How do I remove English (US) as a default language?

[Rigadon]

I’ve recently configured a PC with English (UK) ‘Regional and Language
Options’ and I’ve enabled English (UK) in 'Microsoft Office 2003 Language
Settings’ (I’ve removed English (US)). However, the default language in Word
continues to show English (UK) and English (US) as default languages.

 

[Graham Mayor]

You cannot entirely get rid of US English in Word's language options. If, as
you indicate, Windows is set to UK English, that will be the default for
Word.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Stefan Blom]

See http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister/LangFmt.htm.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

I've recently configured a PC with English (UK) 'Regional and Language
Options' and I've enabled English (UK) in 'Microsoft Office 2003 Language
Settings' (I've removed English (US)). However, the default language in Word
continues to show English (UK) and English (US) as default

languages.

 

[Rigadon]

Thanks very much for your prompt reply.

I gather that English (US) will always be a default language in Word 2003.

Why is it that I can remove English (US) as a default language in Word 2004

 

[Rigadon]

Thanks Stefan.

I’ve followed the advice but English (US) {along with English (UK)} remains
a default language.

I don’t want to remove/delete English (US), I just don’t want it as a
default language.

 

[Stefan Blom]

From Microsoft Office Language Settings, you should be able to remove
any language that isn't the default for *Windows*. Are you saying that
English (US) is not the default language of Windows, and that you
still cannot remove it?

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Rigadon]

Yes!

Start->Settings->Control Panel->Regional and Language Settings->Languages
Tab->Details...
'Default input language' is English (UK)
'Installed services': English (United Kingdom) - Handwriting Recognition..,
'Keyboard' - United Kingdom
No other lanuages installed.

Start->Programs->Microsoft Office->Microsoft Office Tools->Microsoft Office
2003 Languages Settings->Enabled Languages Tab...
'Enabled languages: English (UK)

Word->Tools->Language->Set Language...
{Under 'Mark selected text as:' above the partition/double line} English
(UK) and English (US) {and I can't remove English (US)}

It's driving me nuts ;-)

 

[Graham Mayor]

As I told you before. It is not possible to remove this! The settings shown
above the line are not 'defaults' but recently used settings and they are
buried deep in the registry. I have searched, but the setting appears to be
undocumented. Even if you were to remove it, I would guess that the first
time you pasted from the internet you would have it nack again as language
is a text formatting attribute.

I don't know why you are fretting over this. If you make proper use of
styles and have the language option set not to automatically detect, it
isn't a place you need to go very often.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Rigadon]

I guessed it was an operating system problem (registry in XP).

I’m not fretting just disappointed at Microsoft. XP really is a poor OS.
Lets hope Vista is better.

I’ll now advise my students to buy iMacs with Office 2004.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I cannot imagine how you can extrapolate "XP really is a poor OS" from the
fact that U.S. English language settings ride in on documents you receive
from outside. If this did *not* happen, there would be a lot of unsatisfied
users unable to receive documents in any language other than their own.

 

[Rigadon]

Bangs head against wall.

I DON"T WANT TO DELETE ENGLISH (US), I just don't want it as a default
language. Please read my above posts.

As for XP being poor - It's not. I was wrong. But it's second best when
compared with the MAC OS X.

I'll explain:

Why is it that the MAC OS X allows me to set any language as default in Word
2004 but XP will not allow me to do the same with Word 2003 (see Graham's
post - once the registry value for Office 2003 in XP is set it cannot be
changed).

In other words, when XP was set up on my laptop the default language was set
as English (UK) {and for some unknown reason English (US)}. I didn't realise
this untill after I'd installed Office 2003. When I opened an Office
application for the first time a registry value was set, which cannot be
changed. This value insists that English (UK) and English (US) are set as
default.

Why are you so defensive? This isn’t an anti-US post. UK people should be
able to set English (UK) as their default language in Word without also
having English (US) as a default language. Wouldn’t you agree? You probably
don’t see it as a problem because it doesn’t affect you.

 

[Ron]

Try:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HP051895581033.aspx

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I think you're still confused. If you follow the instructions at
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister/LangFmt.htm, you can set English
(U.K.) as your default language, for Word and every other application on
your computer. When you create a new Word document, the language will be
English (U.K.). But if you paste content from another source into that
document, it may bring English (U.S.) or some other language with it. You
can select the pasted content and change the language. The languages that
are listed "above the line" in the Language dialog in Word are just the
"recently used" languages; even if you could remove every language but
English (U.K.) from that list, other languages would be added whenever you
pasted material formatted with a different language.

If I change the language in a document to English (U.K.), I see both
versions of English "above the line." But if I quit and restart Word, I see
only English (U.S.). Are you saying that, despite setting English (U.K.) as
the default language for the entire system (following the instructions in
the article referenced above), you still see English (U.S.) in the MRU list
when you restart Word?

 

[Rigadon]

"Are you saying that, despite setting English (U.K.) as
the default language for the entire system (following the instructions in
the article referenced above), you still see English (U.S.) in the MRU list
when you restart Word? "

Yes.

I'd nevertheless like to thank you for your advice.

 

[Rigadon]

Thanks Ron. I'll give it a try and report back.

Try:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HP051895581033.aspx

 

[David Stephensen]

I followed all of the instructions on the suggested page, including removing
US English as a possible language in the Office 2003 Language Settings.

I edited my normal.dot and set all styles to English Australia. I set the
default language in normal.dot to English Australia.

Even after all this, when I start a new document it says US English.

My workaround for each time you start a new document (which does not make me
admire Word very much): Do all of the above for your language, then start the
new doc, type one character, ctrl+a (select all), ctrl+space (remove all
character formats), ctrl+q (remove all paragraph formats), then release your
selection. Now the doc is in the right language, as long as you never delete
everything. If you delete everything it reverts to US English.

If you create a doc template with existing text, use the above method, but
make sure the last paragraph of the doc template is not blank. The last
paragraph in a dot will always revert to US English if it is blank.

Please try this and let me know how you go.

David

 

[Karenish]

I am with Rigadon, I am using my new word programme and am currently writing
a 4000 word assignment in English (UK) I have tried to remove English (US)
by deleting on the correct page. But close the page and re open it and bingo
there is US again.
I can change to UK when I am on the current page, but as soon as I scroll to
another page, or start a new one it defaults back to English (US) - I have
nothing against americans (grin), but we dont spell specialise with a "z" so
the darn document is correcting my spelling to US each time and its driving
me nuts. Have tried all of your suggestions and think it must be a blip in
the system.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister/LangFmt.htm and
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/MasterSpellCheck.htm

 

[David]

I am using Word 2007/ XP Pro and have tried all suggestions but still cannot
get the spellchecher to default to Australian English. (Windows language
setting set to Australian, Office language setting set to Australian, Auto
detect turned off, Word language defaulted to Australian - saved to
normal.dot.). What have I not done? Surely it is a bug in Word 2007? (Does
microsoft want to standardise the world to US spelling?)

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Are you seeing US English in a new blank document? If so, check the Normal
style to make sure the language is set correctly. Other than that, just be
aware that US English can ride in on text that you paste (especially from
the Web), even as little as a single character.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org