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

[Dr. Hayim Y. Sheynin]

Dear John,

I regret you took it personally. I didn't intend to reproach you.
I myself rather a purist, even English is not my mother tongue.
I don't think that "purism" is a bad attitude. Exactly like in physics
one encounters opposite tendencies (e.g., centripetal and centrifugal)
the system of the language itself has opposing forces of development,
which contribute both to conservatism and innovation. The attitudes
of the speakers only reflect the tendencies of the system itself. I mean
that linguistics is secondary to language.

With my apologies,

vale,

Hayim

-----Original Message-----
From: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of John Roberts
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 3:18 AM
To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Lexicog] Re: "orientate" (was Frequency ...)

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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