# Word of the Week may need a new author



## SENC (Aug 13, 2015)

You see, I have learned that I'm not worthy, so I may have to turn in my "here to correct and serve" badge. I learned today that, for 40-some-odd years I've been mispelling dilemna. Not just mispelling it, but defiantly correcting numbskulls like Tony who think it is spelled dilemma. Numbskulls who turn out to be right. Oh the shame and ignominy!

@duncsuss - I hope you can forgive me. @NYWoodturner - don't let your bride make fun of me! One of you should take up the WoW mantle before Tony takes the keys.

The only thing that makes me feel better is that I am not alone in my dilemma dilemna. How many of you believed it was dilemna, too?
http://www.dilemna.info/

Reactions: Funny 1


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## duncsuss (Aug 13, 2015)

My flabber has never been so gasted (or maybe it's my gast that's never been so flabbered) (or possibly both )

I honestly had no idea until reading your post that anyone would spell it "dilemna" -- but now discover there's a whole posse of folks who are equally unsettled to learn it doesn't have a silent n.

I had a vaguely similar experience around the word aluminum, which all British speakers (and Australians and New Zealanders) call alumin*i*um. Silly Americans, I always thought, missing out a letter ... only to learn that Sir Humphrey Davy, who discovered the element and named it, first used the shorter spelling, and only added the extra i some time later (rumoured to be so that it would rhyme with "helium" and "magnesium".)

All that said ... you defiantly shouldn't step down.


(see what I did there?)

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Aug 13, 2015)

Maybe your dilemma has been way too many enemas!!

Reactions: Funny 3


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## JR Custom Calls (Aug 13, 2015)

I would have corrected you if I had seen you misspell it

Reactions: Funny 2


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## manbuckwal (Aug 13, 2015)

Nice try Enrique, but u still da man for da job

Reactions: Agree 1


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## ripjack13 (Aug 13, 2015)

I always have spelled it with 2 m's....


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## NYWoodturner (Aug 13, 2015)

I are from Kentucky but I never spelled it with an "n". Hooked on phonics ya know

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Tclem (Aug 14, 2015)

I didn't spell it either of those ways. Guess you are not as smart as me

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Schroedc (Aug 14, 2015)

I always spelled it c o n u n d r u m........

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 2


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## Kevin (Aug 14, 2015)

Me is to cunfuzed too say back nothin' . . . . .

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Kevin (Aug 14, 2015)

Well seeing how Duncan chose the top one that's what would I vote too even though he is in the minority, and in spite of the fact that Marc voted that way too lol. No offense Marc.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## duncsuss (Aug 14, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Well seeing how Duncan chose the top one that's what would I vote too even though he is in the minority, and in spite of the fact that Marc voted that way too lol. No offense Marc.


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## Final Strut (Aug 14, 2015)

I tried to spell it with an mn today and spell check changed it to mm. Now I am just plain confused.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## duncsuss (Aug 14, 2015)

Final Strut said:


> Now I am just plain confused.



That should be "plaim comfused"

Reactions: Funny 2


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## justallan (Aug 14, 2015)

By the votes I'm thinking there's a southern joke in here somewhere, says the guy that doesn't really know what all is considered the south.


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## DKMD (Aug 14, 2015)

As the saying goes,'Often wrong, never in doubt'...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 4


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## duncsuss (Aug 14, 2015)

I'd like to change the subject, if I may. This sentence troubles me:


SENC said:


> One of you need to take up the WoW mantle before Tony takes the keys.



Each time I read it, I feel a strong urge to say "One of you _*needs*_ to take up ..." but then I start to doubt my instinct.

I know that it's correct to write "Duncan, you need to take up the mantle." Further, I know it's correct to write "You two pedants need to take up the mantle."

But I'm almost certain it would be "Somebody needs to take up the mantle."

My question is this: "Does _"One of you"_ equate to _"You"_ or to _"Somebody"_ in this context?"

Reactions: Funny 1 | Way Cool 1


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## justallan (Aug 14, 2015)

I think he watches Big Brother and Scott was thrown in so you wouldn't feel picked on all alone. The fact that he said, "One of you" just means he feels YOU have more than one personality.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## duncsuss (Aug 14, 2015)

justallan said:


> he feels YOU have more than one personality.


That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me today. Normally I'm told I have significantly less than one personality ...

Reactions: Funny 3


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## justallan (Aug 14, 2015)

OH heck that was funny!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## wombat (Aug 14, 2015)

I guess you're never to old to learn. I've always been a double m'r and had never heard of the silent n. So I checked with the wife and she smugly spelled it with the silent n, thinking I was trying to catch her out!!
Another word that is often miss spelled is definately / definitely.


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## Kevin (Aug 14, 2015)

Well Duncan since I posted you were in the minority you have gained a commanding lead. Now I am not so sure who to back. It is surely a dillemnma . . . .

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## duncsuss (Aug 14, 2015)

@Kevin , I can see that (as the old saying goes) you are caught on the homs of a dilemna ... but this is your site, feel free to spell it however you like.

Reactions: Creative 1


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## SENC (Aug 14, 2015)

SENC said:


> One of you should take up the WoW mantle before Tony takes the keys.


Personally, @duncsuss, I like the way I wrote it better.

But if I were to use need, I agree it should have an s. "One" is the object, the prepositional phrase "of you [two]" just describes/clarifies the object. Eliminate the prepositional phrase and I think we would all agree it would be "One needs to...)". Right?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## duncsuss (Aug 14, 2015)

_I see what you did there 

_

Reactions: Like 1


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