Questions tagged [spelling]
This tag is for questions which a dictionary cannot answer concerning the written representation of the English language, especially spelling and word breaks (including hyphenation).
180
questions
0
votes
1answer
35 views
how to change spelling to make a silent e sound
My name is June and I am Basque (North of Spain). My name is pronounced almost like in English except for that the final e is not silent.
How do a write my name phonetics to show people how to ...
-2
votes
1answer
50 views
How should I spell websites' names?
For example,
News.Com published an article about demonstrations in Peru.
Should I capitalize 'com' as I did?
0
votes
1answer
111 views
Plural of “computer bus”
I often see the word "bus" (in the sense of interconnect layer of a computer system) to be written in plural as either "buses" or "busses". Which one is the correct form?
Wikipedia uses both on the ...
0
votes
2answers
30 views
e-commerce vs ecommerce
When using words like: ecommerce, ebanking, etc. What is the right way to write them? with dash like: e-commerce, e-banking? or as a one word: ecommerce, ebanking, etc.?
I do not want to use the long ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
AmE vowel pronunciation dilemma
I can't figure out how to spell vowels in AmE. I generally prefer to pronounce "o" letter as "ɑ" as well as sometimes "ə". But it is done intuitively irrespective of any rule. I think there must be an ...
3
votes
1answer
55 views
A (imaginary) point or An (imaginary) point
A or An is usually decided by whether you pronounce the beginning of the following word as a consonant or not. Does a word in parentheses count as ' following'?
A (imaginary) point or An (imaginary) ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Is “et al.” one or two words?
I use et al. to refer to a paper with more than two authors. However, the word et got separated by a line (due to line end) and the word al. cam in the beginning of a new line.
... Authorname [end ...
0
votes
1answer
114 views
Is 'families' the correct spelling?
We will find something to suit your families needs today!
I do not know whether it should be "families", "families'" or "family's"
3
votes
1answer
598 views
correct spelling of “carruffel” (fuzz, hustle, all that jazz)
I faintly remember learning a word that means an arbitrary hubbub of things, all the to do, a minor inconvenience, etc., I'm not really sure. I thought it was ca. "carruffel", but that does not exist....
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Why is the letter “e” removed when changing some word's verb form to its noun form?
I came across a word which was encumber.
Like this verb there are many words whose noun forms don't include e in that place (before r in that word). Is there any reason behind it or is it just an ...
1
vote
1answer
23 views
Gray or grey? I'm really not sure [closed]
Pretty self-explanatory (I know this is a common question). I'm not sure. Can someone help me out?
2
votes
3answers
2k views
Which is the correct version “who's side” or “whose's side”?
Which one is correct in this case?
I need to hear both sides of the story to know who's side I'm on.
I need to hear both sides of the story to know whose side I'm on.
I have seen both ...
0
votes
3answers
78 views
What are some spelling rules for deciding if a verb is regular?
Definition of regular conjugateable verb is that it is not an irregular verb but is there some spelling rules to decide that verb is regular for students until they memorise all the irregular verbs?...
2
votes
1answer
64 views
The state of being read-only: readonlyness / readonliness
This word, spelled readonlyness, is used in the code of a project I'm working on. Readonliness seems to be a more logical spelling, as in ready - readily, beauty - beautiful, lonely - loneliness, etc. ...
6
votes
2answers
674 views
What's the correct spelling of 'shmare'?
I've heard this expression several times in TV shows, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Is it like a small "piece" of some spread? Can I say for example:
"Shmare me some Nutella"?
Or
Can I have ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
Low-down vs lowdown as noun vs adjective
In an online CPE mock test I was given this question:
The princess's nanny's autobiography really gives the ____ on the life among the royals.
The correct answer was "low-down" which I did choose.
...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
What is the past tense of learn? [duplicate]
What is the past tense of learn? Is it learned or learnt?
