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Q: spelling ( Answered,   2 Comments )
Question  
Subject: spelling
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: hockeyfan-ga
List Price: $4.50
Posted: 08 Nov 2002 15:44 PST
Expires: 08 Dec 2002 15:44 PST
Question ID: 103094
Please tell me why the word apartment has one 'p' while
appointment has two.  (or apart has one and appoint has two).  
R. Sezer
Answer  
Subject: Re: spelling
Answered By: aceresearcher-ga on 08 Nov 2002 20:29 PST
 
hockeyfan,

This is a very good question. The English language can certainly be
very confusing and contradictory at times -- okay, MOST of the time!

First, let's take a look at what the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online
( http://www.m-w.com ) has to say about these words (stick with me
here, it gets better later on!):

(--> arrows indicate relevant definitions)

apart
-----
Middle English, from Middle French "à part", literally, to the side
from a- (from Latin ad-) + point point
Date: 14th century
    1 a : at a little distance... 
-->   b : away from one another in space or time...
--> 2 a : as a separate unit...
-->   b : so as to separate one from another...
    3   : excluded from consideration 
--> 4   : in or into two or more parts 

apartment
---------
French "appartement", from Italian "appartamento"
Date: 1641


appoint
-------
Middle English, from Middle French "àpointier", to arrange
from a- (from Latin ad-) + point (point)
Date: 14th century
--> 1 a : to fix or set officially... 
-->   b : to name officially...
-->   c archaic : ARRANGE 
      d : to determine the disposition of (an estate) to someone by
virtue of a power of appointment
    2   : to provide with complete and usually appropriate or elegant
furnishings or equipment

appointment
-----------
Date: 15th century


As you can see, both these English words had their origin in Middle
French words.

Interestingly, the French word for "apartment" has 2 "p"s,
"appartement".
So, the French word for "appointment" is "appointement", right?
Wrong. The French word for "appointment" is "rendez-vous" (to meet
with you) or "nomination" (to name someone to a position). However,
the origin of the English word IS related to the modern French word "à
pointement" (pointing at) <-- notice the single "p"!!!.

Apparently the English and Americans do not have a monopoly on
language inconsistencies.

The plain, boring explanation for the discrepancy in the spellings of
apart/appoint and apartment/appointment is: as the English language
evolved from the French, common spelling usage evolved one way for
"apart" and another way for "appoint".

The best way that I can think of to gain enlightenment on the
inconsistent unpredictabilities of the English language is to see the
excellent explanation at Scottware's "The English Lesson":
http://www.scottware.com.au/fun/jokes/english.htm

For more English language fun, try Merriam-Webster's daily "Word for
the Wise" archive at:
http://www.m-w.com/mw/mw/wftw/wftw.htm


Additional reference: English-to-French Translation -
http://www.worldlingo.com/products_services/worldlingo_translator.html

Search Strategy
goose geese moose meese
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=goose+geese+moose+meese&btnG=Google+Search


Before Rating my Answer, if you have questions or need additional
explanation, please post a Request for Clarification, and I will be
glad to do what I can to assist you.

I hope that this satisfies your curiosity!

Regards,

aceresearcher
Comments  
Subject: Re: spelling
From: drdavid-ga on 08 Nov 2002 23:35 PST
 
A couple more links that give further insights to apart and appoint:

The On-line Etymology Dictionary:
http://www.geocities.com/etymonline/a5etym.htm

But more especially:
Masha Bell, "TYPES AND MAGNITUDE OF ENGLISH SPELLING PROBLEMS
AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR REFORM," at the website of the Simplified
Spelling Society

http://www.geocities.com/etymonline/a5etym.htm

Masha Bell tabulates in English: 
    * 160 words which have surplus doubled consonants;
    * 271 which have missing ones;
    * 128 which have missing doubled letters and other unpredictable
elements in them;
    *  72 words with idiosyncratically doubled, selected letters and
      102 other words which fail to double them, for the same sound in
an identical position;
    *  54 words with a single V between a short, stressed vowel and
another vowel;
    * 221 words with predictably but pointlessly doubled letters.

This is clearly one of those areas of English spelling which became
codified in very inconsistent ways as a result of common practice!
Subject: Re: spelling
From: aceresearcher-ga on 09 Nov 2002 05:48 PST
 
"Types And Magnitude Of English Spelling Problems And Their
Significance For Reform" by Masha Bell
http://www.spellingsociety.org/pubs/pvs/pv13-mashabell.shtml

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