[Lexicog] Re: "orientate" (was Frequency ...)

[John Roberts]

Dear Hayim,

I don't think I am a purist. I was seeking to put the record straight on
"orientate". Mike seemed to be suggesting that this was a recent
"corruption" of the English language. This was how Rudy understood it when
he said: "Re Mike's recollection below, I was surprised to hear Lady
Margaret Thatcher use the form in her videoed eulogy for Ronald Reagan. On
checking, I found that this is now a favored form in British English. Pity."
It turns out that "orientate" has been used in British English since 1850.
So it is not a recent derivation. I also recall from my younger days that I
always used "orientate". I only heard "orient" from American sources, and
ironically I thought then that this usage was "ugly". Now I use "orientate"
if my audience is British and "orient" if my audience is American and I am
not particularly prejudiced against either "orient" or "orientate". Neither
am I going to reprimand Rudy for spelling "favour" wrong. :-)

Salaam

John R



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