In journalism, which tends to be a bit less fussy than us education types, the 
use of alright is strictly forbidden (even the 2011 AP Style Guide says so). I 
find it curious just as you say it is.

Paul D.
 "If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable 
fiction" (_Twelfth Night_ 3.4.127-128). 





________________________________
From: "Myers, Marshall" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, August 7, 2011 11:20:40 AM
Subject: Re: Usage question


Paul,
 
Alrightor all right is a curious one.
 
Some sources accept both forms, since alright dates back into the 19th century.
 
But the book we use here for Freshman English, ST MARTIN’S HANDBOOK, does not 
accept alright, concluding:  “Avoid the spelling of alright.”
 
Language is comparable to fashion: Spelling, among other things, is acceptable 
if the vast majority of people say it is. And we have got some rather strange 
spellings for certain words. Pneumonia and doubt are good examples. Doubt is 
spelled with a b because that letter appears in the Latin language from which it 
was borrowed. Pneumonia is spelled with the p probably because it was spelled 
that way in Attic Greek, and Greek was one of the language of scholarship, like 
Latin. Those examples don’t make a whole lot of sense, but we have agreed that 
they are spelled that way.
 
So I would use all right in formal writing, and alright in less formal settings. 
It is very likely that in the future the alright  will be an acceptable form for 
both formal and informal writing. In my mind that will be a good day. 

 
I hope that answers your question.
 
Marshall
From:Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar 
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul E. Doniger
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2011 10:00 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Usage question
 
It has often puzzled me that the spelling 'alright' has never been accepted as 
standard. It clearly could distinguish a difference between "Completely correct" 
(all right) and "completely safe" (alright) in meaning (similar to all together 
and altogether). Has anyone on the list any information or experience about this 
usage issue that would explain why the usage police won't accept this spelling?
 
Thanks,
 
Paul D.

 
"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable 
fiction" (_Twelfth Night_ 3.4.127-128).
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