Difference between revisions of "Height"
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The [[abstract noun]] '''height''' is spelled thus. | The [[abstract noun]] '''height''' is spelled thus. | ||
| − | [[McArthur (2005)]] points out that "Common misspellings include confusion over silent letters (for example, | + | [[McArthur (2005)]] points out that "Common misspellings include confusion over silent letters (for example, 'figth' for fight)" (''s.v.'' '''English spelling''', in '''Spelling'''). Some difficulties with '''height''' may be |
*because it is derived from the [[adjective]] '''high''', which has no '-e-' | *because it is derived from the [[adjective]] '''high''', which has no '-e-' | ||
| − | *the combination of letters '-eigh-' is more usually the spelling of the / | + | *the combination of letters '-eigh-' is more usually the spelling of the /eɪ/ sound, as in '''eight''' (8) and '''weight'''. |
*'''height''' was, until the eighteenth century, commonly written with what we now see as an extra '-h': '''heighth''', using the [[common Germanic]] [[suffix]] '-th' to form a [[noun]] from an [[adjective]], as in the words of measurement '''depth''' (from 'deep'), '''width''' (from 'wide'), '''length''' (from 'long') and '''breadth''' (from 'broad'). | *'''height''' was, until the eighteenth century, commonly written with what we now see as an extra '-h': '''heighth''', using the [[common Germanic]] [[suffix]] '-th' to form a [[noun]] from an [[adjective]], as in the words of measurement '''depth''' (from 'deep'), '''width''' (from 'wide'), '''length''' (from 'long') and '''breadth''' (from 'broad'). | ||
::Other nouns formed in this way from adjectives include '''health''' ('[[hail - hale|hale]]', modern 'whole'), '''filth''' ('foul'), '''youth''' ('young'), '''wealth''' ('[[weal]]', or 'well'), '''warmth''' ('warm') (and the mostly jocular '''coolth''', from 'cool') and '''mirth''' ('merry'); and from [[verb]]s '''death''' (from 'to die'), '''birth''' ('to bear'), '''stealth''' (from 'to steal', mostly in the sense 'to move secretly or surreptitiously'), '''growth''' ('to grow') and '''tilth''' ('to till') | ::Other nouns formed in this way from adjectives include '''health''' ('[[hail - hale|hale]]', modern 'whole'), '''filth''' ('foul'), '''youth''' ('young'), '''wealth''' ('[[weal]]', or 'well'), '''warmth''' ('warm') (and the mostly jocular '''coolth''', from 'cool') and '''mirth''' ('merry'); and from [[verb]]s '''death''' (from 'to die'), '''birth''' ('to bear'), '''stealth''' (from 'to steal', mostly in the sense 'to move secretly or surreptitiously'), '''growth''' ('to grow') and '''tilth''' ('to till') | ||
[[Category:etymology]] | [[Category:etymology]] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:19, 15 March 2017
This is one of the 117 mis-spellings listed as 'Common difficulties' in the section on 'Spelling' within 'Writing' in UEfAP.
The abstract noun height is spelled thus.
McArthur (2005) points out that "Common misspellings include confusion over silent letters (for example, 'figth' for fight)" (s.v. English spelling, in Spelling). Some difficulties with height may be
- because it is derived from the adjective high, which has no '-e-'
- the combination of letters '-eigh-' is more usually the spelling of the /eɪ/ sound, as in eight (8) and weight.
- height was, until the eighteenth century, commonly written with what we now see as an extra '-h': heighth, using the common Germanic suffix '-th' to form a noun from an adjective, as in the words of measurement depth (from 'deep'), width (from 'wide'), length (from 'long') and breadth (from 'broad').
- Other nouns formed in this way from adjectives include health ('hale', modern 'whole'), filth ('foul'), youth ('young'), wealth ('weal', or 'well'), warmth ('warm') (and the mostly jocular coolth, from 'cool') and mirth ('merry'); and from verbs death (from 'to die'), birth ('to bear'), stealth (from 'to steal', mostly in the sense 'to move secretly or surreptitiously'), growth ('to grow') and tilth ('to till')
