Dilemma or dilemna?

[mindatrisk]

How do you spell dilemma / dilemna?

It seems that there are a vast amount of people over different time periods and geographical locations that have been taught the incorrect spelling of 'dilemma' as 'dilemna', and who are shocked to discover that, having spelled the word as 'dilemna' for their whole lives, it is incorrect, and always has been.

Please, take the poll. And for further information check out the links below. I find this fascinating.

http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst326p3_Spelling-dilemna.aspx

http://dilemna.info

 

[Ian J]

It seems that there are a vast amount of people over different time periods and geographical locations that have been taught the incorrect spelling of 'dilemma' as 'dilemna',

It seems to be mainly Americans and they are renowned for abusing the English language

 

[mindatrisk]

It seems to be mainly Americans and they are renowned for abusing the English language

Not true in this case. People around the world spell dilemma as 'dilemna' in the certain belief that that is the correct spelling. Nothing to do with Americans.

 

[Jeff FV]

Never seen, heard or read it written as dilemna.

If you think about the word for a moment it soon becomes obvious that it must be dilemma:

a lemma is a proposition, or suggestion. As a prefix, "Di" means two, so dilemma means two propositions. When caught in a dilemma you have to chose one of two paths.

 

[mindatrisk]

Never seen, heard or read it written as dilemna.

If you think about the word for a moment it soon becomes obvious that it must be dilemma:

a lemma is a proposition, or suggestion. As a prefix, "Di" means two, so dilemma means two propositions. When caught in a dilemma you have to chose one of two paths.

Indeed, which makes it so amazing that so many people (and I mean, A LOT) have spelt it incorrectly for their whole lives in total certainty that it was correct never coming across the actual correct spelling. As the discussion in the link shows, this includes some highly educated people, including people highly educated in the English language, and including people who won spelling bees and such. There are a lot of very perplexed people around because of this. It makes for fascinating reading.

 

[MikeJ]

When was the last time you heard anyone use the word "Lemma"?

Apart from just then.

And when referring to the guy from Motorhead.

 

[garyk]

First I have ever heard of anyone using both written or spoken...ever, 'dilemna' if you say it as its spelt it doesn't even sound like die-lem-ah does it?

 

[mindatrisk]

First I have ever heard of anyone using both written or spoken...ever, 'dilemna' if you say it as its spelt it doesn't even sound like die-lem-ah does it?

No. As far ask've read most people who used 'dilemna' just assumed a silent 'n', although some people would roll the 'n' in to a pronunciation, or when recalling the correct spelling include the 'na' to help get it right. It's just quite amazing that so many people could for so long being getting a word so specifically wrong and never have been corrected either by someone else or by seeing it in a book or coming across it in a dictionary. I mean, for these people - and, as I said, this includes many highly educated individuals - this has been like discovering that 'the' is spelled 'tvhe' this whole time. And, to such a degree of confusion that some people have gone so far as to speculate some kind of parallel universe bleeding through... seriously!

 

[fisicx]

Never ever heard anyone use dilemna.

It's a US problem, everyone else in the world knows how to spell properly. Except rappers and gangstas

 

[mindatrisk]

Never ever heard anyone use dilemna.

It's a US problem, everyone else in the world knows how to spell properly. Except rappers and gangstas

Again, in this case, not true. If you read through the forum link above you will find many people from various English speaking countries all with the same spelling. And, again, some highly educated individuals. If this was just an American-ism then it would not be at all interesting.

 

[Ian J]

Do cars have hoods or bonnets; trunks or boots. It's a real dilemna

 

[Ian J]

If you read through the forum link above you will find many people from various English speaking countries all with the same spelling. And, again, some highly educated individuals. If this was just an American-ism then it would not be at all interesting.

The language is called English and was invented by ourselves. No-one in the UK has ever used the word dilemna or probably ever even heard of it but the Americans have a habit of taking the English language and bastardising it.

If the corrupt spelling has been used in other English speaking countries it will be because they have followed the American corruption rather than the correct spelling.

