Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 09:33:51 -0700

From: Dan Alford dalford[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]S1.CSUHAYWARD.EDU

Subject: Re: tardys vs. tardies



Fascinating, Tom! This is a direct analogy in *spelling* to the whole

discussion on mouses/mice in pronunciation.



The real sticker, of course, is why would a word like this resist the

powerful rule for a majority of cases, where y - ies. What has

historically made writers hesitate here? Visual analogy to 'todays', as

in "All our todays are fleeting"?



What are some other, perhaps less arcane, -y words that - -ys? Do they

form a class of some sort?



On Tue, 19 Sep 1995, Tom Uharriet wrote:



A student is marked tardy again for being late to class. Does s/he

ask, "How many _tardys_ do I have now?" or

"How many _tardies_ do I have now?"



I see it in local print both ways. Neither is in the dictionary. Is

one spelling "right"?





Tom Uharriet

utom[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]admn.712.nebo.edu