Where have all the A's gone?

The missing 'u' in US'n English has long been noted on this board, but Dr Bill's 'medieval' post reminded me of something else that I've been noticing for a while.....

When did all the 'a's' start going missing?
medieval vs mediaeval
pediatrics vs paediatrics
and so on....

I dread to think what could be done to gynaecology....

Is this a recent thing, or is it just that I've only recently noticed it?

Dear rkay: this is really one for tsuwm. The first American lexicographer, to show his independence, dropped the 'a's he thought unnecessary, and among others the 'e' you would use in judgment. From reading English books, I use both ways. Except in medical words. You might be mildly amused to learn that the State of Maine was so bitter about raids during the unpleasantness of 1812 that they stopped naming towns after English ones. So there are names such as China,Lisbon Falls, Norway, and Poland Springs. I was amused to hear an American TV host express suspicion that it was deceitful to call a brand of bottled water "Poland Springs" .

a challenge!

� has come and gone throughout the development of English... mostly gone. it disappeared almost entirely by C13 and was reintroduced in C16 in words derived from Latin and Greek; but this had only etymological value, and when the word became thorougly English, the ae became simply e.

� or ae now remains only (1) in Greek and Lat. proper names as in �neas, C�sar; even these, when familiar, often take e as Judea, Etna; (2) in words belonging to Roman or Gr. Antiquities as �dile, �gis; (3) in scientific or technical terms as �tiology, �stivation, ph�nogamous, Athen�um; these also when they become popularized take e, as phenomenon, Lyceum, museum, era.

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