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Big Blue
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:23 am
Post subject: tricentennial or tercentennial? |
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Our town recently celebrated its three hundredth year. The question arose
whether we should call it our tricentennial or tercentennial celebration.
What is the difference, if any, and where do these prefixes originate?
many thanks
--
"Grammar, which knows how to control even kings..."
Moliere (1622-1673) |
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Don Phillipson
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:51 am
Post subject: Re: tricentennial or tercentennial? |
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"Big Blue" <dsheaiv@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:YctJe.44$SR5.36@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
| Quote: | Our town recently celebrated its three hundredth year. The question arose
whether we should call it our tricentennial or tercentennial celebration.
What is the difference, if any, and where do these prefixes originate?
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The town will probably get better advice quicker
from the local librarian than from the Internet.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada) |
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CDB
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:39 am
Post subject: Re: tricentennial or tercentennial? |
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"Don Phillipson" <d.phillipson@ttrryytteell.com> wrote in message
news:nLtJe.622$Dd.2195@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...
| Quote: | "Big Blue" <dsheaiv@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:YctJe.44$SR5.36@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
Our town recently celebrated its three hundredth year. The question
arose
whether we should call it our tricentennial or tercentennial
celebration.
What is the difference, if any, and where do these prefixes
originate?
The town will probably get better advice quicker
from the local librarian than from the Internet.
|
Or you could check a bunch of dictionaries (look up "tercentenary"
too).
www.onelook.com/
"My grandmère was pretty controlling too..."
CDB, 1942 and still counting |
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Alan Jones
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:08 pm
Post subject: Re: tricentennial or tercentennial? |
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"Big Blue" <dsheaiv@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:YctJe.44$SR5.36@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
| Quote: | Our town recently celebrated its three hundredth year. The question arose
whether we should call it our tricentennial or tercentennial celebration.
What is the difference, if any, and where do these prefixes originate?
|
No difference, though I would guess that "ter-" is more commonly used than
"tri-" in this context. Both prefixes are from Latin, where "ter-" means
"three times"; "tri-" can mean that, but usually means just "three".
The Shorter Oxford dictionary puts a warning mark against "ter-", indicating
that it has been "largely superseded by tri-"; but I think that would apply
chiefly to the coining of new words.
In British English we'd be more likely to use "-centenary" than
"-centennial"; apparently "centenary" as applied to a celebration is the
older form.
Alan Jones |
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