The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #60703   Message #972969
Posted By: GUEST,Q
26-Jun-03 - 06:44 PM
Thread Name: BS: Commonly misspelled/mispronounced words
Subject: RE: BS: Commonly misspelled/mispronounced words
Orientate and orientation have been with us since the 1830's at least.
Orientate seems to have first appeared in ecclestical writings- orientate the church, etc. Both orient and orientation are accepted by the OED.

Importatable goes back to the 14th century and Chaucer. Accepted in all its senses by the OED.

There are both grammatical reasons for preferences on aluminium and aluminum, as well as a decision by the American Chemical Standards Soc. to use aluminum. This has been discussed before, but I have forgotten the details.