Re: WNI (word not in)

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

I don't suppose that a word that was in use in 1928 should be a good 
candidate for Word of the Year 2004?

As DB well knows, the absence of a form from dictionares does not necessarily 
mean that it is not in use--not if the morphemes from which it is derived 
make its meaning transparent. Surely "favorability" fits that category?

And of course the spellcheckers for Word et al. are notoriously limited what 
they accept.

In a message dated 10/16/04 6:05:23 PM, barnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM writes:


> In working on a treatment of dexterity my spell-checker would not accept
> "favorability."
> 
> The rejected term does not appear in the standard dictionaries (available
> at this venue).
> 
> When googled on the Web the return was ....
> When googled on Google News the return was 171.
> When searched in NewspaperArchive.com the earliest date was 1928:
> 
> This route, the chart discloses, is the northernmost route which appears
> practicable in view of distance, temperatures, favorability of wind, and
> general weather conditions gleaned from analyses of recent transoceanic
> flight.  Frederic J. Haskin, "The Haskin Letter: Charting the Air," The
> Helena Daily Independent, May 12, 1928, p 4
> 
> This might be the stealth word of the year come January's meeting.
> 
> Regards,
> David
> 
> barnhart at highlands.com
> 
>