On Wed, 14 May 2008 11:00:08 -0500, Peter H. Coffin wrote:
> On Wed, 14 May 2008 15:20:03 +0100, Jennie Kermode wrote:
>> I can't answer this one.
>> Donald says "Is there a word for when you have two words which
>> have the same meaning, the same pronunciation, and a different
>> spelling?" His example is 'tacit'/'tacet', which I'd pronounce
>> differently myself, but his point is still an interesting one.
>> Personally I figure that there's unlikely to be a metalinguistic term
>> for something which only occurs in one instance. He can't think of any
>> other examples offhand. Can any of you?
>
> I think this particular case is a parallel derivation. Tacit is (in my
> dictionary, at least) derived from /tacetus/, which is the perfect
> participial form of /tacere/ "to be silent". Perhaps tacet should be for
> non-past unmentionables and tacit for things already not talked about?
"/tacitus/", dammit. I'm getting myself confused.
--
People who are willing to rely on the government to keep them safe are
pretty much standing on Darwin's mat, pounding on the door, screaming,
'Take me, take me!'
-- Carl Jacobs in the Monastery
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