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I have two word questions.
I always want use the word 'orientated', where others use oriented.
I prefer the sound of the latter but was always under the impression that the former is correct.
What do you say?
Second.....it seems that the pronunciation of the word affluent has changed over the years.
It seems that it used to have the stress on the first syllable and now I hear, even NPR hosts saying affluent with the stress on the flu.
Am I mistaken?
According to AskOxford.com, “orientated†is preferred in British use, “oriented†in U.S. and technical use.
The American Heritage Book of English Usage agrees with you that some people use the alternate pronunciation of “affluent." I guess I've missed it.
For "orientated" "oriented" check out the AWWW Newsletter for June 9, 2008.
Similar to the stress shift of "afluent," I have been hearing many pronouncing “comparable†as compare-able rather than with the stress on the first syllable, and a reduced vowel in the second syllable. (Am. Her. 4th ed.) I believe that initial stress is the historic pronunciation, but the newer pronunciation seems more regular.
Likewise, “incomparable,†and, much less, “indefatigable,†and others. (Yes, I really DO hear people mispronouncing “indefatigable.â€)
I suppose the power of the common root association is influencing the pronunciation. People seem to moving away from historical shifts in stress and the accompanying vowel shifts associated. Many seem to be moving the pronunciation to the stress placement and vowel pattern of the more familiar related word.
Could it be that people don't hear these kinds of words spoken as much as before, with sound bites replacing speeches, lectures, and sermons? So educated people encounter these words more in print, and devise / revise the pronunciation?
Brits seem to have more tendency to usually stress the third last syllable in four-syllable words (excluding words that stress the next-to-last syllable). It seems to be almost a rule with them. Recently I heard one say "di-FIC-ulty". Over here it seems more common to stress the first syllable.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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