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Chile, Chili or Chilli?

F

fudgey

Now, this has been a question of mine for some time now. How do you properly spell chile/chili/chilli when referring to peppers? I apologize if this has been discussed before, but I haven't found anything on it. I searched google and found an article. Here's what it said: 
"Q: Can “chile” describe a pepper, or is “chili” the correct spelling? My company has taken over the Golden Chile Award, which has been spelled that way for years. I would like not to correct it, but I also don’t want to misspell the award.
A: There are three spellings for this hot pepper from several varieties of the genus Capsicum: “chili,” “chile,” and “chilli.”
Which is correct? It depends on where you live.
The usual spelling in American English is “chili,” but “chile” is an acceptable variant. The only spelling in British English is “chilli,” though the Brits use the term for both hot and sweet peppers."
 
 
Now, that is all fine and dandy, but I don't know if I'm okay with one of those "It doesn't really matter" answers. I think there needs to be a decision made about which one is correct when referring the peppers themselves, and what better group to decide which one is the legitimate way than the pepper growing community of the world? 
Anybody have any input on this?
 
NickP said:
Now, that is all fine and dandy, but I don't know if I'm okay with one of those "It doesn't really matter" answers.
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"chile" (pronounced chee-lay) is the common Spanish word for pepper, being someone who speaks Spanish I typically use that variant if not just "hot pepper"
 
"chili" to me is the stuff with beans and ground meat in it that gets put on hot dogs
 
"chilli"
well...as we say around here...that's a "whole different family"
 
Just like they add an extra "u" to the word "colour"  
:P
 
they are all correct.
 
References to pods and plants come as chile, chilli, chille.  But then there's "chili con carne"  which usually translates as 'chiles with meat'.  I have a feeling somewhere along the line someone missed the typo of chilE con carne with chilI con carne. ;)  just my supposition.
 
Most in the northern hemisphere think of chili as the soup stuff but that's not the case for around the world.  People need to be aware of where they are posting (if they are on an international forum or something) and who they are posting to to watch for inconsistencies they may not have seen before.  
 
If in doubt, ask if something is referring to a soup, a capsicum, a plant, a pod...
 
 
 
 
Personally, I refer to the soup stuff as chili, the pods as chile and when referring to pods internationally... chillis.  But that's just me and they are all intertwined and mixed up depending on who or what you may be reading.  
 
 
this prolly made it as clear as mud~~~~  :lol:
 
second input to respond to the OP's "who should make it definitive" insinuation-  
 
Vast majority of members here on THP are USA addresses, which prolly means we look at the spellings as-
chili= soup
chile= pepper pod or plant or something
chilli= huuh???what'dat?
 
 
 
The rest of the world works with the metric system and we here in the Good Ol' US of A are still using ounces and inches in (x16) and (x12) increments for scaling up.  
 
Maybe at the time congress changes our measuring system to metric units, then we can address the chile/chili/chilli issue.  
 
 
until then, my friend,  adapt and abide....and if all else fails, pour a couple fingers of what whets your willy and enjoy a good drink.
 
Chile.  That's the real name.
 
We say chili down south and I suppose in GB.  Cos Chile is a country.  Don't wanna confuse people.  We already get strange looks when we spell words correctly - grey, colour or pronounce them correctly - aluminium, herb. ;)
 
But chile is the correct spelling.
 
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