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spidey · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:58 am Post subject:

If language is constantly evolving, doesn't it stand to reason that word spellings would be evolving as well? Hence some of the more common spelling mistakes that we see plus the many spelling variations that we have for the same word. IMHO, common misspellings of words are just a part of the process of a language in a constant state of evolution.

"a lot" or "alot?" Both are acceptable in my books.

For the longest time I used to spell "February" as "Febuary." To me the first "r" is completely redundant and should not be compulsory. However way you spell it, if the meaning is clear, it should therefore be acceptable.

S

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Chris_Crossley · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:09 am Post subject: Wrong pronunciation of "February"

merlin · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:26 am Post subject:

Spelling schmelling. The spelling thread's been done something like 10 times and I don't think this one has anything to ad Exclamation

How about if we talk about sociolinguistics, people!
C'mon, spidey! I can't belive you just used "hence". Do you speak like that to your friends in the pub?
How many of you use "indeed" in a cafe?
Who uses "as it were" to punctuate a sofa fart?
Who converses with "however" in the middle of a sentence?
Who inserts a chatty "in short" in their dialogues?

I'll give the "spelling Kings" a B for their accruacy in mechanics but a D in sociolinguistic appropriacy.

JonnytheMann · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 337 Location: USA

Amen to sociolinguistics and evolving languages!!!

If I pronounced it "FEB-roo-ary", I'd be mocked by everyone I know. And my grammar book tells me that I should answer the question "Who is it?" with the phrase "It is I," but if I did that, I'd be tap-dancing my way to social ridicule.

Here's what my dictionary says ... errr, I mean ... my dictionary reads as such ....

Usage Note: Although the variant pronunciation (FEB-yoo-ary) is often censured because it doesn't reflect the spelling of the word, it is quite common in educated speech and is generally considered acceptable. The loss of the first r in this pronunciation can be accounted for by the phonological process known as dissimilation, by which similar sounds in a word tend to become less similar. In the case of February, the loss of the first r is also owing to the influence of January, which has only one r.

It's the same with the word forte. You are "supposed" to pronounce it "fort", but if you don't say "for-tay", most people will give you a puzzled look.

Usage Note: The word forte, coming from French fort, should properly be pronounced with one syllable, like the English word fort. Common usage, however, prefers the two-syllable pronunciation, (for-tay), which has been influenced possibly by the music term forte borrowed from Italian. In a recent survey a strong majority of the Usage Panel, 74 percent, preferred the two-syllable pronunciation. The result is a delicate situation; speakers who are aware of the origin of the word may wish to continue to pronounce it as one syllable but at an increasing risk of puzzling their listeners.

EnglishBrian · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 189

Hmm. Probably I'm in a minority of one here but I'm not for this free for all spelling. It's the thin end of the wedge to a real break down in written communication. The kind of evolution we've seen in spelling (which was never that fast) may have had its day. Fixing and standardising's the way of it I'm afraid. Anyway, like Merlin sed, thiz argyoumunts lak phloginu ded ors.

But I do have a couple of questions for any Americans reading. These are real questions, I'm honestly not trying to antagonise anyone into a horrific 'British'/American English argument. Please!

1) They say there's no such thing as a true synonym, given contextual factors. So what's the difference between the words 'a drink' and 'a beverage'?

2) I've really started to notice whenever I hear an American interviewed on TV or the radio, they seem to use the phrase, 'if you will' every other sentence eg "Here's a pencil. A graphite and wood writing implement if you will". Not only is this annoying but it just seems to involve them repeating what they've just said only using different words. Has anyone else noticed this? Does this phenomenon have a specific origin?

JonnytheMann · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 337 Location: USA

Whenever an American is interviewed on TV? What Americans are saying "If you will" all the time? I don't know any.

EnglishBrian · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 189

I'm not talking about about movie stars or rappers. Mostly government figures, businessmen and at least one celebrity chef.

schwa · Joined: 12 Oct 2003 Posts: 164 Location: yap

One of my faves is "mispelling" -- self-illustrating.

I like it when people say "mispronounciation" too.

JonnytheMann · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 337 Location: USA

Which government figures?

VanIslander

DGB · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Sask, Canada

"They say there's no such thing as a true synonym, given contextual factors. So what's the difference between the words 'a drink' and 'a beverage'?"

I guess it's not *completely* the same. Ie you can say
'he drinks on a daily basis' whereas you cannot say 'she beverages bi-weekly'

cheers
g

matttheboy · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 854 Location: Valparaiso, Chile

JonnytheMann · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 337 Location: USA

I don't know any Americans who say "if you will" ... maybe stodgy government officials use it during interviews with NPR, but it's not something Americans say in general.

We say "you know" all time time. It's just, like, well, you know, less formal, if you will.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley