Here's the word for the day:

Correspond?nce

The question is:  what should the question mark above REALLY be?
Should it be an "a" or an "e".  There are a couple of possible
meanings for the word, so does one use an "a" and the other an "e"?
(The two meanings I can think of are "the writing of letters" and
"a relationship between two objects" (e.g., 1:1).

Without first going to the dictionary, what do you say?

11 responses total.

I think it should only be "e" and never "a".  Anyone else?

 Yes, an e.

Definitely an "e".

Confusion between "ance" and "ence" is one of the commonest spelling
errors.  Here's a possible way to tell which should be used:  If the
word has an adjectival form ending in "nt", use "ence"; otherwise,
use "ance".  Examples:

    correspondent    -->    correspondence
    dependent        -->    dependence
    reticent         -->    reticence

On the other hand:

    alliance
    dalliance

(There are no such words as "alliant" or "dalliant".)

Every rule has exceptions, of course.

    reliant          -->    reliance

Rulez R made to be brokan.

I could answer this question without consulting the dictionary, but not
without first jotting it down on paper and seeing it written.

I don't suppose it matters to which family, noun or verb, the word belongs.
Unless there is sufficient word-inbreeding, as happens only in certain 
restricted intellectual and literary circles.

Personally, I don't find seeing the word all that helpful most of the time.
I grew up as a TERRIBLE speller, now am (I believe) above average.  For me
it seems to involve a kind of internal kinesthetic/auditory sensation...
(I hope that's spelled right.)

Interesting that ?nce was singled out - my guess is that i/able is worse for
many people.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this one?:  We have words ending "ence" and
words ending "ency".  Then there are those which sit on the fence.  What
comes to mind is "competenc?" - I unhesitatingly stick to "ce", but I sure
hear "cy" a lot.  Similarly with "impotenc?" (but I don't recall ever
encountering "potence", only "potency").  Note that "emergency" and "emergence
"
seem to be totally different in meaning.  (I started to say "unrelated" but
backed down on that.)  Does anyone ever say "efficience"?

Honestly, this has bugged me for ***years*** now - more than 15 years to my
certain knowledge.  If anyone has any thoughts I'd LOVE to hear them.

(That's if they're germane.  Thoughts along the lines of "why would you ever
worry about something like THAT?" are most unwelcome.)

My dictionary notes that the -y suffix is "a suffix of various origins
used in the formation of action nouns from verbs."  Emergency
certainly denotes more action than emergence.

If you can't emerge, it's sometimes an emergency.  (Reflection on the
sudden appearance, almost 26 months ago, of Paul Bryan Lovelace, 5 weeks
earlier than expected, by emergency C-section.)

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