One of the important functions of my job profile is to check the accuracy of facts and language.
To check facts, I do a lot of Googling so much so that the search engine, mistaking me for a robot, often makes me jump over human-verification hoops!
To check the accuracy of language, I turn to online dictionaries.
When I began my career in the pre-computer era, we had just one dictionary on the desk, and all of us went by that. It used to be mostly Oxford.
Today, we have at least six well-known dictionaries that are just a click away. But sometimes that has only made the task difficult.
Though all of them give us the same meaning, there are inconsistencies, especially in usage. Here is a good example.
Home town or hometown?
These dictionaries say it's two words
And these say it's one word
Lexico.com is a collaboration between Dictionary.com and Oxford University Press. But still, Lexico and Dictionary.com differ.
Longman says it's two words in British English and one word in American English.
Macmillan and Collins say it can be either two words or one word.
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteThe construction used depends on context within the sentence.
"Dunoon is my home town."
"Derek, from Dunoon, travelled widely but was still a hometown boy at heart."
Does that help? The latter formation used to be hyphenated, but Americanisation hits even British English and things like hyphens are considere a nuisance... What does concern me on the matter you raise via this one example, is that so many words are now gaining dictionary recognition simply because they are in 'common usage'. Where does that leave grammar? I know language migrates - but I am surprised that Cambridge and Collins (or indeed, Oxford) didn't explain what I just did. YAM xx
Hi Yamini - What you have explained is the way it generally is -- two words when it's a noun, and one word when it is an adjective.
DeleteYou are right, what is two words or hyphenated in British English, is geneally one word in American English.
Yes, dictionaries aren't very clear on this.
Hi Pradeep - well you had me going off and having a look around ... I went to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable - it has the origins of many subjects and words. I always look at the older versions of reference books ... mine is from 1970 ... a centenary version. Too many modernisations so often occur - the source is better ... in my case only going back to the 60s/70s! But I'm always disappointed in later versions.
ReplyDeleteLooks like home town should be two words, but no doubt amalgamated over time - to hometown. Town was a settlement ... and the Home aspect was a gathering of people - see email to you for link: ColdwellBanker blog. So originally separate.
I guess home town is American, Home Town is English. So Longman is right ... by the look of it.
I didn't know that was what you were specialising in ... good to know and fascinating! Cheers Hilary
Hi Hilary,
DeleteThanks for this detailed comment.
Yes, American usage is generally one word; and the British version tends to either two words or hyphenated.
I generally type such words in google. I'll go with whichever is used most in the top 10 results :)
ReplyDeleteDestination Infinity
Hi Rajesh - Sometimes, I too do the same thing ... Go by what is most popular.
DeleteI'd go with either way - depending on how it's used. My home town is my hometown. English is a weird language indeed! Merry Christmas Pradeep - hope it's a blessed time shared with family xx
ReplyDeleteHi Leanne - Yes, it looks like both forms are acceptable, thought the dictionaries aren't very clear on that.
DeleteThanks for a lot for the Xmas wishes. Wish you and family too a Merry Christmas.
I am not good in English. I did not go to Harvard. Sometimes, this Google very clearly confuses me. There was a TV Series called Home Town. But the description of that series in Google says: Home Town 's Ben and Erin Napier expand their horizons beyond their hometown of Laurel, MS
ReplyDeleteHi SG - Inconsistencies are disconcerting. ... Of course, in casual writing inconsistencies don't matter, but when it comes to official or formal write-ups , there has to be consistency in usage.
DeleteI always thought hometown would be an adjective, and home town if you're using it as anything else. But I have no idea if that's right or what. I mean, the dictionaries can't even agree on what's correct!
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanne - Exactly, when even dictionaries aren't consistent, then it becomes a bit confusing!
DeleteHere, we generally go by Lexico (which is a part of Oxford).
I would guess it's a usage thing, but I admit I probably wouldn't look it up unless I was writing something formally. Which doesn't help you at all, does it?
ReplyDeleteThis article was fun to read :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lijo - Thanks.
DeleteI would request that you write a blog on words with contrary meanings and some that have totally different meanings! A discourse on 'language for language sake' :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lijo - I am sure there are quite a few. And it would be good fun exploring them. Let me see.
DeleteYour career sounds both challenging and rewarding. ~nods~ And I like Lijo's idea! I'm a grammar geek in my limited, English-only speaking manner. :)
ReplyDeleteHere is something you might find interesting. We just subscribed to a YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/LostinthePond, in which a fellow shares his experiences after moving from the United Kingdom to the USA. He presents interesting differences (often linguistic) with great humor. Best wishes!
I share you confusion, Pradeep. I do a lot of proofreading and am constantly having to check on usage and this one word/two word issue. I think the best thing these days is just to accept English is always in a state of flux and to simply make sure you are consistent in your usage. It's hard to make a choice, though, especially when dictionaries contradict each other!
ReplyDelete