Poll: a dilemma dilemna

[Majago]

I've never even heard of spelling it dilemna until your post.

Same here.

 

[Scarecrow]

Needs to be a a sticky at the top of the forum to say that if anyone hasn't got A levels in English then you are unable to post. All these topics about correct spelling is taking it a bit to far. I find myself spell checking everything now just to get taken seriously

 

[JodieO]

So does lose in my opinion(im sure many would disagree ) but it doesn't make it right

I was also taught it as dilemna, now both words look wrong though. Do you ever get that when you look at a word for so long it appers very odd?

 

[Saytan]

Needs to be a a sticky at the top of the forum to say that if anyone hasn't got A levels in English then you are unable to post. All these topics about correct spelling is taking it a bit to far. I find myself spell checking everything now just to get taken seriously

I dont have an a-level in english. In fact, i got a C at GCSE. Making an effort to spell correctly is key to being perceived well - spelling poorly subtracts credibility from your words.

 

[Nix]

I dont have an a-level in english. In fact, i got a C at GCSE. Making an effort to spell correctly is key to being perceived well - spelling poorly subtracts credibility from your words.

Words like 'dilemna'

 

[Saytan]

Words like 'dilemna'

There's a difference between being correct 100% of the time, and making an effort to be as correct as possible.

Also, Dilemna is such a common usage, it's a discussion point rather than an error.

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

I'd say that was making an effort, as it was an enquiry into which one was the correct spelling.

 

[divine`]

Also, Dilemna is such a common usage

So common it isn't in the dictionary, google corrects it and hardly anyone on here has heard of it? :/

 

[Nullvoid]

Also, Dilemna is such a common misusage, it's a discussion point rather than an error.

 

[Pookie Bear]

Do you pronounce it with an 'n' aswell?
"Die-Lem-Na"

If only we all spelt everything phonetically then it would be easier, eh? What about column, knife and psychic?

For the record, I've always spelt it dilemna - and it's not as if I can blame it on a particular school or country, as I was taught English in three different countries



edit - a quick search of these forums has 37 hits on the word "dilemna"

 

[Saytan]

So common it isn't in the dictionary, google corrects it and hardly anyone on here has heard of it? :/

yet so common i've never been corrected for using it throughout my academic career...

 

[Saytan]

edit - a quick search of these forums has 37 hits on the word "dilemna"

377 for dilemma.

 

[divine`]

yet so common i've never been corrected for using it throughout my academic career...

Considering m and n are imnediately next to each other, maybe it was just assumed you were a bit clumsy and it was a typo?

Even MS Word spell checker hates it

 

[Saytan]

Cpnsiderung m snd n are imnediately next to each other, maybe it was just assumed you were a bit clumsy and it was a typo?

how far can you take this?

 

[Rich_L]

Pocket OED here says 'dilemma' - that's how I've always spelt/seen it, can't say I've ever encountered it being spelt dilemna, unless someone forgot the extra 'n' in the second 'm'

I suspect the reason it's never been picked up is because it looks very similar (dilemma/dilemna) so a casual glance won't reveal the error, and in any event it's an understandable typo

 

[Burnsy2023]

I've never even heard or someone using dilemna, surely is just been spelt wrong and thats the end of it?

Burnsy

 

[Saytan]

incidentally - i appreciate the etymology and dictionary forms are all in favour of "dilemma"

 

[mks2005]

For some reason I thought it was dilemna too, although now that I think about it, it doesn't make sense.

 

[benjo plz.]

So common it isn't in the dictionary, google corrects it and hardly anyone on here has heard of it? :/

Someone has. I think it's one of these cases where a word has fallen out of use, and is unknown to the majority of people. Google isn't the end all and be all of truth .

 

[Reeve]

I was also taught it as dilemna, now both words look wrong though. Do you ever get that when you look at a word for so long it appers very odd?

I have had that a few times but i cant remember which words, i generally dont write/type anything outside this forum these days so i dont really think about it much anymore