Timeline for Which is more correct: "burgled" or "burglarized"?
Current License: CC BY-SA 2.5
9 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2022 at 14:39 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | This chart of written usage strongly suggests that within a few decades, plain burgle will have overtaken burglarize even in AmE (the latter never had any currency in BrE). Given that written usage normally lags behind spoken usage (which I can't chart), I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this usage shift has already led to the shorter version being more common in younger Americans' speech today. | |
| Mar 30, 2011 at 19:52 | vote | accept | nicholas ainsworth | ||
| Mar 26, 2011 at 22:52 | comment | added | nohat | The most salient point here is that burgle is a back-formation from burglar (note it's burglAr not burglEr, which is how you would spell a word that means "one who burgles"). | |
| Mar 24, 2011 at 12:54 | comment | added | Peter Shor | Burglarize and burgle are clearly both different ways to verb burglar. If they both date from the 1870's, they were likely coined independently. | |
| Mar 24, 2011 at 0:40 | comment | added | Kelly Hess | Hey, I love a bargain. :) | |
| Mar 24, 2011 at 0:36 | comment | added | Kosmonaut | @Kelly C Hess: That is true, although I would say they are a worthwhile expense for clarity (hey, syllables are cheap :). | |
| Mar 24, 2011 at 0:24 | comment | added | Kelly Hess | True. I just meant in terms of (unnecessary) syllables. | |
| Mar 24, 2011 at 0:20 | comment | added | Kosmonaut | I would say that "burgle" is more cumbersome if you say it in the US, since people aren't used to hearing it and might not realize what you said. | |
| Mar 23, 2011 at 21:48 | history | answered | Kelly Hess | CC BY-SA 2.5 |