American English question: lit vs lighted

[Brian G Turner]

Just a quick one to clarify use of "lighted" in American English vs "lit" in British English - are the following correct examples?

He lighted the candle
The room was lighted by lanterns
The road was lighted by lamps
A flash of lightning lighted the air

 

[dask]

I'm used to "lit" myself, don't know if it's right or not. "Lighted" sounds odd, sort of surprised to see it listed as American.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I've just been looking into this more deeply - my impression now is that "lit" is fine and accepted in American English, simply that the non-standard form of "lighted" is becoming more common.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I've just been looking into this more deeply - my impression now is that "lit" is fine and accepted in American English, simply that the non-standard form of "lighted" is becoming more common.

I think this is the danger of what you're trying to do - would you not be better asking an American editor to revise it for you?

 

[Brian G Turner]

I did have one go through sample chapters, and they didn't pick up any problems with my American English.

It's simply because I was reading around the topic earlier today, and wondered if we'd both overlooked something.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Just a quick one to clarify use of "lighted" in American English vs "lit" in British English - are the following correct examples?

He lighted the candle
The room was lighted by lanterns
The road was lighted by lamps
A flash of lightning lighted the air

Technically, it's whichever one you like. Common usage as far as I'm aware would prefer lit, but that undoubtedly varies by region.

In some cases, illuminated would be a better choice.

He lit the candle. Or
He lighted the candle.

The room was lit by lanterns. Or
The room was illuminated by lanterns. Or
Lanterns illuminated the room.

The road was lit by lamps. Or
The road was illuminated by lamps. Or
Lamps illuminated the road.

A flash of lightning illuminated the air.
(Or maybe it illuminated the plains, or the room, or the field, rather than the air.)
(I would avoid both lighted and lit in conjunction with lightning, just as a matter of not sounding awkward.)

Lighted sounds better with things that involve flame, although lit also works there. Lighted is more of an active thing, someone lighting something. Not so much a thing being lighted by some sort of light.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Cheers - sounds like I'm over-thinking after reading something at the last minute.

 

[dask]

Cheers - sounds like I'm over-thinking after reading something at the last minute.

Cool. I'm delitted.