Between You and Me

You have letters - now what do you do with them?
brogine
Lexiterian
Posts: 229
Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2007 4:41 pm

Between You and Me

Postby brogine » Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:30 pm

Recently, in two works of fiction (a mystery novel and a statement from White House Chief of Staff John Kelly), I noted the word 'confidante' applied to a male. Traditionally, the final 'e' is a suffix indicating a female individual.
I mention it, not as an indication of what a clever lad am I, but rather as an interesting example of what you might call a love of exoticism, like pronouncing 'forte' as 'fortay'.

Another recent spelling-related coincidence I'll inflict on you: within about a day and a half, I saw in print 'mucus' in place of 'mucous', and 'estrus' for 'estrous'. In each case, it was the noun mistakenly used for the adjective.
Don't editors do anything any more (two words) but go to lunch?

bnjtokyo
Lexiterian
Posts: 384
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016 7:16 pm

Re: Between You and Me

Postby bnjtokyo » Fri Feb 09, 2018 12:31 am

The dictionaries (both US and British) partially support you on "confidante." They include a usage note saying something like "usually a woman."

Also please see my note on "anymore" added to the "Is he a Realtor anymore" thread.

Philip Hudson
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 2784
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:41 am
Location: Texas

Re: Between You and Me

Postby Philip Hudson » Fri Sep 30, 2022 7:38 pm

All of us here in the hinterlands pronounce the e in forte 'n we ain't agonna change fer nobody. The only use we make of the word is as a musical term.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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