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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
English in UK
Disproven disproved?
After my strode/stridden thread turned into a proved/proven thread, I discovered something which struck me as very odd, so I thought I'd start a new post about it.
In a Web survey for the past participle of disprove, the results were:
24% disproven
76% disproved
Although 'disproved' is still the majority form, 'disproven' isn't uncommon. In view of the current popularity of 'proven', that's not surprising. I would have expected that if something can be proven or unproven, it can be disproven.
However ...
It's a challenge to find 'disproven' in any normal-sized dictionary, although it's in the OED and the NSOED and the references show that it was used in the 19th century. A OneLook search produced only one dictionary mentioning 'disproven' as the past participle! No mention either in the current version of the Concise Oxford (although it was in the 1946 edition). Does anyone have an explanation for the omission?
In a Web survey for the past participle of disprove, the results were:
24% disproven
76% disproved
Although 'disproved' is still the majority form, 'disproven' isn't uncommon. In view of the current popularity of 'proven', that's not surprising. I would have expected that if something can be proven or unproven, it can be disproven.
However ...
It's a challenge to find 'disproven' in any normal-sized dictionary, although it's in the OED and the NSOED and the references show that it was used in the 19th century. A OneLook search produced only one dictionary mentioning 'disproven' as the past participle! No mention either in the current version of the Concise Oxford (although it was in the 1946 edition). Does anyone have an explanation for the omission?
Top answer
[nq:1]After my strode/stridden thread turned into a proved/proven thread, I discovered something which struck me as very odd, so I ... version of the Concise Oxford (although it was in the 1946 edition). [/nq] In Scottish Law there's a possible verdict 'not proven'...
- [nq:1]After my strode/stridden thread turned into a proved/proven thread, I discovered something which struck me as very odd, so I ...
- version of the Concise Oxford (although it was in the 1946 edition).
- [/nq] In Scottish Law there's a possible verdict 'not proven'...
- DC
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249 Answers
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[nq:1]After my strode/stridden thread turned into a proved/proven thread, I discovered something which struck me as very odd, so I ... version of the Concise Oxford (although it was in the 1946 edition). Does anyone have an explanation for the omission?[/nq]
In Scottish Law there's a possible verdict 'not proven'... DC
In Scottish Law there's a possible verdict 'not proven'... DC
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[nq:1]It's a challenge to find 'disproven' in any normal-sized dictionary, although it's in the OED and the NSOED and the references show that it was used in the 19th century.[/nq]
If you were to check the MWCD11, you would find that a search on words beginning with "disprove" includes "disproven." The entry to which it points does not have the literal term "disproven" in it, however. What's h
If you were to check the MWCD11, you would find that a search on words beginning with "disprove" includes "disproven." The entry to which it points does not have the literal term "disproven" in it, however. What's h
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[nq:1]It's a challenge to find 'disproven' in any normal-sized dictionary, although it's in the OED and the NSOED and the ... version of the Concise Oxford (although it was in the 1946 edition). Does anyone have an explanation for the omission?[/nq]
Yep: the poor sods on no-way-generous-compared-with-plumbers hourly rates have to draw lines somewhere. Don't underestimate the economics of the t
Yep: the poor sods on no-way-generous-compared-with-plumbers hourly rates have to draw lines somewhere. Don't underestimate the economics of the t
00
[nq:1]It's a challenge to find 'disproven' in any normal-sized dictionary, although it's in the OED and the NSOED and the ... version of the Concise Oxford (although it was in the 1946 edition). Does anyone have an explanation for the omission?[/nq]
Yep: the poor sods on no-way-generous-compared-with-plumbers hourly rates have to draw lines somewhere. Don't underestimate the economics of the t
Yep: the poor sods on no-way-generous-compared-with-plumbers hourly rates have to draw lines somewhere. Don't underestimate the economics of the t
00
[nq:1]After my strode/stridden thread turned into a proved/proven thread, I discovered something which struck me as very odd, so I thought I'd start a new post about it. In a Web survey for the past participle of disprove, the results were: 24% disproven 76% disproved[/nq]
It's comparable to "proved" v "proven". IMO, "proven" sounds more natural a la "gotten", "written", "eaten", etc. Even Ali
It's comparable to "proved" v "proven". IMO, "proven" sounds more natural a la "gotten", "written", "eaten", etc. Even Ali
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[nq:2]After my strode/stridden thread turned into a proved/proven thread, I ... participle of disprove, the results were: 24% disproven 76% disproved[/nq]
[nq:1]It's comparable to "proved" v "proven". IMO, "proven" sounds more natural a la "gotten", "written", "eaten", etc. Even Alicia Keys ... Africans, Hindus, and Afghans who speak English have butchered our mother tongue. "Disproved" is alr
[nq:1]It's comparable to "proved" v "proven". IMO, "proven" sounds more natural a la "gotten", "written", "eaten", etc. Even Alicia Keys ... Africans, Hindus, and Afghans who speak English have butchered our mother tongue. "Disproved" is alr
00
[nq:2]It's a challenge to find 'disproven' in any normal-sized dictionary, ... references show that it was used in the 19th century.[/nq]
[nq:1]If you were to check the MWCD11, you would find that a search on words beginning with "disprove" includes "disproven." ... for "prove" does have "proven." In the same way, COD10 offers no principal parts for "disprove" but does for "prove."[/nq]
No
[nq:1]If you were to check the MWCD11, you would find that a search on words beginning with "disprove" includes "disproven." ... for "prove" does have "proven." In the same way, COD10 offers no principal parts for "disprove" but does for "prove."[/nq]
No
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[nq:2]After my strode/stridden thread turned into a proved/proven thread, I ... 1946 edition). Does anyone have an explanation for the omission?[/nq]
[nq:1]In Scottish Law there's a possible verdict 'not proven'... DC[/nq]
Maybe that's the view of the dictionary compilers. They're all waiting to see if 'disproven' catches on to the same extent as 'proven', and consider that the jury is sti
[nq:1]In Scottish Law there's a possible verdict 'not proven'... DC[/nq]
Maybe that's the view of the dictionary compilers. They're all waiting to see if 'disproven' catches on to the same extent as 'proven', and consider that the jury is sti
00
[nq:2]It's a challenge to find 'disproven' in any normal-sized dictionary, ... 1946 edition). Does anyone have an explanation for the omission?[/nq]
[nq:1]Yep: the poor sods on no-way-generous-compared-with-plumbers hourly rates have to draw lines somewhere. Don't underestimate the economics of the thing: ... plenty good enough for me), so just sympathize if they shoved the felt-tip through it
[nq:1]Yep: the poor sods on no-way-generous-compared-with-plumbers hourly rates have to draw lines somewhere. Don't underestimate the economics of the thing: ... plenty good enough for me), so just sympathize if they shoved the felt-tip through it
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[nq:2]In Scottish Law there's a possible verdict 'not proven'...[/nq]
Pronounced "not pro-ven" (rather than "not proo-ven"), I believe. Just to add interest..
Mike M
Pronounced "not pro-ven" (rather than "not proo-ven"), I believe. Just to add interest..
Mike M
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