' are not terribly clear. Apparently 'greyhound' does not come from 'gray dog' but from the Proto Indo-European word g'her- "shine, twinkle" which would mean 'fair dog'. The dogs are believed to have originated from the Eastern Mediterranean area where they were used for hunting, certainly in Egypt and Turkey, and are the only dog breed noted in the Bible. They were also used for hunting in Greece during the Ptolomaic Preiod and there is a possibility that 'grey' was originally 'greek' = greek dogs.

 

[rebelatsea]

I am amused by this small bit of trivia. In the Scottish peerage, there is a Lord Gray, an extant title whose holder is a Lord of Parliament (and therefore equivalent to an English baron) and in the peerage of the United Kingdom is an Earl Grey.

Sounds just my cup of tea ! Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[rebelatsea]

The origins of the word 'greyhound' are not terribly clear. Apparently 'greyhound' does not come from 'gray dog' but from the Proto Indo-European word g'her- "shine, twinkle" which would mean 'fair dog'. The dogs are believed to have originated from the Eastern Mediterranean area where they were used for hunting, certainly in Egypt and Turkey, and are the only dog breed noted in the Bible. They were also used for hunting in Greece during the Ptolomaic Preiod and there is a possibility that 'grey' was originally 'greek' = greek dogs.

A good reminder that a fair proportion of words in the English language are assimilated from dozens of different roots from all over.