Is it programme, programm or program?

English spelling is notorious for being confusing. For example, which of these is – or are – correct: programme, program or even programm?

Well, let’s get programm out of the way first. It doesn’t exist in English – it’s essentially the German spelling!

The spelling program is used in the USA for the set of works played at a concert, a coordinated set of activities (e.g., at a university), a TV or radio show, and a piece of computer software. Program is also used in the UK, but only in the sense of computer software – presumably because software was originally ‘imported’ into the UK from the US, along with its American spelling.

The spelling programme is used in the UK for all meanings except computer software.

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