I've seen people use "learnt" in articles I've read on the internet and I didn't or haven't seen crazy words like this when I was in jr high ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
debitum - dette - debt
I would like to know if there is an explanation for presence of "b" in the word "debt" in the contemporary English. Google says that in Middle English this word was written as "dette". Why then "b" ...
2
votes
3answers
328 views
Why fiancé? Why “É”?
You usually use "fiancé" with "é" and not "e" as "fiance". Why?
I know "É" is a letter of the Latin alphabet, and the word "fiancé" refers to mid 19th century: from French, past participle of ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
rule of adding suffix -ing
Today I went through a link in Oxford stating
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/spelling/verb-tenses-adding-ed-and-ing
If the verb has only one syllable and ends with a single vowel plus a ...
16
votes
6answers
5k views
Spelling/pronunciation of “gross” different from “moss”,“floss”, “loss”, “toss” etc
I am puzzled by the spelling of "gross". I always heard it pronounced as a diphthong, and my dictionaries confirm this. Now my English teachers always taught me that while a repeated consonant in ...
1
vote
1answer
391 views
“Swim lane” or “swimlane”?
Most books use the term "swim lane", but some articles use the term "swimlane" (for example, https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Add-swimlanes-to-a-flowchart-D794B112-8AA3-4360-8F12-E38BC62AD558)....
0
votes
1answer
377 views
The spelling rule of -ment
It seems to add -ment suffix does not generally change the spelling of the base word: "mange" -> "management".
However, I've just noticed that this is not the case for "argue"->"argument". I wonder ...
1
vote
1answer
118 views
Submission of an article from the XXX Medical 'Center' to a journal that requires British spelling
I am editing a scientific paper that specifies British spelling. But the name of the author's research institute is The XXX Center for Medical Research.
Should I change this to Centre?
0
votes
1answer
79 views
The placement of an intensifier put between the syllables of a three- or more syllable word for emphasis
Playing an online lexicogrammar game, I met the word "unbelievable" written with a swear word "f_cking" inserted between the first and second syllables:
"un-f_cking-believable".
I understand that ...
2
votes
4answers
558 views
Since English is not spelled as pronounced, who decides on how to write it when a new word has been created?
I have been thinking about it for some time and really wonder.
It is the spelling in the English language. Since English is not spelled as pronounced or vice versa(not pronounced as spelled), I ...
0
votes
1answer
352 views
Why “annoying” uses double N but “anointed” uses single N?
I kept mixing and confusing these two usage of N. Sometimes I spell "anoying", sometimes I spell "annointed". This is probably a silly question, and the answer is probably as simple as "that's the way ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
How to better translate “et voilá” from french?
In English, there is an expression that sound's like Ta-Da or Ta-Taan or Ta-Daaan
It's is the same meaning as the French expression as et-voilá?
If yes how do you correctly spell it?
If not what ...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
Should names of types of wood species be capitalized?
Should the names of species of wood be capitalized when used within a sentence?
Examples:
Bocote
Cocobolo
Which is correct:
The pool cue's forearm was made from Cocobolo wood.
...or,
The ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Verb to Adjective “inviteable” or “invitable”?
I really wonder what's the right way to make a verb to adjective?
"inviteable" or "invitable"?
"closeable" or "closable"?
Are there rules about these or it's just my decision which one to use?
3
votes
2answers
114 views
How to cure bad spelling? [closed]
A friend who is a lawyer and reads a lot spells badly and it's affecting her practice. Spellcheckers are ok but they don't work in all cases, for instance when there are two words that sound the same ...
1
vote
2answers
568 views
What is the difference between grey and gray? [duplicate]
What is the difference between grey and gray? I've seen both used and I'm wondering which I should use when talking about the color. Why are there two spelling's for the same word and is there a ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
In US English, which is the appropriate spelling: leveled a look or levelled a look?
Could you please tell me which spelling conforms to US English?
Jane levelled/leveled a look at her mom, making it clear she wasn't in a mood to listen.
