0
Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Obsolute
Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this "word" has never appeared in this newsgroup, despite having racked up over 9,000 hits elsewhere. Only 1 of the 2,000 usenet hits is before 1990 (although the 80s archive is much smaller), suggesting the error has recently gained more currency.
Usually it's used in place of "obsolete", but quite often in place of "absolute" too. I'm drawn to the conclusion that there are people around now who believe the two words are spelled the same way ("obsolute") though they maintain separate meanings.
It's probable that the spelling and pronunciation of "obsolete" has been drawn towards that of the commoner word "absolute", and that "obsolute" is spoken as written, which makes it unusual: most of the errors that come up do not involve a change in pronunciation, but rather a simple attempt to interpret a pronunciation in writing.
Adrian
Usually it's used in place of "obsolete", but quite often in place of "absolute" too. I'm drawn to the conclusion that there are people around now who believe the two words are spelled the same way ("obsolute") though they maintain separate meanings.
It's probable that the spelling and pronunciation of "obsolete" has been drawn towards that of the commoner word "absolute", and that "obsolute" is spoken as written, which makes it unusual: most of the errors that come up do not involve a change in pronunciation, but rather a simple attempt to interpret a pronunciation in writing.
Adrian
Top answer
[nq:1]Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this "word" has never appeared in this newsgroup, despite having racked ... [/nq] It would be interesting to see, through a random sample of 10 or so of these pages, whether the authors of these websites are making an unusually high number of other spelling mistakes as well as "obsolute". If the answer is yes.
- [nq:1]Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this "word" has never appeared in this newsgroup, despite having racked ...
- [/nq] It would be interesting to see, through a random sample of 10 or so of these pages, whether the authors of these websites are making an unusually high number of other spelling mistakes as well as "obsolute".
- If the answer is yes.
- then we can be fairly cobfident that "obsolute" is just one more mistake by a bad speller.
- If the answer is no, then you would need to investigate further to determine whether "obsolute" is a genuine new word coming into existence.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
6 Answers
0
[nq:1]Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this "word" has never appeared in this newsgroup, despite having racked ... come up do not involve a change in pronunciation, but rather a simple attempt to interpret a pronunciation in writing.[/nq]
It would be interesting to see, through a random sample of 10 or so of these pages, whether the authors of these websites are making an u
It would be interesting to see, through a random sample of 10 or so of these pages, whether the authors of these websites are making an u
00
[nq:1]Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this "word" has never appeared in this newsgroup, despite having racked up over 9,000 hits elsewhere.[/nq]
(snip)
The more common a word is, the higher the absolute number of false spellings.
The highest count for a misspelling that I find in my notes of various Google tallies is "thier" with 315,000. But the ratio of "their:th
(snip)
The more common a word is, the higher the absolute number of false spellings.
The highest count for a misspelling that I find in my notes of various Google tallies is "thier" with 315,000. But the ratio of "their:th
00
[nq:2]Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this "word" hasnever appeared in this newsgroup, despite having racked up over 9,000 hits elsewhere.[/nq]
[nq:1](snip) The more common a word is, the higher the absolute number of false spellings. The highest count for a ... 1000 and 100, rare spelling mistakes; between 100 and 10, common spelling mistakes; approaching l, disputed uses
[nq:1](snip) The more common a word is, the higher the absolute number of false spellings. The highest count for a ... 1000 and 100, rare spelling mistakes; between 100 and 10, common spelling mistakes; approaching l, disputed uses
00
[nq:1]Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this "word" has never appeared in this newsgroup, despite having racked ... usenet hits is before 1990 (although the 80s archive is much smaller), suggesting the error has recently gained more currency.[/nq]
That's because it's absolete here.
dg (domain=ccwebster)
That's because it's absolete here.
dg (domain=ccwebster)
00
[nq:2]Unless Google's having a funny turn, it appears that this ... much smaller), suggesting the error has recently gained more currency.[/nq]
[nq:1]That's because it's absolete here.[/nq]
You been at the Absolut again?
[nq:1]That's because it's absolete here.[/nq]
You been at the Absolut again?
00
[nq:1]You been at the Absolut again?[/nq]
Obsolutely!
dg (domain=ccwebster)
Obsolutely!
dg (domain=ccwebster)
0
Related Questions