I happened to mention in an IM somebody called Firdaus. My correspondent asked how it was pronounced, using dowse as an example for the second syllable. I said it was more like douse. Now, to me, dowse means to search for water with a Y-shaped stick and is pronounced with a z sound, while douse means to extinguish with water and is pronounced with an s sound. My correspond seemed to think both spellings were used for either concept but the pronunciations were associated with each concept as I had said.

I went over to xrefer http://www.xrefer.com/entry.jsp?xrefid=592818&secid=.-&hh=1 to see what they had to say, only to find that they agreed that the spellings do fluctuate and they added another dowse into the mix, meaning to doff (a cap) or strike (a sail). Granted my nautical vocabulary is not very great and cap-doffing is not all that common these days, but even so I have never heard of this other word.

Comments on spelling, pronunciation, and this third word from AWADers from around the world please.

Bingley

Bingley