"Winningest" -- a proper word?

[Jonathan Lighter]

The superlative suffix "-est" may be affixed to various, perhaps in theory all, present-participial adjectives, though usually with minor phonetic modification, as "fightin'est," "feudin'est," "dialect-mappin'est," etc.

And various past-participial adjectives, as "damnedest," "cussedest," etc.

My guess is that the practice is regional in origin.

JL

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Subject:      "Winningest" -- a proper word?
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>From today's Austin American-Statesman. Any comments?
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(http://www.statesman.com/search/content/life/stories/other/04/21/0421greig.=
html)=20
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Q: Is "winningest" a proper word? I hear it often in sports commentary, but=20=
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it always strikes me as a bit off. For example: "John Force is the winninges=
t =20
drag racer of all time." =20
=E2=80=94 Michael D. =20
A: I agree. "Winningest" is listed as an informal adjective in a few =20
dictionaries, including the American Heritage Dictionary of the English  Lan=
guage,=20
but I did not find it in the Oxford English Dictionary. =20
The scholars at the University of Texas grammar hot line, 475-8372, said =20
"winningest" is not a good word  choice.        =20
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(OED)
winning, ppl. a.
=20
2. Gaining, or resulting in, victory or superiority in a  contest or=20
competition; victorious. In U.S. colloq. use also in superlative. winning ha=
zard: see=20
_HAZARD_=20
(http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/crossref?query_type=3Dfulltext&queryword=3Dwi=
nningest&first=3D1&max_to_show=3D10&search_spec=3Dfulltext&sort_type=3Dalpha=
&search_
id=3DyCgj-suaWSR-3723&control_no=3D50285956&result_place=3D1&xrefword=3Dhaza=
rd&ps=3Dn.)=20
 n. 7b. winning stroke, a stroke that gains a point in a  game, or one by=20
which the game is won. =20
1592  _SHAKES._ (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-s2.html#shakes)  =20
Rom. & Jul. III. ii. 12 Learne me  how to loose a winning match. 1609  _HOLL=
AND_=20
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-h3.html#holland)  Amm. Marcell. 290=
=20
Contemning  that Emperour who everie where in civile warre went away on the=20
winning hand. 1822  _SCOTT_=20
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-s.html#scott)  Nigel Introd. Epist.=
, I am not  displeased to find the game a winning one.=20
1855  Poultry Chron. II. 486 Neither  should I have given the first place to=
=20
the winning Dorking cock. 1860  L=C3=96WENTHAL  Morphy's Games Chess 56 The=20=
=20
winning move. 1884  Marshall's Tennis Cuts 114 In  playing against a fine pl=
ayer, it=20
is imperative to go for a winning-stroke  whenever there is a fair opening.=20
1974  State (Columbia, S. Carolina) 5 Mar. 6-A/7 John Bates, coach of=20
Maryland-Eastern Shore, at 26-1 the winningest college  basketball team in t=
he nation.=20
1979  Tucson (Arizona) Citizen 20 Sept. 5D/1 Slota defeated  Sarah Cap, the=20
winningest active greyhound with 113 career  victories. 1985  Dirt Bike Mar.=
=20
23/2 (Advt.),  That's the moment you know what the winningest racers and mos=
t=20
satisfied riders  know.




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