Moulding vs. Molding?
-
Sort of in defense of UK English and then against it...
There is no such thing as the 'right way to spell something'.
Dictionaries were invented by dictionary-writers as a way of showing us how words are commonly spelled and pronounced.
In different places they recorded different things. For many hundreds of years there was no 'proper' way to spell a word - indeed in the 16th century Shakespeare never spelled his own name the same way twice! In the 17th century Oliver Cromwell always spelled 'at' as 'atte', because where he came from the final 't' is stressed so it was natural to show it with the added 'te'!Dr Johnson/OED in the UK followed the 'French' spelling rule, that many were using anyway - so FR coleur >> UK colour, FR honeur >> UK honour etc...
Webster in the US followed the 'Latin' root spelling rule, in an attempt to rationalize spelling - so Latin color/colorem >> US color etc... Admittedly more logical as the FR 'coleur' was only their way of trying to spell it as they heard 'color' - where the end '-or' sounded more like '-eur' [in EN it's probably a '-uh' !]
In English 'Color' is actually pronounced more like 'culler' or 'culla' or 'calla' or 'k'luh' etc etc, depending where you are from, so a word's spelling is rarely directly connected to its 'sound'... Take for example 'plough/plow' - in Old English it was pronounced 'plog'uh' but over the years it became a 'plow' sound - although the opposite of high 'low' doesn't rhyme with it and logically it should be spelled phonetically something like 'plau'.
Keeping most old spelling has an advantage of leaving a word's history with it and sometimes differentiating similar sounding words in writing.
Attempts to rationalize spelling en mass have failed in English - Webster himself attempted far reaching respelling in his earlier dictionaries, 'women' >> 'wimin' etc never caught on, and were later dropped - the public decided which to accept and which to reject - leaving a dictionary to its true role as a recorder not a dictator...
Ironically the UK 'mould' spelling for both meanings of the word comes from the merging of the Old FR 'modle' [in the sense of 'shape'/'form' (=model?)], which in turn is from the Latin 'modulus' [a small measure or 'module']... AND the Northern UK English dialect 'mowlde' - pronounced 'mow'led' [as in 'stale-cheese'], back-formed from 'mowldy' [which is probably of Scandinavian origin - compare Old Norse 'mugla'='mould'].
Even today there is a slight difference in pronunciation of the two meanings of the word in many parts of the UK, although it's fading by the generations.A 'logical' pseudo-root-based spelling should really have been different for the two meanings of the word [and at the time often the 'sound' too] - 'mowld'>>'mould' for 'stale-cheese' and then 'mold' for 'shape'/'form' - perhaps an attempt at rhyming with 'old' [because the original roots are all too far from modern pronunciations - the 'dl' combo has become 'ld' over time, and the 'dul' even less sense!] - but at least the US version ['mold'] is spelled as both meanings of the word now sound [in most locales]
As I said before - it doesn't matter that much - just be consistent!
-
You do know that no one reads your posts, right TIG?
-
@unknownuser said:
You do know that no one reads your posts, right TIG?
I had English as a major at university for two years (until I dropped it) and we learnt quite a lot of language history so at least I doappreciate and enjoy TIG's little lessons here.
Some other "simplifications" like Marlborough > Marlboro or even through > thru (well this latter one - I know - has never really made "thru" to dictionaries).
But sometimes it is not "just" spelling but seemingly a complete ignorance of grammar. Like when someone says (more exactly writes) "I should of done this" - instead of "I should've done it..." Or completely mixing up thereand their. Although I am not sure it is not simply that "internet" or "chat" lingo...
-
@gaieus said:
@unknownuser said:
You do know that no one reads your posts, right TIG?
I doappreciate and enjoy TIG's little lessons here.
Just messing with him. I read them.
Except of course when he delves deep into the far reaches of the world of Ruby where my brain dares not venture . . . 
Yeah, every time I see someone misuse their, there, or they're, it drives me crazy. I guess I'm just too much of a perfectionist.
-
I think that in comparison to the changes that are taking place right now in languages throughout the world (such as the use of acronyms), the small "drop the vowel" changes that have taken place to date , seem minimal, or to paraphrase an earlier thought, really "breaks the mold" (or mould).
I think the thing that I find interesting about the development of language is the great leap of faith it must have taken to get everybody to universally agree that one particular grunt means "rock", and the other slightly different grunt means "roll".
Imagine how long it must have taken for this to filter down through the masses.
Language is fascinating. I wish I had better command of it. -
for the record.
i was raised in florida and learned how to read/speak down there.. so anytime you see me critiquing (hmm.. that word is due for a change) someone's use of certain words, i'm doing so tonge in cheek.[also for the record.. nyc has 5 boros .. not really sure what the ough is supposed to accomplish. give it another 20 years an i'm thinking boro is going to be much more widespread]
-
personally I use Moulding... and I think it came from my Millwork days. they tried very hard to be European there.
as for Tig's lessons... I love them, I've always had an interest in where words come from and why we use the ones we do. I especially like this "it doesn't matter that much - just be consistent!".
