"i" before "e" except after "c"

Tom Zurinskas truespel at HOTMAIL.COM
Tue Jun 23 00:31:07 UTC 2009


I examined the; "i" before "e" except after "c" rule (cei vs. cie).


The database of truespel book 4 is used to analyze the number
of words with tradstreengz "cie" and "cei".  The data involves
the top 5k most popular words in English print.  The overall word
instances for these 5k words 15.4 million.  For example, the word
"the" is most popular with 1.08 M instances out of 15.4 M total.

RESULTS

There are only four words containing "cei" in the top 5k words.
These are: received, receive, ceiling, and receiving in order.
They add up to 3,077 instances in 15.4 M instances total.
(Yet this is supposed to be the majority form.)

There are 16 words with "cie" (which is opposite the rule).
They add up to 17,351 instances.
These words are (in order of popularity):
society, science, species, ancient, scientific, societies,
policies, scientists, sufficient, efficient, efficiency, sufficiently,
conscience, sciences, agencies, scientist.

CONCLUSION
The "i" before "e" except after "c" rule is busted.



Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
see truespel.com
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