Questions tagged [spelling]
This tag is for questions which a dictionary cannot answer concerning the written representation of the English language, especially spelling and word breaks (including hyphenation).
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Are both vocal cord and vocal chord correct?
Merriam-Webster's definition for chord says
chord 3 of 3 noun (2)
1
: CORD sense 3a
and its definition for cord says
cord 1 of 2 noun
3
a
: an anatomical structure (such as a nerve or tendon) ...
- 4,051
3
votes
2
answers
122
views
Is there any nuance between "wildflower" and "wild flower"?
I checked dictionaries and tried googling but didn't get any useful answer.
Are they just like "ice cream" and "ice-cream" where there is no difference in meaning at all? Or is ...
- 149
3
votes
1
answer
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Should I spell proper nouns differently depending on the dialect I'm writing in?
I'm working on a text in British English. Should I use 'International Maritime Organization' or 'International Maritime Organisation'?
Should proper nouns keep the original or can they be spelled ...
- 865
0
votes
1
answer
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How can I find words sound or spelled similar to a given word?
How can I find words that sound or are spelled similar to a given word?
For example, given "enervate", I remember seeing words spelled or pronounced similarly, but I can't recall which ones. ...
- 4,051
0
votes
0
answers
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When the consonant is doubled in a gerund? [duplicate]
Since 'traveling' can be spelled this way , why is the spelling of 'begining' wrong?They are both gerunds which come from a 2 sylable word ending with a consonant.
-3
votes
2
answers
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Why is the misspelling "writting" so common?
I find it peculiar that so many English learners seem to think that "writing" is written with two T:s. Is this an influence from some other language (which one?) or somehow otherwise ...
- 385
1
vote
2
answers
121
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How to write "1st-order"
Consider a sentence like:
A first-order language.
I am interested in the correct spelling of "first-order" in this context while writing "first" with a number. Which of the ...
- 952
1
vote
3
answers
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Why does Wagner begin with a "w" and not a "v"?
Private Military Company Wagner has made headlines ever since the escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine. I have watched and listened to multiple news outlets report on its activities. Some read ...
- 11
-1
votes
1
answer
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views
Humorous absurdity while spelling out
In my country (Italy) city names are generally used when spelling, for example: "R di Roma" which literally means "R as in Roma". Sometimes it is considered nonsense to use as an ...
- 107
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votes
3
answers
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Is 'by the bye' an acceptable variant of 'by the by'?
This blog says,
This phrase can be written in two ways: by the by and by the bye. Both spellings mean the same thing; by the by is the more common variant.
Yet this blog says,
Bye and bye, bye the ...
- 3,488
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Why does the present continuous form of "mimic" become "mimicking"?
In most cases, the present continuous tense of a verb is appending "ing" to the end of the verb, like "playing" for "play", but why does "mimic" become "...
- 876
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votes
1
answer
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What are the differences between American English and British English in terms of formal set of replacement rules? [closed]
American Spelling
British Spelling
defen(s)e
defen(c)e
([A-Za-z]+)ize
([A-Za-z]+)ise
[A-Za-z]+ is a regular expression meaning "one or more letters"
We do not have to use regular ...
- 782
-2
votes
1
answer
39
views
Our Daughters name
My daughters name is Iyzrayella (eyes-ray-ella) now my husband and I are wondering if we are grammatically correct in the way we spelled her name.
-5
votes
2
answers
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Shadowier or Shadowyer? [closed]
folks, I'm now trying to refute what dictionaries say, so I have to be either supported or disproven by you, wise owls.
Okay, now I'm asking you to participate in my own presumption: dictionaries say ...
- 215
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votes
2
answers
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How should the name "Kimia" be spelled? [closed]
My name is Kimia, but I have no idea which of the following spellings is right; Kimia or Kimya. I gotta say the last syllable of my name is pronounced like Mia. Would you tell me which one is correct?
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