 

[mindatrisk]

Do cars have hoods or bonnets; trunks or boots. It's a real dilemna

You are missing the point. Most Americans spell 'dilemma' as 'dilemma'. Most British, Australians etc. spell 'dilemma' as 'dilemma'. However, a large portion have at once been brought up to the spell 'dilemma' as 'dilemNa' and have managed to live whole lives, sometimes in higher education roles, spelling this word incorrectly without ever noticing or being told that it was wrong. Again, for comparison, imagine if you discovered today that the correct spelling of 'the' was 'tvhe'. This is nothing at all to do with American spelling.

 

[fisicx]

Not sure you can say a large portion have at once been brought up to spell 'dilemma' as 'dilemNa'. Some US citizens may have been but not a large proportion.

Websters (the US OED) doesn't even list dilemna as a word.

 

[mindatrisk]

The language is called English and was invented by ourselves. No-one in the UK has ever used the word dilemna or probably ever even heard of it but the Americans have a habit of taking the English language and bastardising it.

If the corrupt spelling has been used in other English speaking countries it will be because they have followed the American corruption rather than the correct spelling.

Not true! Go to page 5 and see 'Ariane'...

http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst326p5_Spelling-dilemna.aspx

Many British people spell it 'dilemna'.

 

[mindatrisk]

Not sure you can say a large portion have at once been brought up to spell 'dilemma' as 'dilemNa'. Some US citizens may have been but not a large proportion.

Websters (the US OED) doesn't even list dilemna as a word.

Enough for it to be talked about and amazed at. The thing about the dictionary is what makes it so interesting.

 

[fisicx]

Many British people spell it 'dilemna'.

Some people spell it Dilemna - along with a load of other words the great unwashed can't manage.

 

[mindatrisk]

Some people spell it Dilemna - along with a load of other words the great unwashed can't manage.

http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst326_Spelling-dilemna.aspx

Read through this forum. You'll see many highly educated people have been making this mistake unaware for their whole lives. The mystery isn't a mis-spelling but how it could go so unnoticed for so long by so many.

 

[fisicx]

I'm not saying people don't spell it with an N. I'm just saying you can't extrapolate and say it's many or most people.

 

[mindatrisk]

I'm not saying people don't spell it with an N. I'm just saying you can't extrapolate and say it's many or most people.

I can if i've researched it! I didn't say 'most', though. 'Many' as in enough to make it worthy of discussion.

 

[fisicx]

There are discussions about the spelling of a huge number of words. This one is nothing special. It may be a widespread misconception but that doesn't mean it something the general population would consider it worthy of discussion.

So while it might be fun distraction the N spellers have been shown to be wrong

 

[mindatrisk]

There are discussions about the spelling of a huge number of words. This one is nothing special. It may be a widespread misconception but that doesn't mean it something the general population would consider it worthy of discussion.

So while it might be fun distraction the N spellers have been shown to be wrong

If it is not of interest to you then that is fine. But - having read into this quite a bit now - it is a unique instance. And given that that thread I provided the link for had tens of thousands of views, I suggest that there are people interested in this subject.

 

[Ian J]

Not true! Go to page 5 and see 'Ariane'...

http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst326p5_Spelling-dilemna.aspx

Many British people spell it 'dilemna'.

Ariane is wrong and I am British and have been for all of my long life and have never heard of anyone spelling dilemma incorrectly

 

[fisicx]

I suggest that there are people interested in this subject.

They were interested. There have been no contibutions for a while now.

 

[Ian J]

They were interested. There have been no contibutions for a while now.

And many of those contributions were extracting the urine anyway

 

[mindatrisk]

Ariane is wrong and I am British and have been for all of my long life and have never heard of anyone spelling dilemma incorrectly

And that is why it is interesting! Because there are people who spell it that way... quite a lot, in fact, and just as you have never seen their version, nor have many seen yours (the correct one), and that is why it is so fascinating.

 

[mindatrisk]

And many of those contributions were extracting the urine anyway

Hmmm, not really. There are other discussions elsewhere too.

 

[mindatrisk]

They were interested. There have been no contibutions for a while now.

I just came across this discussion the other day. I find it fascinating. It does seem like a genuine mystery. I'd love an explanation.

