-er, -or, and -ar: Difference between revisions
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(Created page with " ...as, in, the suffixes. <!-- The first two sound the same, and in a number of words the third sounds like it too. Observations: * -er is much more common than -or and -a...") |
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The first two sound the same, and in a number of words the third sounds like it too. | The first two sound the same, and in a number of words the third sounds like it too. | ||
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* -er is much more common than -or and -ar. | * -er is much more common than -or and -ar. | ||
* There | * There seems no clear rule or overall pattern, but there are a number of minor ones. | ||
* You could argue that using -er is regularly acceptable even if not typically used | * You could argue that using -er is regularly acceptable even if not typically used | ||
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* Often enough, all but one just looks very strange (but for what sort of reasons?) | * Often enough, all but one just looks very strange (but for what sort of reasons?) | ||
** Say, Lawyor, Auther, Lovor, Drivor, Farmor, Bankor, Plumbor, Moniter, Lier | ** Say, Lawyor, Auther, Lovor, Drivor, Farmor, Bankor, Plumbor, Moniter, Lier (arguably less so) | ||
** It certainly helps when the word is well known (you can get dissonance from memory) | ** It certainly helps when the word is well known (you can get dissonance from memory) | ||
** In other cases there is a pattern to follow | ** In other cases there is a pattern to follow | ||
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* In some cases, more than one seems acceptable enough | * In some cases, more than one seems acceptable enough | ||
** Sometime because both are existing words, or | ** Sometime because both are existing words, or it's not easy to be sure both don't exist even if you have a clear preference yourself (Conducter/Conductor, Sailer/Sailor, Acter/Actor, Moniter/Monitor) | ||
** Sometimes because (or despite) their fitting in follow a pattern (e.g. Operater/Operator, Agitater/Agitator follows -ate→-or, but -er doesn't seem immediately wrong either) | ** Sometimes because (or despite) their fitting in follow a pattern (e.g. Operater/Operator, Agitater/Agitator follows -ate→-or, but -er doesn't seem immediately wrong either) | ||
** Sometimes perhaps because they're abstract or unknown words (You don't see an Assesser/Assessor very day) | ** Sometimes perhaps because they're abstract or unknown words (You don't see an Assesser/Assessor very day) | ||
Latest revision as of 16:52, 21 September 2023
...as, in, the suffixes.