"the religious rite"

Arnold M. Zwicky zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU
Wed Oct 25 21:49:40 UTC 2006


On Oct 25, 2006, at 2:26 PM, Beverly Flanigan wrote:

> My understanding is that "orientate" is the preferred form in Britain?

MWDEU says, cautiously, that it's "much more frequently used in
British English than it is in American".  with cites from reputable
folks, like Auden, Huxley, Leavis, Robins, and Quirk.  by now it
might actually be the preferred form.

> And
> I've heard "mentee" too.

it's unfortunately useful.

> At 05:04 PM 10/25/2006, you wrote:
>> Regarding another construction in the quoted sentence: "Orientate"
>> is very
>> common--more so than "conversate," I'd say...

oh, much more.

i didn't comment on it in my original quotation because i hear it (or
read it) so often.

arnold

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