XP: Written Word/English Language&Reading Material

Aimless thought on a slow, rainy day.

It comes to mind that "tend" is part of numerous other, non-hyphenated words e.g. contend, pretend, distend, portend, superintend, extend, intend, and so on.

Probably quite common with other words in the English language e.g., pend, right, etc., etc.

. . . . . Pete
 
It's from the latin for stretch or extend. Most prefixes and suffixes have such meanings and, in the future, you can easily google them yourself. I don't think "intend
 
catcartn.jpg
. . . . . Pete
 
From grammarphobia...

Q: “Panini” and “biscotti” are plurals in Italian, but I often hear them as singulars in English. When words like these are relatively recent additions to English, what are the proper singulars and plurals?

A: As of this writing, “biscotto” and “panino” are the singular forms; “biscotti” and “panini” are the plurals.
Click to expand...

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

From grammarphobia...

Q: “Panini” and “biscotti” are plurals in Italian, but I often hear them as singulars in English. When words like these are relatively recent additions to English, what are the proper singulars and plurals?

A: As of this writing, “biscotto” and “panino” are the singular forms; “biscotti” and “panini” are the plurals.
Click to expand...

. . . . . Pete
Click to expand...

What is your thinking on cannolo/cannoli?
 
At very fancy restaurants I am sometimes served a single square pasta 'pocket' with filling. Raviolum? Or is that Latin and in Italian it would be raviolo?
 
Speaking of ending vowels, it's curious how native Italians, when speaking English, rebel against the fact that so many English words end in consonants, and feel the need to append a vowel.

As in "Whena speaking Englisha," etc.

Speakers of other Latin languages don't seem to have the same impulse.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
At very fancy restaurants I am sometimes served a single square pasta 'pocket' with filling. Raviolum? Or is that Latin and in Italian it would be raviolo?
Click to expand...

Yup. That is a raviolo, just as a single long cylindrical pasta strand is a Spaghetto.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Speaking of ending vowels, it's curious how native Italians, when speaking English, rebel against the fact that so many English words end in consonants, and feel the need to append a vowel.

As in "Whena speaking Englisha," etc.

Speakers of other Latin languages don't seem to have the same impulse.
Click to expand...

Sure, English was not spoken that well in Italy at one time, but that sounds more like a vaudeville caricature. Not my experience.
 
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Speaking of ending vowels, it's curious how native Italians, when speaking English, rebel against the fact that so many English words end in consonants, and feel the need to append a vowel.

As in "Whena speaking Englisha," etc.

Speakers of other Latin languages don't seem to have the same impulse.
Click to expand...

Sure, English was not spoken that well in Italy at one time, but that sounds more like a vaudeville caricature. Not my experience.
Click to expand...

The other day I picked up a mixed case from Vino Vero and, lo and behold, they spoke to me in vaudeville caricaturese.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Speaking of ending vowels, it's curious how native Italians, when speaking English, rebel against the fact that so many English words end in consonants, and feel the need to append a vowel.

As in "Whena speaking Englisha," etc.

Speakers of other Latin languages don't seem to have the same impulse.
Click to expand...

Sure, English was not spoken that well in Italy at one time, but that sounds more like a vaudeville caricature. Not my experience.
Click to expand...

The other day I picked up a mixed case from Vino Vero and, lo and behold, they spoke to me in vaudeville caricaturese.
Click to expand...

I thought they had learned Portuguese. Anyway, when I was there I spoke Italian so I couldn't say. But everyone should try to support their small, local retailers (at least those that are still open), as you do.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
At very fancy restaurants I am sometimes served a single square pasta 'pocket' with filling. Raviolum? Or is that Latin and in Italian it would be raviolo?
Click to expand...

And of course had it actually been a singular raviolum, the plural would have been raviola.
 
Cole, my understanding (not my thinking) is that you are right with "cannolo/cannoli".

My original post on this topic arose from my seeing biscottis as the plural and thinking that's just not right; thus, my seeking reference material. Having said that, I did see some support for biscottis as the plural of biscotti...horrors!

. . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Cole, my understanding (not my thinking) is that you are right with "cannolo/cannoli".

My original post on this topic arose from my seeing biscottis as the plural and thinking that's just not right; thus, my seeking reference material. Having said that, I did some support for biscottis as the plural of biscotti...horrors!

. . . . Pete
Click to expand...

Honestly, I find the double plural far less annoying (to my ears, at least, accustomed to hearing Italian for years) than the use of the Italian plural (e.g., pannini) as a singular noun. Both are wrong, but that doesn't stop anyone from using them on menus.
 
Thank you, Mark and Cole.

I have heard the comic opera accent only occasionally (in NYC). I always supposed it was someone who did not have much training in English and was doing his best to shape the words the way he knew to do in Italian.
 
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