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Generally speaking, when adding a suffix to a word in English, while the last letter(s) may undergo changes to accommodate the addition, the rest of the word is left unchanged. As examples in that ...
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conjugation
#3: Nominated for promotion
by
Moshi
·
2022-01-05T04:21:46Z (over 2 years ago)
#2: Post edited
by
msh210
·
2020-08-17T10:58:51Z (over 3 years ago)
- Generally speaking, when adding a suffix to a word in English, while the last letter(s) may undergo changes to accommodate the addition, the rest of the word is left unchanged. As examples in that sentence alone – general/generally, speak/speaking, add/adding/addition, change/changes/unchanged.
The only exception off the top of my head is the word *pronounce*. Nearly all of its variations — pronouncing, pronounced, pronounceable, pronouncement — all maintain the spelling of the word, save for the final e. However, one of its noun forms is *pronunciation*, where the central /ou/ vowel is swapped out for a /u/. Is there a historical reason why specifically the word *pronunciation* has its central vowel changed, among all of the forms of the word *pronounce*? Are there any other words in English which exhibit this phenomenon for the same reason?
- Generally speaking, when adding a suffix to a word in English, while the last letter(s) may undergo changes to accommodate the addition, the rest of the word is left unchanged. As examples in that sentence alone – general/generally, speak/speaking, add/adding/addition, change/changes/unchanged.
- The only exception off the top of my head is the word *pronounce*. Nearly all of its variations — pronouncing, pronounced, pronounceable, pronouncement — all maintain the spelling of the word, save for the final e. However, one of its noun forms is *pronunciation*, where the central ⟨ou⟩ vowel is swapped out for a ⟨u⟩. Is there a historical reason why specifically the word *pronunciation* has its central vowel changed, among all of the forms of the word *pronounce*? Are there any other words in English which exhibit this phenomenon for the same reason?
#1: Initial revision
by
DonielF
·
2020-08-16T22:45:38Z (over 3 years ago)
Why is it "pronunciation" and not "pronounciation"?
Generally speaking, when adding a suffix to a word in English, while the last letter(s) may undergo changes to accommodate the addition, the rest of the word is left unchanged. As examples in that sentence alone – general/generally, speak/speaking, add/adding/addition, change/changes/unchanged. The only exception off the top of my head is the word *pronounce*. Nearly all of its variations — pronouncing, pronounced, pronounceable, pronouncement — all maintain the spelling of the word, save for the final e. However, one of its noun forms is *pronunciation*, where the central /ou/ vowel is swapped out for a /u/. Is there a historical reason why specifically the word *pronunciation* has its central vowel changed, among all of the forms of the word *pronounce*? Are there any other words in English which exhibit this phenomenon for the same reason?