More U.S. examples
Posted by R. Berg on February 19, 2002
In Reply to: Pronunciation posted by The Fallen on February 19, 2002
: : : : I've just posted something here using the past participle of the verb "to benefit" and it's reminded me of an unresolved argument I had many moons ago.
: : : : I'm admittedly both British and a linguist and so therefore undoubtedly obsessive beyond redemption, but every single bone in my body instinctually screams for me to spell the word "benefitted" with two t's. Similarly, were I ever to use the perfect tense of the verb "to target", I'd type "I have targetted" without so much as a second thought simply because without the double "t", the preceding vowel would be pronounced as strong - "kitten" versus "kite", if you like. I am sure there are other multisyllabic verbs ending in a vowel + t which I'd treat similarly.
: : : : What's the general view on this? Two t's or one? Or is it another transatlantic "vive la différence" thing?
: : : It is a transatlantic thing, and not confined to -t. My most recent U.S. dictionary (American Heritage) gives both "kidnaped" and "kidnapped, "shoveled" and "shovelled." The American tendency is not to double the consonant if the accent is on another syllable--at least in book publishing; the New Yorker magazine still doubles ("travelled"). But we double for "outfitted," perhaps under the influence of "fitted," from the monosyllabic "fit."
: : I have difficulty imagining just how the spelling "targeted" would lead you to pronounce the word. The analogy with "kitten" and "kite" suggests a long "e." But "tar-GEET-ed"? Really?
: I've definitely seen the single "t" "targeted" in the USA, though I agree that the pronunciation issue makes it look ridiculous. The other verb that I've just remembered is "to focus". I would ALWAYS use "focussed", but "focused" seems to be more common in the USA - presumably to rhyme with "accused"... :)
"Targeted" doesn't look ridiculous to me. It follows the same rule as "limited."
These are all normal U.S. spellings, from which the guiding principles might be extracted--with exceptions, of course.
(Accent on last syllable of verb; long vowel)
repeating
deleting
(Accent elsewhere; short vowel)
canceling, canceled; BUT cancellation,
chancellor
rivaling, rivaled
raveling, raveled
shriveling, shriveled
gladdening, gladdened
fattening, fattened
muttering, muttered
shattering,
shattered
counseling, counseled, counselor
bedeviling, bedeviled, bedevilment
(Accent on last syllable; short vowel)
concurring
inferring
occurring
impairing (hmm!)
preferring
permitting
transmitting
committing,
committed (BUT commitment)
(Accent elsewhere; long vowel)
mutating
generating
celebrating
(Plurals)
omnibuses
rebuses
crocuses
OR croci
foci
- Instincts... Hmmm The Fallen
02/19/02
- -t ending to verbs R. Berg 02/19/02
- -t ending to verbs psi 02/20/02
- -t ending
to verbs The Fallen 02/20/02
- Let's ask the
OED R. Berg 02/20/02
- Many Thanks... I think
The Fallen 02/20/02
- Focus R. Berg 02/20/02
- Rebel Without A Clue The Fallen 02/20/02
- Don Quixote lives! Word Camel 02/20/02
- Rebel Without A Clue The Fallen 02/20/02
- Focus R. Berg 02/20/02
- Many Thanks... I think
The Fallen 02/20/02
- Let's ask the
OED R. Berg 02/20/02
- -t ending
to verbs The Fallen 02/20/02
- -t ending to verbs psi 02/20/02
- -t ending to verbs R. Berg 02/19/02