beaners Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) I don't know if I was taught it as dilemma or dilemna, but I can guarantee that I've read it as dilemna in books before. I had assumed it was an alternate spelling until I read about it on a forum a few years ago. I write it as dilemma. Isn't it a funny looking word if you stare at it for a while? Oops! Upstate NY public schools, 2003 graduate, 800 verbal score without knowing that lemma is a word! (Will they revoke it if they find out?) Edited November 17, 2011 by beaners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaryMelody Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I have always spelled it delemna as well. I really don't remember if I was taught it that way or not. Only that I've always spelled it with a "n". Until spell checkers came along. :tongue_smilie: 41, public school, Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Dilemma. Age 43, public school, not catholic How then, do these people spell the word "lemma"? I have never seen anybody spell that one wrong. What does lemma mean? I've never heard that word. I guess I could look it up on the dictionary, but I'd rather someone just tell me (too tired). I have never, ever seen nor heard it spelled with an "N". I didn't even realize it was an option, right or wrong. How interesting. :iagree: I have always spelled it "dilemma". I've never even heard of it spelled with an "n". I don't remember seeing it that way. I was born in 1967 and went to PS all the way through. Exactly this. :iagree:....right down to the year you were born. Public school too. Wisconsin. Not Catholic. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Oops! Upstate NY public schools, 2003 graduate, 800 verbal score without knowing that lemma is a word! (Will they revoke it if they find out?) Glad to know I'm not the only one! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 No, I understand about the children and it makes sense that they would just conclude that it is one of those crazy words, if that is the only form they see and if they are not taught Greek - but maybe their parents did question? Especially since the previous generation (of the children in Catholic schools) would have learned Greek and known that it cannot possibly be spelled with an N? Somebody would have raised a voice against it, sooner or later? How could it go for two decades without some sort of protest against it? I mean, how would it just start happening at once? It is confusing. :confused: I should research this more, I had no idea it was systematically happening once and it makes no sense so far as to WHY would one alter the spelling and why it would it not get noticed. My parents never learned Greek in Catholic school and I'm sure my grandparents didn't either. They learned Latin (I guess because Mass was in Latin). My parents never saw me spell "dilemna", I'm sure. When would they have? It isn't a word you write often, and especially not in grade school. Once I was in high school (where I still wouldn't have written it often), they weren't looking over my shoulder to check all my work. I'm also guessing plenty of people saw it spelled "dilemna" in books and noticed it was misspelled, but it would just be something you saw here and there and might not realize that all the children were somehow learning to spell it that way. I doubt anyone really noticed it was a problem. What I do wonder is if it was ever in a spelling book - "dilemna", because THAT seems like it would have raised a stink among the teachers, right?! That's why I want someone to make a movie about this - to get to the bottom of it. Could be called "The Dilemna Dilemma"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessa516 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I was taught "dilemna" (but pronounced dilemma). I now spell it dilemma. - public school in the 70s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaceman Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 With two m's. 26, public school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 So close to 50 that if I spit I would hit it, public school, Florida, not Catholic Dilemma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I do not ever remember seeing dilemma written as dilemna. Very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I don't think I have ever seen it spelled with an N. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) How odd. I wonder if it has something to do with the difficulty of reading two hand written "m"s in a row? The OED does not have an entry for "dilemna"! Google's nifty ngram viewer shows the word "dilemma" used in print roughly 100 times more frequently used than "dilemna" going back to about 1810. However, there are some significant uses in print, including an 1820 edition of "Tom Jones", so there is some history in the misuse of "dilemma". Interestingly, usage of "dilemna" seems to have grown after WWII, but peaked, and fallen off rapidly after about 1985. Perhaps the growth of automatic spell checkers has hastened the demise of "dilemna". Edited November 18, 2011 by GGardner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I spell it with the n. I went to school in the 80s. I'm sticking with my spelling!:tongue_smilie::tongue_smilie: But thanks for the information! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) dilemma 39 Public school in WV Never knew there was controversy until this thread. Wasn't there a similar controversy over a crayon labeled a weird color and a whole generation of people thinking pink was green, or something like that? Edited November 18, 2011 by KungFuPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I'm also guessing plenty of people saw it spelled "dilemna" in books and noticed it was misspelled, I've never seen it written with an "n" until this board today. Not in any book.... I'd notice a spelling error like that, as those are things I just notice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Dilemma, I've never noticed it written with an n before. Google's nifty ngram viewer shows the word "dilemma" used in print roughly 100 times more frequently used than "dilemna" going back to about 1810. However, there are some significant uses in print, including an 1820 edition of "Tom Jones", so there is some history in the misuse of "dilemma". Interestingly, usage of "dilemna" seems to have grown after WWII, but peaked, and fallen off rapidly after about 1985. Perhaps the growth of automatic spell checkers has hastened the demise of "dilemna". That's really interesting.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I've never seen nor heard of it being spelled dilemna. Always been a double m here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Lemma is a word? I never heard it before. I have always spelled and said dilemma with 2 ms. My dh, who did not attend Catholic school but is Catholic, has spelled and said it "dilemna" until eventually he asked me and I corrected him. :lol: It's a mathematical thing (I looked it up. :D). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) There are lots of words with silent letters in them. Here are some common silent 'n' words: **** Condemn Hymn Autumn Solemn Oops...can't use my first example on this forum. But you pronounce the 'n' in hymnal, autumnal and condemnation. And d@mnation, of course. Edited November 18, 2011 by darlasowders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Weird, I don't recall ever having seen it spelled with an 'n'. I've always spelled it dilemma. I did go to Catholic grade school, in the 70's, in California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majikmommie Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I was taught to spell it dilemna. 30, private Catholic elementary school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Dilemna. I attended catholic grade school in the early 80s. When I saw the title of this thread I wondered who would spell it with two ms - apparently the majority of people. I guess I need to switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I am in my 40"s, public school all the way in New York, and I have always spelled it dilemNa. I still do. I had no idea it was incorrect. As a matter of fact, I think the dictionary should be changed to include this alternate spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathymuggle Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Dilemna - Canada, age 39, mix of public and catholic school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 As a matter of fact, I think the dictionary should be changed to include this alternate spelling. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I have never seen it spelled that way and would giggle if I did. I would assume it to be a misspelling or a finger slip on the keypad. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Look, even Grammar Girl was taught to spell it wrong. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Look, even Grammar Girl was taught to spell it wrong. ;) Whew. N. Dilemma looks wrong to me. :glare: Well, I guess I need to make it mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 "Dilemma," always. I'm 47 and went to public school in California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I am 25, public-schooled in TX, and spell it dilemna. If I remember correctly, I think I learned it that way for UIL Spelling. When spelling it I pronounce the N in my head, but out loud pronounce it dilemma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 You forgot the option for "I spell it dilemna and I'm not changing even though everyone thinks I'm crazy!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 32, private Christian (protestant) school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I spelled it dilemna until spell check started correcting me. I'm sure I was taught that way. I vaguely remember learning it had a silent n and was just one of those words we had to remember. I was in public school in the 80s and 90s and I'm usually a very good speller. I spell it dilemma now but it feels wrong, but not as wrong as that red line under my dilemna feels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upward Journey Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Interesting. I ALWAYS go to write it as "Dilemna" see it spelled wrong, fix it and then go :001_huh: I really thought it had an "n" in it. Very weird. I actually have always been pretty good at spelling, and I find this odd. I wonder if I was taught it at one time with an "n"? :confused: 30, private Christian school 42, public schooled in the NE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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