# Word Spellings You Hate **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775 "2009-04-20T20:50:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/61 "2009-04-23T19:26:14Z")
English spelling is essentially arbitrary, so explanations like these don’t really fit into the big picture. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/62 "2009-04-23T19:29:03Z")
Volume (yep) Resume (correct) Assume Costume Perfume (yes, yes, and yes) Consume (okay) Fume (fine) Flume Exhume (check and check) Plume (right again) Vacuum??? WTF!!! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/63 "2009-04-23T19:31:47Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Tonne is not an alternative spelling of “ton” - it is a word in its own right with a (slightly) different meaning. A “ton” is an Imperial measure of weight, and is 2,240 lbs (outside of North America, which has its own “ton” or “short ton” of 2,000 lbs). A “tonne” is a metric ton, i.e. 1,000 kilograms, or 2,205 pounds. It’s a shame we don’t distinguish between gallons in a similar way. (Gallonnes?) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/64 "2009-04-23T19:37:14Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Volume (yep) > Resume (correct) > Assume > Costume > Perfume (yes, yes, and yes) > Consume (okay) > Fume (fine) > Flume > Exhume (check and check) > Plume (right again) > Vacuum??? WTF!!! “Volume” doesn’t fit into the list you made there. Its second syllable begins with a consonantal _y_ sound not accounted for by the spelling (since there is only one _l_). [QUOTE=acsenray] English spelling is essentially arbitrary, so explanations like these don’t really fit into the big picture. [/QUOTE] English orthography is less arbitrary than it is an odd combination of phonetic and etymological. But (leaving aside proper names), there is generally a reason. I could have mentioned that _maintain_ comes from the Anglo-French _maintenir_, itself a portmaneau of the Latin _manu_ and _tenere_, which might make the spelling more clear. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/65 "2009-04-23T20:12:32Z")
Grovesner. Still don’t know how to pronounce the accursed word. Hymnnnnnnnn What I think whenever I see the fricking word. My most hated, despised, pisses me off word: STEPHAN! What the fuck is it? Steven? Steffan? Stephan? King, get your ass ready for a duel. (Putz) OK. I’m done. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/66 "2009-04-23T20:36:43Z")
> [@Jake](#): > > Grovesner. Still don’t know how to pronounce the accursed word. > Hymnnnnnnnn What I think whenever I see the fricking word. > My most hated, despised, pisses me off word: STEPHAN! What the fuck is it? Steven? Steffan? > Stephan? > King, get your ass ready for a duel. (Putz) > > OK. I’m done. Carry on. I share your pain, although I’ve only seen it spelled Stephen (as in King). ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/67 "2009-04-23T20:38:53Z")
‘spelt’ and spelled’ are horrible spellings. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/68 "2009-04-23T20:40:12Z")
I get confused with “yeah” and yea." One is a casual affirmative, pronounced ya. The other is a cheer, pronounced yay. Which is which? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/69 "2009-04-23T21:20:30Z")
> [@Rhodes](#): > > I get confused with “yeah” and yea." One is a casual affirmative, pronounced ya. The other is a cheer, pronounced yay. Which is which? yeah = [jæ], informal variation of _yes_ yay = [jeɪ], an exclamation of jubilation yea = [jeɪ], a formal/archaic variation of _yes_ ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/70 "2009-04-23T22:27:52Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Vacuum??? WTF!!! One dictionary I checked offers an alternative three-syllable pronunciation, to rhyme with ‘continuum’, so I guess you can just say it like that 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/71 "2009-04-23T22:31:46Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > “Volume” doesn’t fit into the list you made there. Its second syllable begins with a consonantal _y_ sound not accounted for by the spelling (since there is only one _l_). Depending on the speaker’s dialect, it can also be the case with a few other words on this list. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/72 "2009-04-24T01:10:53Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > _Thank_ you…when I wrote the OP, I knew there was another word that suffered from the same issues – you hit it right on the head. > > If need to _maintain_ something, then I should be doing _maintain_ance, not maintenance. I’m not looking to mainten it. But then you’d have to say you were doing MAYN TAYN ence on it, and sound like a southern characature. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/73 "2009-04-24T02:18:24Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > I pronounce “interesting” and “environment” as they are spelled. Perhaps it’s a regional thing (I’m Australian). As do I and I’m from USA (Southern). It makes me insane when people pretend letters aren’t there, or pretend they are. Heighth makes me pathological. I can never get Restaurant right, I even worked in them for years and my brother is a chef. I suppose the millennium is too far back, boy was that a pet peeve. Segue. Segway…Somewhere, it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/74 "2009-04-24T02:30:15Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I definately hate definately because I type it ALL OF THE FREAKIN TIME and every time I do I am buzzing along and have to stop because I need to spell check the damn word. > > definitely…there…I did it right…eat that spellcheck I don’t understand why people have such a problem with “definite”. Think finite, think infinite, think infinity. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/75 "2009-04-24T02:51:55Z")
restaurateur ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/76 "2009-04-24T03:30:11Z")
I am very surprised at myself that I didn’t say this but… Geez. I HATE it when people spell it with a G. It is supposed to be spelled with a J, it’s JEEZ. It is a shortened version of Jesus, therefore should be spelled with a J and not a G. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/77 "2009-04-24T05:34:44Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I am very surprised at myself that I didn’t say this but… > > Geez. I HATE it when people spell it with a G. It is supposed to be spelled with a J, it’s JEEZ. > > It is a shortened version of Jesus, therefore should be spelled with a J and not a G. Seriously? This is the first time I’ve heard that. How do you know it’s not a hybrid of gee and jesus? Either way, you don’t have any issue with the Z, but the G bothers you? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/78 "2009-04-24T09:02:17Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I hate the “re” when it should be “er” type thing > > You know , “theatre,” “metre,” etc I hate the “er” when it should be “re” type thing. You know, “theater”, “meter”, center etc You silly Americans spell many things incorrectlly but your misspellings give you coloUr and humoUr 🙂 I also hate necsacary, nesescary, nessercary, neccesary or HOWEVER that word is suppossed to be spelt! I just can’t get its spelling in my head! GRRRRRR to me. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/79 "2009-04-24T09:06:58Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I am very surprised at myself that I didn’t say this but… > > Geez. I HATE it when people spell it with a G. It is supposed to be spelled with a J, it’s JEEZ. > > It is a shortened version of Jesus, therefore should be spelled with a J and not a G. Though the opportunity to spell GEEZ very rarely comes up (it is a spoken thing more than a written thing), I always spell it as Geez, to me it has nothing to do with Jesus it’s just a term of minor exsaperation. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775/80 "2009-04-24T12:59:50Z")
Both “gee” and “geez” are derived from “Jesus.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-spellings-you-hate/493775.md?page=5)