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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Wreaking Disbelief
I've spent my whole life, (the whole thing!), believing that "wreak" rhymes with "wreck", not with "reek".
Dictionary.com sez I'm wrong; I'm having severe acute disbelief syndrome.
So I searched, and found a post which cited "MWCD10"(?) with the following:
Main Entry: wreak
Pronunciation: 'rEk also 'rek
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English wreken, from Old English wrecan to drive, punish,
avenge; akin to Old High German rehhan to avenge and perhaps to Latin urgEre
to drive on, urge
Date: before 12th century
I suppose that "also" means that rEk/reek is "preferred", and rek/wreck is "acceptable". I have not acheived satisfaction.
Has this changed over my lifetime? Id est, have dic'ers merely thrown in the towel, recognizing the frustrating tendency of the masses to "reek" all over the place? Or has it always been this way? How is ME "wreken" pronounced? Discuss.
Eden
Dictionary.com sez I'm wrong; I'm having severe acute disbelief syndrome.
So I searched, and found a post which cited "MWCD10"(?) with the following:
Main Entry: wreak
Pronunciation: 'rEk also 'rek
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English wreken, from Old English wrecan to drive, punish,
avenge; akin to Old High German rehhan to avenge and perhaps to Latin urgEre
to drive on, urge
Date: before 12th century
I suppose that "also" means that rEk/reek is "preferred", and rek/wreck is "acceptable". I have not acheived satisfaction.
Has this changed over my lifetime? Id est, have dic'ers merely thrown in the towel, recognizing the frustrating tendency of the masses to "reek" all over the place? Or has it always been this way? How is ME "wreken" pronounced? Discuss.
Eden
Top answer
), believing that "wreak" rhymes with "wreck", not with "reek". com sez I'm ... masses to "reek" all over the place?
- ), believing that "wreak" rhymes with "wreck", not with "reek".
- com sez I'm ...
- masses to "reek" all over the place?
- Or has it always been this way?
- How is ME "wreken" pronounced?
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9 Answers
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[nq:1]I've spent my whole life, (the whole thing!), believing that "wreak" rhymes with "wreck", not with "reek". Dictionary.com sez I'm ... masses to "reek" all over the place? Or has it always been this way? How is ME "wreken" pronounced? Discuss.[/nq]
I reckon it's pronounced "wrecken".
I reckon it's pronounced "wrecken".
00
(Email Removed) (Eden Smallwood) burbled
[nq:1]I've spent my whole life, (the whole thing!), believing that "wreak" rhymes with "wreck", not with "reek". Dictionary.com sez I'm wrong; I'm having severe acute disbelief syndrome.[/nq]
[nq:1]I suppose that "also" means that rEk/reek is "preferred", and rek/wreck is "acceptable".[/nq]
"wreck" is the also-ran and represents the thrown-in to
[nq:1]I've spent my whole life, (the whole thing!), believing that "wreak" rhymes with "wreck", not with "reek". Dictionary.com sez I'm wrong; I'm having severe acute disbelief syndrome.[/nq]
[nq:1]I suppose that "also" means that rEk/reek is "preferred", and rek/wreck is "acceptable".[/nq]
"wreck" is the also-ran and represents the thrown-in to
00
[nq:2]Has this changed over my lifetime? Id est, have dic'ers ... always been this way? How is ME "wreken" pronounced? Discuss.[/nq]
[nq:1]I reckon it's pronounced "wrecken".[/nq]
Hmm... I disagree. I think /wre:ken/ with a long e would have been more likely. (This is not supposed to be ASCII IPA.) Certainly 'wrecan' had a short stem vowel in OE, but ME generally lengthened such vowels in
[nq:1]I reckon it's pronounced "wrecken".[/nq]
Hmm... I disagree. I think /wre:ken/ with a long e would have been more likely. (This is not supposed to be ASCII IPA.) Certainly 'wrecan' had a short stem vowel in OE, but ME generally lengthened such vowels in
00
[nq:1]Has this changed over my lifetime? Id est, have dic'ers merely thrown in the towel, recognizing the frustrating tendency of the masses to "reek" all over the place? Or has it always been this way?[/nq]
It has 'always' been /ri:k/, insofar as Modern English is concerned. I suspect the /rek/ pronunciation has arisen because of a false association with the verb 'wreck' in modern times. ME w
It has 'always' been /ri:k/, insofar as Modern English is concerned. I suspect the /rek/ pronunciation has arisen because of a false association with the verb 'wreck' in modern times. ME w
00
[nq:1]I've spent my whole life, (the whole thing!), believing that "wreak" rhymes with "wreck", not with "reek".(snip) Has this changed ... masses to "reek" all over the place? Or has it always been this way? How is ME "wreken" pronounced? Discuss.[/nq]
The 1936 Merriam-Webster Collegiate shows it like "reek."
Best Donna Richoux
The 1936 Merriam-Webster Collegiate shows it like "reek."
Best Donna Richoux
00
[nq:1]It has 'always' been /ri:k/, insofar as Modern English is concerned. I suspect the /rek/ pronunciation has arisen because of a false association with the verb 'wreck' in modern times.[/nq]
That said, the stem of 'wreak' is not unrelated to that of 'wreck', although the former does represent the direct descendent of the OE verb 'wrecan'.
Sebastian.
That said, the stem of 'wreak' is not unrelated to that of 'wreck', although the former does represent the direct descendent of the OE verb 'wrecan'.
Sebastian.
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[nq:1]So I searched, and found a post which cited "MWCD10"(?) with the following: Main Entry: wreak Pronunciation: 'rEk also 'rek ... to Old High German rehhan to avenge and perhaps to Latin urgEre to drive on, urge Date: before 12th century[/nq]
The catch is that the past participle wrought
(as in He wrought destruction) looks too much
like the word wrought=worked as in wrought iron.
The catch is that the past participle wrought
(as in He wrought destruction) looks too much
like the word wrought=worked as in wrought iron.
00
[nq:1]The catch is that the past participle wrought (as in He wrought destruction) looks too much like the word wrought=worked as in wrought iron. They appear to be words of different origins: but are both spoken and spelled the same today.[/nq]
Have you any evidence for a connection between "wrought" and "wreak"?
David
Have you any evidence for a connection between "wrought" and "wreak"?
David
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[nq:2]So I searched, and found a post which cited "MWCD10"(?) ... Latin urgEre to drive on, urge Date: before 12th century[/nq]
[nq:1]The catch is that the past participle wrought (as in He wrought destruction) looks too much like the word wrought=worked as in wrought iron. They appear to be words of different origins: but are both spoken and spelled the same today.[/nq]
What authority say
[nq:1]The catch is that the past participle wrought (as in He wrought destruction) looks too much like the word wrought=worked as in wrought iron. They appear to be words of different origins: but are both spoken and spelled the same today.[/nq]
What authority say
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