VOCABULARY OF WORDS OF DOUBTFUL OR VARIOUS ORTHOGRAPHY. Two classes of words, which end in the syllables ic or ick, and or or our, and which are sometimes written with the k and the u, are spelled in this Dictionary without them. These classes of words, and also some others, with regard to which there is a diversity of orthography, and which are mentioned in the Preface, page xviii, are not inserted in this Vocabulary. With the exception of the several classes of words above referred to, this Vocabulary contains nearly all the English words with regard to which a diversity of orthography is, at present, often met with. Large additions might be made from the Dictionary of Dr. Ash, and also by an examination of works which were published before the appearance of Johnson's Dictionary; but it would be of no use to encumber it with modes of spelling which have now become entirely obsolete. The orthography found in the left hand column of the Vocabulary, is deemed to be well authorized; but with respect to the authority of that which stands on the right hand, there is a great diversity. In some cases, it is nearly or quite as well authorized as that on the left hand; and in some instances, it has but a feeble support, and is rarely met with. In some cases, words are so variously affected by etymology, analogy, authority, and general usage, that it is difficult to determine what orthography is best supported. This is the fact with respect to the words abridgment or abridgement, aught or ought, base or bass (in music), connection or connexion, controller or comptroller, contemporary or cotemporary, despatch or dispatch, diocese or diocess, divest or devest, duchy or dutchy, holyday or holiday, gaol or jail, instructer or instructor, judgment or judgement, marquis or marquess, loadstone or lodestone, loadstar or lodestar, meagre or meager, naught or nought, pumpkin or pompion, sceptic or skeptic, strew or strow, thresh or thrash, wave or waive (to put off), woe or wo, yelk or yolk, and various others. There is a class of words which have, in their derivation, a two-fold origin, from syllable en or in, the former being derived from the French, and the latter from the Latin. With respect to some of these, it is difficult to determine which form is best supported by usage. This is the fact in relation to the words enclose or inclose, enquire or inquire, and ensure or insure. A few of these words, respecting which the two forms are about equally authorized, are placed in the left hand column in each mode, and stand in a corresponding manner in the Dictionary; but those which are not repeated under the two initial letters E and I, stand with the orthography which is most approved, placed in the left hand column. There are some words, of which the present established orthography is at variance with the most approved dictionaries. This is true with respect to the words chemistry, chemist, chemical, reindeer, and scythe. The orthography of these words which is here countenanced, though different from that best supported by the dictionaries, is the one which is now established by general usage. Notwithstanding the orthography of the word show is uniformly supported as here exhibited by the best dictionaries, and also best corresponds to its pronunciation; yet the other form, shew, maintains its ground by a usage quite as common with the best authors. The two different modes of spelling a few of the words in the Vocabulary, are in established usage, and one is to be preferred to the other according to the sense in which the word is used; as, for example, the orthography of flour instead of flower, though not recognised by Johnson, is now well established, when the word is used to denote the edible part of corn; also the orthography of dye instead of die, in the sense of color or to tinge with color, is in common and good use; yet the forms flower and die are unquestioned, when the words are used in other senses. With respect to the word mosquito or musquetoe, which appears in such a l variety of forms, the spelling here preferred, though little supported by the dictionaries, is used in works of science. The form of mosquito is the orthography of the Spanish and Portuguese languages, from which the word is derived, and the one made use of with respect to various geographical places, to which the term is applied. |