-
Many people in US use moulding and I think: either they think it is proper for woodwork or they are trying to be more elegant. So I insist on molding. Otherwise I was raised reading English (UK) books and like to write grey and colour when I can. Then there are (otherwise totally American speakers) those who say "shed-you-will" for "sked-joe" (schedule) and I think that's really pushing it.
-
This book seems like a no brainier for this thread.
http://www.theelementsoffuckingstyle.com/
-
one of the greatest words ever uttered...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3NuPeVCKGg
and the usages of it... it can just go anywhere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDpqupB5_cw&feature=related
thanks Boo... you just made me run this thread off in a effin ditch.
-
@unknownuser said:
...i was raisedin florida...
And if it had been Britain, you would have been brought up there. (They raise cattle and other farm animals only)
-
@gaieus said:
@unknownuser said:
...i was raisedin florida...
And if it had been Britain, you would have been brought up there. (They raise cattle and other farm animals only)
And of course the ever confusing... verb raised always refers to things that are lifted up... BUT a building can be razed to the ground when it burns down!! English is great -
I find these international exchanges very interesting. Mainly because what is get in jest by one person can be very insulting to another.
I remember BaseCamp where my liberal use of the 'F' word let certain attendees slightly uncomfortable. But here in Ireland it's commonplace. Some say use of foul language is a sign of a lack of intelligence but if your ever in Irish company it can be quite an assault on your ears. it has no known origin other than it's sprinkled across all classes. Now not all of us talk like sailors but it's pretty widespread. My mother would often tell us 'you're not old enough to curse'! Then magically one day you are?
Then, there's our use of 'fag' for cigarettes. Mix that with our 'effing' and what is a harmless request for a cigarette by an Irishman, is a homo-erotic act to an American.
For instance, 'fu@ker' is used as a term of endearment at times and 'F.U.' has numerous levels of use. Then there's the dreaded 'c' word that is a big faux pas in the states but again is harmless used in context to me. Remember Bob Geldof pleading 'give us the fu@king money' in '84? No one here batted an eyelid, but elsewhere it caused outrage.
So, at times I can see how my responses here can raise an eyebrow or cause offence but to me it's just either a gentle ribbing or a plain misunderstanding that's lost in translation between English speakers. If that makes sense?
But I'm digressing as this is about mould and mold and not about how you are all a lovely bunch of fu@kers
Rich
-
I know you finally found a topic where you seem to be able to excuse yourself for your utter rudeness so let it be.
-
I thought you were a charming little fag at Basecamp Rich.
-
@unknownuser said:
I remember BaseCamp where my liberal use of the 'F' word let certain attendees slightly uncomfortable.
well, the 'F' word is ok.. it's the 'N' word you have to watch out for.
[caution - language (unless you're irish.. in that case, rent this video for the kids.. they'll love it)]
[flash=900,630:163fdwv5]http://www.youtube.com/v/dF1NUposXVQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0[/flash:163fdwv5]
-
@gaieus said:
I know you finally found a topic where you seem to be able to excuse yourself for your utter rudeness so let it be.
Ain't the Internet fucking fan-fucking-tastic
-
@unknownuser said:
[caution - language (unless you're irish.. in that case, rent this video for the kids.. they'll love it)]
-
@unknownuser said:
@gaieus said:
I know you finally found a topic where you seem to be able to excuse yourself for your utter rudeness so let it be.
Ain't the Internet fucking fan-fucking-tastic
Yes, it is. Where else would molding (moulding) lead to fucking?
-
@unknownuser said:
...also for the record.. nyc has 5 boros .. not really sure what the ough is supposed to accomplish. give it another 20 years an i'm thinking boro is going to be much more widespread
The ough is a hangover from Old English. The word used to be spelled 'burh' and is the same word as the Dutch and German 'burg'. Old English sounded very like Dutch...and they really rolled their r...so it must have sounded something like burrruccchhhh. Modern English forms can appear as borough, burgh, or bury. It certainly didn't (and still doesn't in the UK) sound like what a rabbit lives in.
TBH I'd never come across sill (as in window) being spelled as cill, until I came on this forum and was informed (by an American) that that's how we spell it in this country. We also use mould pretty much throughout. I've occasionally seen a matrix referred to as a mold...as in the US...but the stuff on cheese is always mould. The word by itself...Mold...would probably evoke a town in North wales to most Brits...at least in my part of the country.
A kerb is the edge of the road in the UK...although the verb meaning to set limits is curb...as in to curb ones behaviour...obviously related.
Advertisement