Extraneous letters

[Pete]

I have noticed a trend recently for extra letters to be added to words for no obvious reason. The report I am reading now uses "judgement", whereas I was always taught that it should be "judgment". Similarly, my parents live in Edgware, not "Edgeware".

Is this common? Are some of these alternative spellings (obviously not for place names, of course)?

[Dave M]

I think the judgment/judgement distinction is just one of choice and style - both tend to be mentioned in dictionaries, and I'm guessing the "e" version is preferred by many who (like me) don't see why the verb "judge" needs to be trimmed, just to make the noun. (As also in "mileage".)

There are place names which keep, and others which drop, the "e" from the word "Edge" - I'm often in Edgbaston, for example (yet often see "Edgebaston" written).

[Sue M-V]

Isn't it just a question of folk etymology? People tend to write in the way that makes the most sense to them, forgetting that this is English and so isn't required to make sense!

Sue

[Alan Palmer]

One explanation I've seen is that a "judgment" is one handed down by a judge, whereas a "judgement" is one made in a non-legal setting. I work in school inspection and our house style guide specifies that judgement should be used for inspectors' decisions, although no reason is given.

There is also supposed to be a difference (in British English, at least) between inquiry and enquiry. The former is a formal investigation, the latter a more general query.

I have no idea if these assertations have any basis in fact.

[Dave M]

> There is also supposed to be a difference (in British English, at least) between inquiry and enquiry <

No "supposed to" about it. When there's a disaster, scandal, etc, then someone will hold an INquiry. If we ask questions about it, we'll be making ENquiries.

Historical (and, of course, illiterate) examples may differ, but that's definitely the current pattern in British English.

[Sue M-V]

I work in school inspection and our house style guide specifies that judgement should be used for inspectors' decisions, although no reason is given.

No reason is given presumably because there is no reason - it's just someone's personal preference.

My feeling about the difference between judgment and judgement is that the former looks a little more old fashioned. It's the one I use myself, and which people here have kindly corrected. I don't know why I use it myself! I used to write Shakespear without his final e for quite a while, but got picked up on it so often that I decided to use the now conventional spelling, although as far as I know, the final-e-less version was perfectly acceptable once upon a time. I am a conservative by nature, if not by politics!

Sue

[Paul Doherty]

ODE2 says

In British English the normal spelling in general contexts is judgement. However the spelling judgment is conventional in legal contexts, and in North American English.

It has mileage with milage given as a variant, and it has an entry for usage but not useage (although the entry for usable gives useable as a variant).

[Gabriel-Ernest]

Sue M-V,
Stick with your Shakespear spelling! It is as valid as any other. And should anyone pick you up on it remind them that he never used the Shakespeare spelling in any of his various signatures.

In any discussions about the authorship question I use Shakspere when speaking (writing) when he his in Stratford-on-Avon and Shakespeare when he is in London.

G-E.

[Barry]

It is as valid as any other

Shakeshaft, for example ;D

[Alan Palmer]

I like the Shagsbeard variant.

[Tone]

'Tis rather timely that extraneous letters has just been raised.

I am currently considering a putative new (work) contract and have replied with my "matters of concern". In my response, among some more serious derelictions on the part of the contract writer, I have commented:

"I am concerned about the terminal "s" that you have added to "arrears". I am quite happy to accept payment in arrear (at the end of the due period), but would be unhappy were it to be in arrears (late, tardy, or overdue)."

Picky? Me?

Tone

[rickcarpenter]

Jun 8, 2008 9:36:26 GMT Barry said:

It is as valid as any other

Shakeshaft, for example ;D

I theorize that he was originally William Shakes, born on the docks in Stratford-upon-Avon, and the family name changed to Shakespier. When and where they became involved with javelins and pininfarinized again, I do not know...

[Paul Doherty]

Are there docks in Stratford-on-Avon? River, town -- there must have been , I suppose.

[Dave M]

Pininfarinized?

I can come up with a meaning only for things like an Austin Cambridge, there, rick - do tell!

[Bertie]

I have never heard of an"arrear". Even the dictionary suggests that it is almost always used in the plural form - "in arrears".