Self-tutoring about English: the tutor checks a fact. Adaptor or adapter? Either one, apparently: both are correct and have the same meaning. Source: Mish, Frederick C. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004.
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Category: spelling
English: non-words: “irrecognizable”
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor relates a story. For years I’ve used “irrecognizable.” I guess I just didn’t type it. When I did yesterday, the spell-checker complained. (I think the spell checker and I have been ready to divorce numerous…
English: how do you spell the word for “one who denies?”
Tutoring English never gets old. The tutor shows a reason why. Denier: one who denies. I can barely believe my eyes, yet the spell checker has no quarrel with denier. How can I never have seen denier in print, yet…
Spelling: “forgivable” misses
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor mentions an interesting notion. In English, consonants are easy, but vowels can be a challenge. Perhaps that’s why we might forgive wrong consonants but can’t forgive wrong vowels. For instance, consider the word “meant”: spelling…
Spelling: tendinitis or tendonitis?
Self-tutoring about spelling: the tutor shares a find. Tendinitis or tendonitis – which one is correct? Both are, it turns out: they mean the same. Source: Mish, Frederick C. (editor). Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004.
English: barbecue or barbeque?
Self-tutoring about spelling: the tutor researches, to him, an age-old question. Which is correct – barbecue or barbeque? Either, according to the Oxford Canadian dictionary. However, this spell-checker prefers barbecue. Source: Barber, Katherine et al. Oxford Canadian Dictionary of Current…
Spelling: esthetic vs aesthetic
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor checks about esthetic and aesthetic. Apparently, aesthetic and esthetic have the same meaning. Source: Mish, Frederick C (editor). The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004.
Spelling: I was skeptical…but was I sceptical?
Self-tutoring about spelling: the tutor had his doubts in one case…. I read the word “sceptical” with surprise. One of the word processing programs I use doesn’t like it either. Yet, Webster’s Dictionary and Oxford Canadian Dictionary agree: sceptic is…
Vocabulary: another -ible
Tutoring English, suffixes are interesting. The tutor mentions a word ending with -ible. In a post from December 30, 2012, I mention some -ibles – for example, credible. By an -ible I mean a word that ends in -ible but…
English: is spelling relatable?
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor mentions a discovery. Typing an article, I keyed relatable, but the checker doesn’t like it. Am I wrong? I found relatable in the dictionary. Curious, eh? Source: The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield, Merriam-Webster, 2004.
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