Never heard of it. Did you see this or hear it? Maybe a local accent pronounces like that or it is a regional dialect.

I would be very surprised if you were to find it in any dictionary.

Haven't looked it up Philip but given the context I can't think of anything that matches, off my head. Any clues?

Dave PhillipsHaven't looked it up Philip but given the context I can't think of anything that matches, off my head. Any clues?

Nope.

Actually both! and the strange thing is that he is an American computer scientist and a professor in University of California, San Diego. Does this mean that he can't spell "EXCEPTION"?

Welcome to English Forums, Hystaspes. I suppose that you are the original poster? I can understand that a regional pronunciation would produce a transcription resembling 'exaption' for exception. However, I will continue to doubt that you saw it in print unless you can post an authentic example, e.g. from this computer scientist's writings.

However, 'exaption' (and its doppelganger, 'e

Mister MicawberWelcome to English Forums, Hystaspes. I suppose that you are the original poster? I can understand that a regional pronunciation would produce a transcription resembling 'exaption' for exception. However, I will continue to doubt that you saw it in print unless you can post an authentic example, e.g. from this computer scientist's writings.However, 'exapt

Ah ha! You are just misreading his poor penmanship. He spells it 'exception', but his 'ce' looks like an 'a'.

Mister MicawberAh ha! You are just misreading his poor penmanship. He spells it 'exception', but his 'ce' looks like an 'a'.

Thanks for your reply

'Exaption' or 'exaptation' is the process of using something already serving one purpose to perform another function. Its used mainly in evolution, as in the exaptation of feathers as insulation to the new function of flight (in dinosaurs; see recent New Scientist:

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• 29 September 20