Tagged Questions
-2
votes
1answer
216 views
Does the suffix -ion in “invention” mean the same in “station”?
Is the suffix -ion in the word invention the same as in the words direction, nation, fiction, station?
4
votes
1answer
163 views
What is the origin of “-ix” as a feminine variation?
Some words are made feminine by altering the suffix to be -ix. Examples:
dominator → dominatrix
executor → executrix
rector → rectrix
What is the origin of this variation?
From my 5 years of ...
1
vote
1answer
169 views
Difference between the use of “resilience” and “resiliency”
I constantly hear people use the word "resiliency" (especially sports broadcasters and the like). I've always used "resilience" instead. Is there a preferred word to use in any given situation?
As ...
2
votes
2answers
135 views
Difference between “presidentship” and “presidency”
What's the difference between presidentship and presidency? Please give examples to show the difference.
5
votes
5answers
711 views
Difference between “opacity” and “opaqueness”
What is the difference in the meaning und usage of the words opacity and opaqueness?
2
votes
5answers
272 views
Pronunciation difference between “cycle” and “psycho”
When I speak English, I can't tell the difference between cycle and psycho, I pronounce them the same.
And it's not only cycle vs. psycho; when words end in -le or -o, I always confusee them.
How to ...
0
votes
1answer
138 views
“Utilisability” vs. “usability”
I tried hard to find if we have the noun utilisability in dictionaries but it does not exist. But, when goolging, I found some articles that contain this word.
I know that we have the verb to use ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
“Postfix” or “suffix”?
Wikipedia and The Free Dictionary were not much help — is there a practical difference in the semantics of suffix and postfix, except that the latter is more rare?
File name extensions are well ...
3
votes
1answer
648 views
Preciseness and precision
Fowler says to avoid -ion words to describe a state or quality and to instead choose -ness words for this purpose. -ion should describe a process or action.
Yet he writes:
So far as the words ...
3
votes
4answers
431 views
Adjective or noun when referring to plural citizenship
What is the right form to use when talking about plural citizenship?
"We are Italian" or "we are Italians"? (or American, Or German or any other ending with "*an")
Same issue for "Saudi" or "Saudies", ...
29
votes
9answers
5k views
“Trainer” is to “trainee” as “mentor” is to what?
What do you call someone who is being mentored? Is it mentoree or mentee? Does the term student or pupil imply a context outside the business environment?
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Relation between “concept” and “conception”
concept: an abstract idea; a general notion
conception: the way in which something is perceived or regarded
These two words are troubling me because it seems that there is a way that concept ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
“Consistence” and “consistency”
What is the relation and difference between the nouns consistence and consistency?
For example, which one should be used in the following sentence?
Although he has passed the exam, he is ...
11
votes
3answers
984 views
Suffixing by “-rama”, “-orama” or “-arama” — how did this begin?
Suffixing by -rama, -orama or -arama — how did this begin? I mean words like futurama, foodarama, etc.
12
votes
2answers
5k views
Why is a woman a “widow” and a man a “widower”?
There are lots of words that have male and female forms, and usually there are alternate suffixes to the words which indicate the gender; for example, "waiter" vs. "waitress", "mister" vs. "mistress", ...
9
votes
3answers
4k views
What would be a a linguistic term for those nouns ending with -ing?
What would be a a linguistic term for those nouns ending with -ing?
Examples: building, scaffolding, ending.
What are some other examples, and what do they all share in common semantically?
14
votes
5answers
739 views
What is the origin of “earthling”?
What is the origin of the word earthling?
Are there other words with a similar meaning (marsling, venusling)?
