"Martin Rowley" wrote in message
...

The one that really irritates me is "lightening" for "lightning".
Will (meteorologist and speller)

... it used to annoy me, until I started reading some old texts where
the word was used all the time to describe the phenomenon. Then
looking it up in the "Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology", it has
this against 'lightning':

" discharge of electricity between groups of cloud .. Special use of
'lightening' (etc.)". Apparently has roots in Middle English.

Obviously in modern usage, it is a mis-spelling, but perhaps not quite
a 'hanging offence'!

Martin.



Well I never, thanks Martin.

Will
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