wreak/wreck

[Charles Doyle]

"Wrought" was the participle of "work."

--Charlie
_________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 10:32:43 -0400
>From: "Mark A. Mandel" <mamandel at LDC.UPENN.EDU>
>Subject: Re: wreak/wreck
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIO.EDU> :
>>>>
> I've heard "wreck havoc" twice on the news in the last couple of days (with ref. to hurricanes).  Is this common?
> <<<
>
>Alas, yes. I suspect that, besides the semantic connection, it comes* partly from misreading the very unfamiliar word "wreak", which is pretty much obsolete apart from this idiom and a few expressions using the past participle "wrought": wrought iron, "What hath God wrought?", others?
>
>* Make that "originated". By now I'm sure it's spreading orally, especially since it's in the newscasts.
>
>-- Mark

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