Inspired by this thread.
Do you say ‘antivenin’, or ‘antvenom’?
(FWIW, my spell-checker doesn’t like ‘antivenom’.)
*The name “antivenin” comes from the French word venin, meaning venom, which in turn was derived from Latin venenum, meaning poison.
Historically antivenin was predominant around the world. The first published use of the term was in 1895.[2] In 1981, the World Health Organization decided that the preferred terminology in the English language would be venom and antivenom rather than venin and antivenin or venen and antivenene.*
From the wiki ;).
See, I learned the word as a child – which was well before 1981 – so I use the former term. 
And I learned the word as a child – which was well before 1981 – so I use the latter term.
Wait…
But I DO use “antivenom,” and in fact I’m not sure I’ve ever run into “antivenin,” and I certainly learned the word before 1981.
Google ngrams says antivenin was more common than antivenom through about 1990, but that things have been more even since then. Both words have been used since about 1900, though.
Antivenin; and I used to do work with venomous reptiles. Both terms are commonly used, neither is incorrect.
Well according to some people in that thread, it may as well be antipoison, because poison and venom are the same thing! (they’re not)
Antivenin, of course. I would have thought “antivenom” was something like the bullet with Rush Limbaugh’s name on it.
Neither. The spelling that I was taught is antivenene.
I’ve never even heard the word antivenin. I thought it was a joke in the previous thread.
nm wrong thread.
Why does the World Health Organization get to change existing words? Do the good folks at Oxford English Dictionary get to declare sodium chloride a poison?
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of antivenin.
Antivenin.
This is not something I want to screw up in the emergency room.
I say antivenom, because it feels more natural. And, to avoid ambiguity around younger or less-educated people who might mistakenly think I’m mispronouncing it. But I’m familiar with both forms, having read a LOT of old books in my time (I was an Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes mystery junkie in middle school). I was born in 1984 though, which is probably why *-venom *feels more natural than -venin.
Never said it but would probably say antivenom.
I say “antivenom,” even though I know it’s wrong. It’s just easier.
Joe
What’s with this Hall Monitor “Reported.” stuff I keep seeing? OMG, gotta change forums! Spam!
Am I missing something?
When it’s legitimate to report a particular link as spam, noting that one has done so is a good way to avoid duplication of effort. Be kind of ironic to “spam” the mods with a spate of spam reports.
Or are you kvetching about people having a low threshold for which commercial links they consider to be spam?
Kvetching about folks reporting inconsequential things like a hall monitor. 