AMBASSADOR, Embassador. Custom is in favor of the former, though Embassage is seldom written with A, and Embassy, never. Another reason in favor of Ambassador is its immediate derivation from the French Ambassadeur. AMEND, Emend. The former is from the French amender, and the latter, from the Latin emendo. Emend is almost obsolete, but its derivatives, emendation and emendator, are in use. ANCIENT, Antient. We derive this word from the French ancien, and not from the Latin antiquus. The first is therefore the preferable form. ANTECHAMBER, Antichamber. This word is derived from the Latin ante, before, and not from the Greek anti, against. It should therefore be written antechamber. APOSTASY, Apostacy. This word is derived from the Greek apo, from, and stasis, a standing. The first is therefore the proper form. APOSTEME, Apostume. We have adopted both these words from the French. The original is the Greek apostēma, which means a standing from. APOTHEGM, Apophthegm. The latter is the more correct form, but the former is generally employed. The original is the Greek apophthegma. ARCHEOLOGY, Archaiology. The first is the form generally in use, though the second is more in accordance with etymology, namely, from the Greek archaios, ancient, and logos, a word, discourse, doctrine, or science. ARQUEBUSE, Harquebuse. The latter is a Cockney pronunciation of the original word arquebuse, which we have adopted from the French. The root of the first part of the word, is the Latin arcus, a bow. BALK, Baulk. The u has no more business in balk, than it has in calk, chalk, talk, or walk. The second form is, therefore, in correct. BALUSTER, Banister. The second form, though a corruption of the first, is the one generally employed. The root is the Greek balaustion, the flower or blossom of the pomegranate. BASIN, Bason. There is a disposition to write BASIN, when the word means a deep circular pond or dock, but BASON, when the term is applied to a large deep bowl. There is no reason for this distinction. As well might a different orthography be sought for a sheet of water and a sheet of paper. BASIN, a dock or pond, and BASIN, a bowl, are but different applications of the same word. The French is bassin, the Italian bacino. CALK, Caulk. The latter form is quite erroneous. See Balk. CAMLET, Camelot. Usage and pronunciation are in favor of the former, though the latter, which we borrow from the French without change, is the proper form. CAMOMILE, Chamomile. The second form, though more in accordance with etymology, is seldom used. CAMPHOR, Camphire. The first, which is the form generally used, is from the Latin camphora; the second is from the French camphre. distinction between these words, applying CANVASS, Canvas. Some persons make a canvass to the act of sifting or examining, and canvas to hempen cloth. But they are different applications of the same word, and should consequently be similarly spelled. The root is the Latin cannabis, hemp, also cloth made of hemp; and as cloth made of hemp is, from the coarseness of its texture, used for straining or sifting, the term came to signify to search after and solicit votes, as at an election. been transferred from the French to our CARABINE, Carbine. The first, which has language without change, is the proper form; but the latter is beginning to be generally adopted. CHAP, Chop. When applied to the hands, usage requires Chap, which is usually pronounced as if it were written Chop.* CHECKER, Chequer. There seems to be graphy, but without reason. a disposition to return to the old orthoThose who write Chequer, should, to be consistent with themselves, write Paquet, Laquey, &c. We should also write CHECKER-work, and CHECK, money (properly, the checking or correspondexcept when the word signifies an order for ing cipher of a bank bill), which is now universally written CHEQUE. CHEMIST, Chymist, Chimist; CHEMISTRY, Chymistry, Chimistry. I have given these words the places which custom has assigned them; but without doubt. the first should be last, and the last first. Even supposing the word to be of Greek origin, analogy requires it to be written with y. evidently formed from the French Chimie, But as Chimistry is by the addition of the termination istry, as in PALMistry, it should be written with i. In the Italian and Spanish languages, too, the syllable in dispute is similarly written, viz. Chimica and Chimia. added the authority of Webster :-" The To this may be orthography of this word (Chimistry) has undergone changes through a mere ignorance of its origin, than which nothing can be more obvious. It is the Arabic Kimia, the occult art or science, from Kamai, to conceal. This was originally the art or science called Alchimy." CHOIR, Quire; CHORISTER, Quirister. should, perhaps, be used, when the term is COMPTROLLER. See ACCOUNT. thority, and usage, declare for the former. CONNEXION, Connection. Etymology, au The French is Connexion, and the Latin Connexio. COMPLEXION is analogous in every respect, but no one writes it with ct.