The Dictionary lists both as acceptable, so ...
0
votes
3answers
461 views
When does the letter “e” get to have a long sound before a consonant?
When does the letter 'e' have a long sound before a consonant? For example:
senior
venal
menial
-melia
penal
Venus
Pelias
And in the case of Pelias, why can 'e' have both a short sound and a long ...
-1
votes
1answer
150 views
Contramot or contramote
There is a term in Russian (the noun контрамот) made up of Latin соntra (against) and motio (motion). Means something like "moving in the opposite direction". How would it be spelled in English - ...
1
vote
1answer
249 views
Why it's surveys not surveies?
Sometimes I need to change y to ies but for survey, it's not. So far as I know there are some other cases too.
Is there any "formula" I can follow for the plural form of words with -y?
0
votes
1answer
6k views
person's name vs persons' name [closed]
which one is correct, when talking about names of a group of person :
....persons' name
....person's name
I guess that the first one is correct, because, persons is plural and also I guess ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
March's or Marches
I was reading the following passage on englishworksheetsland.com when the phrase a few March's ago attracted my attention. As far as I know, the plural of March is Marches, but I can't understand ...
56
votes
4answers
13k views
“Conveince”: A word commonly used in Pakistan having to do with transportation but no English person knows about it
In Pakistan, when we don't have any transportation then we say "I don't have any conveince". This spelling is wrong but I never used in written English so I don't know.
None of my English fellows in ...
3
votes
1answer
608 views
Dividing words into syllables between vowels
Are there some guiding principles on how to divide words into syllables (for spelling/pronunciation) especially in relation to when the division occurs between two vowels?
For example why does 'brief'...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Which spelling is correct? Theatre or Theater?
Theatre or theater - which word is correct for using in GB and US? I faced with both and also heard the opinion that "theatre" is not used in US, although it's definitely not true.
0
votes
1answer
65 views
Usage the particle “of” before past participle form of a verb
What are the grammatical and semantic roles plays the particle "of" in the next sentence?
You had to of seen it before
Source: Conversation with an Aussie
0
votes
1answer
79 views
Was “something” written “some thing” around 1900 in United States?
I want to know whether words like: "something", "anything", "somewhat", etc., were written: "some thing", "any thing", "some what", around 1900 in United States.
I read a few letters of some ...
1
vote
2answers
8k views
Optimalization or optimization?
I am a little confused when I should be using Optimalization or optimization. Some dictionaries say Optimization is a noun of Optimalization, but I have no idea what they mean by that.
Some of the ...
7
votes
2answers
5k views
What's the meaning of “that's you done” and what does “'s” stand for?
What does 's stand for in the bold sentence, and what's the meaning of "that's you done"? Could you also provide me with a reference?
Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous. Madam ...
-1
votes
1answer
99 views
To distinguish between American and British spelling [closed]
Words are :- theater, behavior , litre, dialogue , tire, program, omelette, cheque, pajamas, realize .
0
votes
3answers
180 views
How to avoid the spelling mistake of Android vs Andorid?
Most of the time when I'm trying to write the word Android, I get the confusion about it's spelling, like will it be Andorid or Android. So most of the time I was written wrong spelling.
To overcome ...
1
vote
2answers
910 views
Tree names omitting “tree”
In most cases I see authors write: oak tree, pine tree, palm tree, and etc. But can we just call them an oak, a pine, a palm?
The house was standing next to an oak (instead of an oak tree).
I was ...
0
votes
1answer
333 views
The word “Wednesday”
Why does the word Wednesday read as Wenzday? Where do its roots grow? All the other days of the week read as they are written but not Wednesday.
Why hasn't the spelling changed over the years?
2
votes
1answer
164 views
Hyphenating a Hyphenated word: tree-trunk-like legs
He seemed to have tree-trunk-like legs.
How do you hyphenate a hyphenated word, properly, and grammatically?