 

[UKSBD]

I'm in a bit of a dilemna now.
If I tell the truth it will make me look like one of the great unwashed

 

[mindatrisk]

I'm in a bit of a dilemna now.
If I tell the truth it will make me look like one of the great unwashed

It's okay! I can't say i'm certain, as it's not a word I can recall using much, but 'dilemna' seems more like the right spelling than 'dilemma' to me. You're not alone, even if you don't wash.

 

[john1989]

Why is the OP getting such a hard time?

If the discussion doesn’t interest you, just move on.


This misconception is not an American term. Americans spell it “dilemma” too.


I have had friends and colleagues spell the word as “dilemna”, instead of “dilemma”. These friends and colleagues are British, not American.


Even on UK Business Forums, the term “dilemna” is used:


http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/business-direction-dilemna.279314/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/trades-people-dilemna.316228/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/register-a-trademark-moral-dilemna.121851/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/vat-error-dilemna-do-i-go-route-a-or-route-b.320768/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/sell-trade-or-independently-dilemna.163343/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/rent-review-dilemna.221355/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/urgent-paye-self-assesment-dilemna.141508/



I won’t keep posting links to people who have spelled it “dilemna” on this site, however.

 

[Ian J]

I have had friends and colleagues spell the word as “dilemna”, instead of “dilemma”. These friends and colleagues are British, not American.

Who are you trying to fool. You're an accountant so you don't have any friends

 

[mindatrisk]

Why is the OP getting such a hard time?

If the discussion doesn’t interest you, just move on.


This misconception is not an American term. Americans spell it “dilemma” too.


I have had friends and colleagues spell the word as “dilemna”, instead of “dilemma”. These friends and colleagues are British, not American.


Even on UK Business Forums, the term “dilemna” is used:


http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/business-direction-dilemna.279314/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/trades-people-dilemna.316228/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/register-a-trademark-moral-dilemna.121851/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/vat-error-dilemna-do-i-go-route-a-or-route-b.320768/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/sell-trade-or-independently-dilemna.163343/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/rent-review-dilemna.221355/

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/urgent-paye-self-assesment-dilemna.141508/



I won’t keep posting links to people who have spelled it “dilemna” on this site, however.

Bless you, thank you.

 

[john1989]

Who are you trying to fool. You're an accountant so you don't have any friends

I know, even my imaginary friend wants nothing to do with me!

 

[fisicx]

not giving the OP a hard time, I just don't understand the question. There is the correct speling and there is an alternative that some people use. I don't have a problem with that but like many duscussions about spolling and gramma the oregons are lost in the mists of thyme and will proberbly neva get rissoled.

I literally LOLed, figuratively speaking.

 

[mindatrisk]

not giving the OP a hard time, I just don't understand the question. There is the correct speling and there is an alternative that some people use. I don't have a problem with that but like many duscussions about spolling and gramma the oregons are lost in the mists of thyme and will proberbly neva get rissoled.

I literally LOLed, figuratively speaking.

For me it is interesting because most of these people recall being taught to spell it as 'dilemna' at school, and then have gone on to use that spelling for decades in absolutely confidence that it is the correct spelling, never encountering the alternate spelling, never being corrected by someone else, only to one day discover that their spell-check has highlighted it as a incorrect. That this happens in a variety of locations, over decades of time, is interesting. It raises many, many questions, all of which have no obvious answer.

 

[fisicx]

I think the obvious answer is they were just taught the wrong spelling by a someone who were themselves misinformed.

Its like people who incorrectly use the word Proforma (or Pro forma) when they mean Form. They use the word because that's what they leaned and nobody has corrected them.

 

[japancool]

I haven't met anyone who spells it "Dillemna", and I frankly don't believe that "many" people have been taught the wrong spelling.

Maybe they're badly educated prostitutes who meant to write "Dial Emma".

 

[japancool]

There are plenty of these words, or perhaps more accurately, phrases out there.

"Mute point" vs. "moot point"
"Off my own back" vs. "off my own bat"

And people who spell "have" as "of".

 

[mindatrisk]

I haven't met anyone who spells it "Dillemna", and I frankly don't believe that "many" people have been taught the wrong spelling.

Maybe they're badly educated prostitutes who meant to write "Dial Emma".

Look in the OP and look at the first link.