* CONTRE-DANSE, Country-dance. The latter orthography, which is nowt considered vulgar, arose from a misapprehension of the term CONTRE, opposite, face to face. CONTROL, Controul. Usage, pronunciation, and etymology, decide for CONTROL, which is immediately from the French contrôler. ECSTASY, Ecstacy. The first is the more correct form. See APOSTASY. ENCLOSE, Inclose. We derive this word from the French Enclos, not from the Latin Inclusus. We should therefore write Enclose and Enclosure. ENIGMA, Enigma. The first form is now generally employed. See ÆDILE. ENTIRE, Intire. Both custom and ety mology decide for Entire. It is derived directly from the French Entière, not from the Latin Integer. EQUERY, Equerry. ecuyer, a groom. From the French CORDOVAN, Cordwain. The first is the form most in use. It is derived from Cordova in Spain, the Corduba of the Romans. CORNELIAN, Carnelion. I prefer the first, EXPENSE, Expence. Etymology, authobecause I am convinced the word is deriv-rity, and analogy, declare for Expense. The ed from the CORNELIAN or cornel cherry ("corna rubicunda"), and not from carnalis, flesh (color). The French is Cornaline, the Italian Cornalina, and the Latin Corneola onyx. CORPSE, Corse. The latter orthography should never be used in prose. Corse is a poetic word. CRANCH, Craunch. The first is the correct form. Compare Stanch and its old form Staunch. CRAWFISH, Crayfish. A corruption of the French écrevisse, the root of which is the Latin carabus, a crab. The first is the usual form. DAMASCENE, Damson. Custom is quite in favor of the latter, notwithstanding its incorrectness. We should at least write Damascene. The Latin is prunum Dama зсепит. DELFT, Delf, Delph. Delft (ware), like China, owes its name to the place where it was originally made, namely, Delft, a town in the Netherlands. DEMESNE, Demain. These are quite different words. The latter is a corruption of DOMAIN, which is through the French domaine, from the Latin dominium, a seigniory or lordship: whereas, DEMESNE is derived from de mansio, and properly means that part of the estate attached to the MANSION, or house, where the proprietor remains or resides. Demain should therefore be discarded from our vocabulary. DESPATCH, Dispatch. The latter orthography is generally used, notwithstanding its incorrectness. The etymology of the syllable in dispute is at least certain, viz., the Latin DE, as in decamp. In no other instance has dis or di the force given it in Dispatch. DRAUGHT, Draft. Johnson rejects Draft, as a corruption; but it is now properly applied to a Draft for money, or to Draft troops, &c. *It may be said, the French of REFLECTION is Reexion, and why not follow the French orthography? My answer is, Reflection was generally spelled with x, till Johnson declared for the present orthography, on the principle of the word being formed from reflect. It may be added, too, that there is no such word in Latin as Reflexio. Had this been the case, Reflection would in all probability have been written with x, as its cognates are flexible, flexibility, flexure, &c. "Country-dance" occurs frequently in the Spec tator. See Nos. 2 and 69. Latin is Expensa.* GAOL, Jail; GAOLER, Jailer. Etymology and authority are in favour of Gaol and Gaoler, which we derive from the French Geole and Geolier.† GLAIVE, Glave. The first, which we have adopted from the French, is the form most used by our best writers. GOURMAND, Gormand. The first, which we have adopted from the French, is generally preferred; but we now always write gormandize and gormandizer without the u. GRAFT, Graff GRAFT is formed from the participle graffed; as LEFT from leaved, WEFT from weaved, CLEFT from cleaved, &c. It is quite erroneous, therefore, to write Graft, when the word is used as a verb. As well might we say to cleft, to weft, &c. Graff is from the French Greffe.‡ GRIFFON, Griffin. We derive this word from the French griffon, and not from the Latin or Greek. The first form is therefore to be preferred. GYPSY, Gipsy. As this term is derived, though without reason, from the word Egyp tian, the first form is the more correct. HALLIARDS, Halyards. This word is derived from hawl, and the termination ard, as in dotard. The y, therefore, has no business in it. HAREBRAINED, Hairbrained. The second, though quite erroneous, is generally used. Harebrained means as wild as a hare; or, as said, "harum scarum." Compare also the adage, "as mad as a March hare." HOSTLER, Ostler. Etymology (from Hos But it may be said, OFFENCE is from the Latin offensa, and yet it is always written with c. To this it may be answered, if the same could be said of ExPENSE it would not appear here. Our business is only with such words as are written in two or more ways. Analogy, however, is strong for the s; as in expens ive, offensive, defensive, defensible. GROLE. The origin of this word is disputed; but in all probability it is the Latin cavea, or rather its diminutive caveola. Cavea was frequently used by the Romans to denote a cage, or place of confinement generally; and in old French writers, (geole, gaiole,) gayole occurs frequently in the sense of a cage. The root of the French greffe is the Greek reaciov, a pen (from the resemblance to the point). In old French writers, greffe occurs in this sense; as, "Le pêche de Juda est escrit d'un greffe de fer." The same word is now used by the French to denote the rolls, registers, or public writings; whence greffier, a registrar or secretary. tel, hostelrie) and analogy decide in favor of the first. INDUE, Endue. We derive this word from the Latin Induo, not from the French Enduire. Indue is therefore to be preferred. INQUIRE, Enquire. Etymology and analogyt decide in favor of INQUIRE. It is derived immediately from the Latin Inquiro, not from the French Enquerir. We should also write Inquiry; and in all parliamentary and public documents the word is so written. JELLY, Gelly. Though