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Word of the day June 4
The Word of the Day for June 4 is:
cacography • \kak-AH-gruh-fee\ • (noun) 1. bad spelling; 2. bad handwriting
A little more information about today’s word:
In its earliest use in the 16th century, "cacography" meant not "incorrect spelling" but "a bad system of spelling." Today people worry about misspelling words, but back then there was little need for such concern. English spelling was far from standardized; people spelled words any way that made sense to them. Not every one was happy with such laxity, however, and over the coming centuries spelling reformers pressed for regularization. Some reformers thought spelling should reflect the etymological background of words; others thought words should be spelled the way they sound. And of course, everyone believed his or her own way of spelling was the best! Our present inconsistent system was arrived at over time. Today "cacography" usually suggests deviation from the established standards.
My sentence:
"I always wanted to be a contestant in the National Spelling Bee," said Pat, "but an unfortunate tendency to cacography prevented me from qualifying."
Based on Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 10th Edition.
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