Dictionary.com lists both specialty and speciality as words with the same meaning. What then makes it right or wrong to be used in a person's vocabulary? Isn't one of the problems inherent in society is the lack of freedom to expand on and create new things. Our role as creators on this planet should include the ability to create anything we can imagine. So why is it "wrong" if I want to use the word specialitality?? As long as the person I am speaking to can recieve the meaning I intend to pass, shouldn't any word I use make sensicality??
Trevor is absolutely right. The English language evolves by reflecting how most people are speaking and writing. There's a tension between the correct" rules and how people actually use the language. Evenutally, the people win.
Trev's citation of Dictionary.com demonstrates this evolution. Originally, "specilaity" was not a word. Now, that website allows that word.
A while ago, it was incorrect to end a sentence with a proposition (a relational word such as "to", "in", or "through"). Now more and more experts are saying it's fine to do so.
Trev also points out that the point of communication is getting a message to a recipient. If you can be confident that your listener/reader will understand you when you stand on your head and rub your belly, then go for it. However, know that few other people will understnad. That's point of language: it's a *shared* communication tool. Comedians don't go onstage and tell inside jokes. That's why it's best to use words and structures most people understand.
Yes, most people will understnad "speciality". I just think it makes you sound dumb, becuase you're using a word that arrived in the dictionary only because people couldn't pronounce the original word correctly.
Come on, admit it. You'd understand someone who keeps saying "Princess Dee-ana", but it would drive you nuts. Or if someone said "I have reed your book". Is that fine? Where's the line? I say, just do your best to pronounce things as they're suppsoed to be pronounced, and then you won't have to rely faith that "Well, I'm sure they'll understand me."
When people speak or write incorrectly, then say "Hey, you knew what I meant," I say "Lucky for you." Speakign and writing correctly greatly rediuces the possibility of being misunderstood.
Plus, "specialty" is one syllable shorter. The fewer syllables you use, the strnger you sound.
I accidentally posted that last comment before I could proofread it. Now there's a comment from me about writing correctly, and it's full of typos. Great.
I can't figure how to make this stupid software delete my own comment so I could re-post it without typos.
3 comments:
Dictionary.com lists both specialty and speciality as words with the same meaning. What then makes it right or wrong to be used in a person's vocabulary? Isn't one of the problems inherent in society is the lack of freedom to expand on and create new things. Our role as creators on this planet should include the ability to create anything we can imagine. So why is it "wrong" if I want to use the word specialitality?? As long as the person I am speaking to can recieve the meaning I intend to pass, shouldn't any word I use make sensicality??
Trevor is absolutely right. The English language evolves by reflecting how most people are speaking and writing. There's a tension between the correct" rules and how people actually use the language. Evenutally, the people win.
Trev's citation of Dictionary.com demonstrates this evolution. Originally, "specilaity" was not a word. Now, that website allows that word.
A while ago, it was incorrect to end a sentence with a proposition (a relational word such as "to", "in", or "through"). Now more and more experts are saying it's fine to do so.
Trev also points out that the point of communication is getting a message to a recipient. If you can be confident that your listener/reader will understand you when you stand on your head and rub your belly, then go for it. However, know that few other people will understnad. That's point of language: it's a *shared* communication tool. Comedians don't go onstage and tell inside jokes. That's why it's best to use words and structures most people understand.
Yes, most people will understnad "speciality". I just think it makes you sound dumb, becuase you're using a word that arrived in the dictionary only because people couldn't pronounce the original word correctly.
Come on, admit it. You'd understand someone who keeps saying "Princess Dee-ana", but it would drive you nuts. Or if someone said "I have reed your book". Is that fine? Where's the line? I say, just do your best to pronounce things as they're suppsoed to be pronounced, and then you won't have to rely faith that "Well, I'm sure they'll understand me."
When people speak or write incorrectly, then say "Hey, you knew what I meant," I say "Lucky for you." Speakign and writing correctly greatly rediuces the possibility of being misunderstood.
Plus, "specialty" is one syllable shorter. The fewer syllables you use, the strnger you sound.
I accidentally posted that last comment before I could proofread it. Now there's a comment from me about writing correctly, and it's full of typos. Great.
I can't figure how to make this stupid software delete my own comment so I could re-post it without typos.
Yay.
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