Comments on: I’m a Friend of “al” — A Rant

By: Patrick Primate

Patrick Primate — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:51:15 +0000

Great post Kent – I was just starting to notice this trend this past week :S It’s good to hear that I’m not alone in thinking that it is awkward and unnecessary.

Alas, as with much else in life, ridiculous trends gain more traction than deserved. I for one will respond by ignoring this trend and retaining my “-al” unless forced to drop it for a good reason.

Pat

By: Jean Costello

Jean Costello — Fri, 01 May 2009 22:47:59 +0000

Ah Kent – you heretical you!

By: thorn

thorn — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:54:26 +0000

does the demise of ‘academical’, render it possible that the noun-preceding adjective could then become ‘academicly’?

it’d take awhile, because english orthography’s pretty conservative, but still. geez. just thinking about it makes my teeth hurt.

By: Doug Parker

Doug Parker — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:05:16 +0000

Hi John,

As an ex Wahoo, I can tell you that I was as charmed by the use of the word “academical” as I was by Jefferson’s serpentine brick walls and the honor code.

It is ironic then that I would one day end up working for a journal that lops off –al
with the enthusiasm of a 1920s G-Man…

Really enjoy the site– thanks to all who contribute!

By: John Sack

John Sack — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:21:01 +0000

Anyone who has spent much time at University of Virginia will know that “academical” (as in Jefferson’s ‘academical village’) is alive and well:

http://www.virginia.edu/academicalvillage/

(A Google search will also turn up the Academical Village People…)

I haven’t been to UVa for years, and I wonder if there are debates about ‘academic’ vs. ‘academical’.

By: Kent Anderson

Kent Anderson — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:47:15 +0000

Thanks, Megan. Thanks for spotting the typo. In any rant, there’s bound to be one. I’ve fixed it now. And I’m sure you caught that my use of “agenda are” was tongue-in-cheek, a way of pointing out that “data are” is probably also similarly anachronistic. In any event, glad you enjoy reading, and a great first comment! Hope there are more in the future from you!

By: Megan Prikhodko

Megan Prikhodko — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:20:06 +0000

Hello Kent,
This is my first time commenting, but I’ve been a reader for awhile.

It is refreshing to read that someone else considers the aesthetic value of words when writing. Abbreviation is a huge trend and, although I am guilty of it, it casts modern language as either too functionally driven or simply lazily formed. I am all for finding the most practical form of communication, but not at the loss of sufficient sophistication and flow. Your comment, “The human mouth prefers to end words in neutral positions,” is absolutely true and is one of the facts that so few people account for when writing.

However, the frustrating part of criticizing others’ writing is that they’ll be quick to hold a microscope to yours. I don’t think you meant to say: “I should be ‘mythological,’” since you’re surely not a unicorn. Further, your use of agenda: “Unless your agenda are about purity of Latin plurals” represents the older understanding of agenda as a plural. As dictionary.com clarifies: “Agenda, ‘things to be done,’ is the plural of the Latin gerund agendum and is used today in the sense ‘a plan or list of matters to be acted upon.’ In that sense it is treated as a singular noun; its plural is usually agendas: The agenda is ready for distribution. The agendas of last year’s meetings are printed in the official minutes. The singular agendum, meaning ‘an item on an agenda,’ is rare.”

From one grammar hound to another, maybe we should just let it go.