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#177119 05/23/08 02:56 PM
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tsuwm Offline OP
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how the handbasket do you remember the correct spelling for words such as presence, absence, essence? (as opposed to incense and license (or licence)) where's the sense in this?

-joe (yes, I often look them up) friday

tsuwm #177121 05/23/08 04:21 PM
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I don't know how the pavement that is done. I guess it may be a matter of remembering riffs, which English is full of.

morphememedley #177122 05/23/08 04:57 PM
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I wish I could help, but to me, they just look wrong if spelled with an s instead of the c. Ditto that for the contrary. I learned most of my vocabulary from books though, so saw them before I heard them spoken aloud. This resulted in good spelling skills at the cost of correct pronunciation.

Last edited by Maven; 05/23/08 04:57 PM.

tempus edax rerum
tsuwm #177124 05/23/08 09:39 PM
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 Originally Posted By: tsuwm
where's the sense in this?


Um, at the end? How so very droll.... ;0)

tsuwm #177125 05/23/08 11:54 PM
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I seem to remember at some time in the dim dark past being taught that verbs had 's' and nouns 'c', so that license means to give someone a licence, for example. But like everything else in English it appears far from consistent. You can't get incensed about incence for example, but only about incense. Sense? In English? ROFL. \:D

Last edited by The Pook; 05/23/08 11:55 PM.
The Pook #177132 05/24/08 09:37 AM
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Insense

In*sense"\, v. t. [Pref. in- in + sense.] To make to understand; to instruct. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell. Webster Revised 1996 , 1998

I'm sort of relieved that not only non natives have to deal with these arbitrary things.

So, you can get insensed about incense?

Last edited by BranShea; 05/25/08 09:01 AM.
BranShea #177136 05/24/08 03:28 PM
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Ha! for years i never made a decision. I opted, i made a choice, i elected, i went for, i defaulted to, i stuck with, or i changed my mind.

I love spell check, it has slowly trained me, with a squigglely red line, and more understanding and Um, (another word, that mean quiet understanding, endurance, gentle fortitude (or if spelled wrong, a person seeing a doctor!)

trouble with that second word, it you can get it right (ie spell check doesn't point out a wrong combination of letters) and it can still be wrong.

Stationary or stationery? (finally stand has an A and write has an E... (and the first word with an A (ary) is standing still not moving, the second with an E (ery) is paper for writing on..

INSANE! I also hate silent letters! english words are packed full of them (and being told as a child to "sound them out" was a sort of cruel and unusually punishment, and being asked to spell them, torture.

but i'll be gneiss a and end my rant!

of troy #177137 05/24/08 05:49 PM
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If nobody knows how to spell it; does it make any difference?

wow #177141 05/25/08 10:06 AM
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wun uv thu gratest riters ov tha inglish langwidge, Wilyum Shaksper, cudn't spel hiz oan naym dhe saim twys in uh roh.

Faldage #177143 05/25/08 12:00 PM
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Ah, that i were as gifted as he! then my odd spelling would be feature, not a flaw!

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