i'm thinking that perhaps the pronoun "pro" or "pr-" lends connotations of action to the root 'offer'; meaning specifically "to offer forth". Proffer is commonly used in the legal field, for example when plaintiffs proffer hypotheses or case citations to support their claims. "Offer" has more generalized usage; you can "offer" to help someone carry something, but cannot "proffer" to do so (but now that i'm thinking about it, i suppose one could reasonably proffer an offer of assistance). OTOH, i think it's equally correct to "offer" an argument or to "proffer" one, but proffering carries a more aggressive, or active tone.



bridget=)

Ipsa scientia potestas est ~Bacon