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John of Aix
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:37 am
Post subject: Dilemma |
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I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing) and am
more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was a very
young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as in 'autumn'
is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it isn't a word one
bumps into often) to find that it was spelt 'dilemma', so either the
cunning devils have changed it over the years or I imagined the whole
thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
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John Briggs
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 5:35 am
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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John of Aix wrote:
| Quote: | I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing) and
am more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was a very
young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as in
'autumn' is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it isn't
a word one bumps into often) to find that it was spelt 'dilemma', so
either the cunning devils have changed it over the years or I
imagined the whole thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
|
Well, if you are not particularly familiar with 'dilemma', you are unlikely
to know about 'lemma'. I can't account for the origin of your confusion -
perhaps you are mispronouncing the word? Google suggests that the
misspelling is appallingly frequent: overwhelmingly from the USA, the land
of the spelling bee, but Webster appears to be blameless in this case.
--
John Briggs |
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Paul Burke
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:38 pm
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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John of Aix wrote:
| Quote: | I am convinced that when I was a very
young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna'...later (it isn't a word one
bumps into often) to find that it was spelt 'dilemma',
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Unlikely, given the etymology (people knew Greek back then):
"Dilemma:
1523, from L.L. dilemma, from Gk. dilemma "double proposition," a
technical term in rhetoric, from di- "two" + lemma "premise, anything
taken," from base *lab-. It should be used only of situations where
someone is forced to choose between two alternatives, both unfavorable
to him."
from http://www.etymonline.com/
Dial M for dilemma. Or, if you really want to get philosophical, try the
Dial-a-Lama.
Paul Burke
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John Hall
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:52 pm
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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In article <4331dec5$0$7831$8fcfb975@news.wanadoo.fr>,
John of Aix <j.murphy@libertysurf.fr> writes:
| Quote: | I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing) and am
more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was a very
young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as in 'autumn'
is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it isn't a word one
bumps into often) to find that it was spelt 'dilemma', so either the
cunning devils have changed it over the years or I imagined the whole
thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
I think that your second alternative is the correct one.  |
--
John Hall "Do you have cornflakes in America?"
"Well, actually, they're American."
"So what brings you to Britain then if you have cornflakes already?"
Bill Bryson: "Notes from a Small Island" |
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Mike Stevens
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 4:17 pm
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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John of Aix wrote:
| Quote: | I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing) and
am more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was a very
young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as in
'autumn' is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it isn't
a word one bumps into often) to find that it was spelt 'dilemma', so
either the cunning devils have changed it over the years or I
imagined the whole thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
|
OED contains to reference to the "dilemna" spelling, and says that the word
"dilemma" is linked with "lemma".
--
Mike Stevens
narrowboat Felis Catus II
Web site www.mike-stevens.co.uk
No man is an island. So is Man. |
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Phil C.
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:47 pm
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 23:37:53 +0200, "John of Aix"
<j.murphy@libertysurf.fr> wrote:
| Quote: | I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing) and am
more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was a very
young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as in 'autumn'
is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it isn't a word one
bumps into often) to find that it was spelt 'dilemma', so either the
cunning devils have changed it over the years or I imagined the whole
thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
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Perhaps you're suffering from ammesia in the autumm of your years.
--
Phil C. |
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John Briggs
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 7:56 pm
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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Mike Stevens wrote:
| Quote: |
OED contains to reference to the "dilemna" spelling, and says that
the word "dilemma" is linked with "lemma".
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What form does the reference take? Does it say "chiefly US" or similar?
--
John Briggs |
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John Hall
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:52 pm
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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In article <KKyYe.13541$ws4.12749@newsfe5-win.ntli.net>,
John Briggs <john.briggs4@ntlworld.com> writes:
| Quote: | Mike Stevens wrote:
OED contains to reference to the "dilemna" spelling, and says that
the word "dilemma" is linked with "lemma".
What form does the reference take? Does it say "chiefly US" or similar?
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My guess is that the "to" in Mike's post was intended to read "no".
--
John Hall "[It was] so steep that at intervals the street broke into steps,
like a person breaking into giggles or hiccups, and then resumed
its sober climb, until it had another fit of steps."
Ursula K Le Guin "The Beginning Place" |
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Mike Stevens
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 9:08 pm
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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John Briggs wrote:
| Quote: | Mike Stevens wrote:
OED contains to reference to the "dilemna" spelling, and says that
the word "dilemma" is linked with "lemma".
What form does the reference take? Does it say "chiefly US" or
similar?
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Sorry - meant to type "no reference".
--
Mike Stevens
narrowboat Felis Catus II
Web site www.mike-stevens.co.uk
No man is an island. So is Man. |
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Ivan
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 12:26 am
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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Phil C. wrote:
| Quote: | On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 23:37:53 +0200, "John of Aix"
j.murphy@libertysurf.fr> wrote:
I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing) and am
more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was a very
young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as in 'autumn'
is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it isn't a word one
bumps into often) to find that it was spelt 'dilemma', so either the
cunning devils have changed it over the years or I imagined the whole
thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
Perhaps you're suffering from ammesia in the autumm of your years.
--
Phil C.
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Dammed dilemmas... |
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John of Aix
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:27 am
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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John Hall wrote:
| Quote: | In article <4331dec5$0$7831$8fcfb975@news.wanadoo.fr>,
John of Aix <j.murphy@libertysurf.fr> writes:
I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing) and
am more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was a
very young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as in
'autumn' is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it
isn't a word one bumps into often) to find that it was spelt
'dilemma', so either the cunning devils have changed it over the
years or I imagined the whole thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
I think that your second alternative is the correct one.
|
It certainly seems like it, goodness knows why though. As I said, I was
usually pretty good on these things. Maybe I noticed it when it was
mispelt and so took it for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth. |
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John of Aix
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:30 am
Post subject: Re: Dilemma |
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Ivan wrote:
| Quote: | Phil C. wrote:
On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 23:37:53 +0200, "John of Aix"
j.murphy@libertysurf.fr> wrote:
I have always been good at spelling (but not necessarily typing)
and am more than half a century old. I am convinced that when I was
a very young person 'dilemma' was spelt 'dilemna', the odd 'mn' as
in 'autumn' is what struck me at the time. I was shocked later (it
isn't a word one bumps into often) to find that it was spelt
'dilemma', so either the cunning devils have changed it over the
years or I imagined the whole thing. Anyone any ideas on this?
Perhaps you're suffering from ammesia in the autumm of your years.
Dammed dilemmas...
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LOL |
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serpent
Joined: 26 Sep 2005
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 9:27 am
Post subject: |
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| Sorry, unable to offer any etmylogical verifications on this but John of Aix, just so that you know you weren't alone in this I too (just stumbled past my half century) distinctly remember the 'mn' spelling of this word and have been patronisingly chided each time since that I've had occasion to spell it. Weakly, I have capitulated and used the 'emma' form. But no longer! encouraged by your thread I will, with renewed vigour, return to spelling it the 'correct' way. Dilemna over! |
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