etymology‡ and analogy are in favour of the latter, it is seldom used. LAVANDER, Lavender. This word is from Lavandula, low Latin, by the change of into r, as in the analogies previously given. The first is therefore the proper orthography. LICENCE, License. The substantive, at least, should be written Licence. It has been transferred to our language from the French without change, and is formed from the Latin Licentia; as SCIENCE from Scientia; SENTENCE from Sententia, &c. It is true, Johnson's authority is in favor of License; but eight of the nine examples which he gives of the noun, appear in the orthography here recommended. MANTLE-piece, Mantel-piece. As Mantle, a cloak, and Mantle of a chimney, are but different applications of the same word, there is no reason for making a distinction in the orthography. NEGOTIATE, Negociate. The first is to be preferred, because it is derived immediately from the Latin Negotiatus, not from the French Negocier. Analogy, too, is in favor of NEGOTIATE; as Negotiation, Negotiator, Negotiable. OLIO, Oglio. The g is quite unnecessary, and alien to the etymology. PAILLASSE. This word, though constantly in our mouths, has not yet been admitted into our dictionaries. It is purely French, and should be spelled as such. PEDDLER, Pedler, Pedlar. I prefer the first, because I consider the word formed from PEDDLE; as MEDDLER from Meddle, FIDDLER from Fiddle, &c. Johnson says PEDDLER is a contraction of petty dealer;¶ but we might as well derive FIDDLER from fiddle dealer. PENDANT, PENNON, Pennant. As the first two are of different origin, either of them may be used with propriety. The latter, Pennant, is a corruption of Pendant, or perhaps the French Penon. PHIAL, Vial. Etymology and usage decide for Phial. The Latin and Greek is Phiala. PLASTER, Plaister. The latter orthography is quite erroneous. *As Host, Hospital, Hospitality, &c. tAs Inquisitive, Inquisition, &c. From the French gelee, the root of which is the Latin gelatus, frozen. As in gelatine, gelatinous, &c. As in Practice and Prophecy. Thomson, in his Etymons, derives Peddler from pied aller: but the analogy of the language is altogether in favor of Peddle, and the common affix er, which denotes an agent or doer. PLAT, Plot. The word is properly written in PLATform; but grass-PLOT seems to be beyond correction. POREBLIND, Purblind. The most probable etymology of the disputed syllable of this word is the Greek rages, blind. Poreblind is therefore to be preferred. PORPOISE, Porpus. From the Latin porcus, a hog, and piscis, a fish. The latter is quite incorrect. PUNY, Puisne. From the French puisné, the root of which is the Latin post natus. The latter orthography is never used, except when the term is officially applied, as to a junior judge. REAR, Rere. There is a strong disposi tion at present to use the latter orthography, which, if it were only to distinguish the word from REAR, to raise or bring up, and REAR, raw or underdone, should be encouraged. The root of RERE is the Latin Retro, t being sunk, as in père from PATRE, mère from MATRE, pièrre from PETRA, &c. Etymology, therefore, is in favor of Rere. RESIN, Rosin. The latter is quite erroneous. The French is resin, and the Latin resina. Analogy, too, is in favour of Resin, as Resinous, &c. RETICULE. From the Latin reticulum, a small net. This word is often erroneously pronounced, and sometimes written, Redicule. RIBBON, Ribon, Riband, Riban.* The etymology of this word is disputed, and hence the various spellings. As the French Ruban is, in all probability, the word from which ours is derived, RIBAN deserves the preference. SCISSORS, Scissars. There is a disposition at present to introduce the latter orthography, for which there is neither authority nor reason. SEAMSTRESS, Sempstress, Semstress. This term is nearly obsolete. The first is evidently the proper form. SIRUP, Syrup, Sirop, Syrop. The etymology of this word is doubtful, and hence the confused orthography. Usage, at prosent, is in favor of the first. SODER, Solder. The first of these words is from the French souder; the second is direct from the Latin, viz., solidare, to make solid, to mend or cement metal. SPA, Spaw. We are indebted for this word to Spa, a town in Germany, famous for its mineral waters. We should, therefore, write Spa. SPINACH, Spinage. The first is to be preferred, because derived from the Latin spinacia. SPONGE, Spunge. We derive this word from the Latin spongia. SPONGE is, therefore, the proper orthography. *Webster proposes RIBIN, which he derives from the Welch rhibin, a row or streak; and adds,"This word has no connexion with band, and the common orthography is grossly erroneous." Menage derives Ruban from the Latin rubens, (rubenus, rubanus,) red. "Parceque les plus beaux rubans sont de couleur de feu." We add, De gustibus non disputandum. WORDS SIMILAR IN SOUND, BUT DIFFERING IN SPELLING AND SIGNIFICATION.* It is a shame for a man to be so ignorant of this little art, as to be perpetually confounding words of like sound and different signification; the consciousness of which defect makes some men, otherwise of good learning and understanding, averse to writing even a common letter.-FRANKLIN, The meaning of these words will be found in the subjoined Dictionary; and in the Author's little work, called "The Spelling-Book Superseded," these, and all the other irregular words in the English language, are fully explained, and illustrated by practical exercises. |