Gonna Take A Judgmental Journey

Pardon the SJG, but sometimes this feeling comes over me, I read something that sets me off, and within seconds, the internal rant commences. I start gettin' all grammatican and ye olde English major in me takes over and well, I full-on become a Certified Grammar Bitch. Listen, I'm not the first to kvetch about this, and I won't be the last, but please, can someone spell judgment without the "e"? Anyone? Is it too much to ask? It's a personal pet peeve. I know, judgment looks funny without the "e." It's hard not to stick an "e" in there. I feel your pain. But try going through life with everyone sticking an "e" in your name and get back to me. There are people I've known for years, even decades, who still put an "e" on the end of Carol. Why? Don't they get it? I'm not Carole. I'm Carol without an "e." An "e" has no place at the end of Carol. Unless you're Carole King and by all means, keep that "e," you've earned it. Otherwise, an "e" in Carol is as unnecessary as an "e" smack dab in the middle of judgment.

Unless you hail from Great Britain, then go ahead, go "e" crazy, they won't stop you. In G.B. they love to stick an "e" in whenever the mood strikes. In G.B., there are plenty judgemental Caroles storming the castle.

And yet, according to Merriam W. (not to be confused with an ex-aunt named Miriam, the very first of my estranged relatives), "usage experts" have long disagreed over which spelling of judgment-judgement is the preferred one. The Oxford Dictionary favors the older and "more reasonable spelling." Merriam likes the more youthful "judgment." I'm with Merriam all the way. 

Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. Feel free to pass judgment on today's blog, but if you pass judgement, it will only count in the U.K.