#82101
09/27/2002 9:45 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
We had a brief exchange about the spelling of this word, parishioner, on the anagram thread (W & F) today. All of us felt the spelling was incorrect and I speculated it was simply an anachronistic usage that has since changed. But, lo and behold! A search on OneLook indicates parishioner is correct! Fourteen hits for this spelling, including all the major dictionaries. NOT ONE HIT for parishoner sans the second "i". (and I once considered myself an impeccable speller...sigh)
Is there a word for words like this that seem misspelled when actually correct?
Can anyone come up with other words that look wrong even though they're right?
I guess parishioner has some precedent in concert with the word fashion..any other -ion's after an sh- words?
Did -shion evolve onto -tion, or vice versa?...and, if so, why and when?
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#82102
09/27/2002 9:49 PM
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742 |
>All of us felt the spelling was incorrect
I must have missed that thread - parishoner looks horrible to me. I've never seen the word spelled that way before, and wouldn't have imagined that anybody ever has, until I saw this post.
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#82103
09/27/2002 10:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Parishoner looks wrong to me, too.
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#82104
09/27/2002 10:35 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
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#82105
09/27/2002 11:42 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
Juan: *rolling eyes*The comedy team of ASping & TEdster are hereby put on official notice that when they get done egging my face, that someday, somewhere, somehow, I will retaliate with gooey omelettes!  ...just to let you know. 
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#82106
09/27/2002 11:56 PM
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247 |
Can anyone come up with other words that look wrong even though they're right?
How about:
"neighbour", "traveller", "catalogue", "millennium",
"centre". What do we call words that have this misleading appearance? Proper english?
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#82107
09/28/2002 12:48 AM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320 |
More words that look wrong:
sacrilegious
minuscule
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#82108
09/28/2002 12:51 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
What do we call words that have this misleading appearance? Proper english?Thank you for so "cogently" pointing that out to me, wm. Excuse me, but I feel another case of meidung coming on... 
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#82109
09/28/2002 3:40 PM
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247 |
Is there a word for words like this that seem misspelled when actually correct?
If there isn't such a word, W'ON, perhaps we should create one.
May I propose meritricious in juxtaposition to "meretricious", something which is "tawdrily and falsely attractive"?
Thus, a meritricious word is one which is meritorious in spite of the fact that it appears falsely unattractive.
In mythology, it was commonplace for gods and goddesses (not to mention heroes like Ulysses) to disguise themselves as mendicants to test the metal of ambitious mortals.
A meritricious word performs the same function for linguistic purists [of which, I hasten to say, I am not one]. It flushes out the unworthy.
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#82110
09/29/2002 3:35 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 36
newbie
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newbie
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 36 |
The choir with which I sang while in college took a short trip through East Texas, singing in various churches and staying with the parishioners. When I told my roommate that we had gone to, among other towns, Paris, TX, she said, completely seriously, "I didn't know that's what you call people in Paris."
Don't ask!
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#82111
09/29/2002 4:35 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 508
addict
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addict
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 508 |
Seemed like a total non sequitur until it dawned on me your roommate was referring to "parishioners" and not commenting on your statement that you had gone to Paris, TX, -- people in Paris are Parishioners? Or do I have it all wrong?
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#82112
09/29/2002 10:25 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
>Paris, TX
Yes, I remember it being mentioned in the movie. Great movie.
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#82113
09/30/2002 6:35 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618
addict
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addict
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618 |
Is there a word for words like this that seem misspelled when actually correct?
All I can think of is nossob: a word which appears to be another word spelt backwards, but isn't.
The Meaning of Liff - Douglas Adams & John Lloyd
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#82114
10/01/2002 1:41 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346 |
>>What do we call words that have this misleading appearance?
Proper english? Brilliant, wm. Mustn't forget "colour", "humour", "belabour" and "polemicise".  There are loads of words that look wrong. Just ask my 5-y-o son.
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#82115
10/02/2002 5:24 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 36
newbie
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newbie
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 36 |
You've got it--she figured that people who live in New York are New Yorkers, people who live in Paris are Parishioners, etc.
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#82116
10/02/2002 5:26 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
people who live in Paris are Parishioners
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