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Why is travelled spelt with two L's?
Message de biquette64 posté le 09-01-2007 à 17:51:13 (S | E | F | I)
Hello,
I can't find a rule that would explain why the ending l of travel is doubled at the simple past.
The only rule I've found regarding the doubling of a consonant is related to one syllable words ending with consonant vowel consonant.
Thanks for your help!
Biquette
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Modifié par traviskidd le 18-01-2007 16:21
Capitalization of L in the title, and the addition of 's to denote the plural.
Message de biquette64 posté le 09-01-2007 à 17:51:13 (S | E | F | I)
Hello,
I can't find a rule that would explain why the ending l of travel is doubled at the simple past.
The only rule I've found regarding the doubling of a consonant is related to one syllable words ending with consonant vowel consonant.
Thanks for your help!
Biquette
-------------------
Modifié par traviskidd le 18-01-2007 16:21
Capitalization of L in the title, and the addition of 's to denote the plural.
Réponse: Why is travelled spelt with two l? de lucile83, postée le 09-01-2007 à 17:59:51 (S | E)
Hello,
Travel ....travelled is British = 2 "l"'s in English
Travel.....traveled is American = 1 "l" in American
See you
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Modifié par traviskidd le 18-01-2007 16:22
The plural of "l" is "l"'s.
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Modifié par lucile83 le 13-02-2007 07:38
Right travis ! sorry for that
Réponse: Why is travelled spelt with two l? de biquette64, postée le 09-01-2007 à 18:28:06 (S | E)
Thank you so much Lucile for this precision.
So it seems there is no rule to explain why "travelled" is spelt with 2_L's in British English, is there?
Regards.
Biquette
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Modifié par traviskidd le 18-01-2007 16:26
Réponse: Why is travelled spelt with two l? de hpesoj, postée le 18-01-2007 à 11:02:57 (S | E)
Well, I think the rule is that for multi-syllable words that go "consonant-vowel-consonant", where the final consonant is an "l" or an "r" you double up the last letter. I can't think of any exceptions, but I can definitely think of other words that follow the same pattern:
Unravelled
Appalled
Enthralled
Rappelled
Deferred
Incurred
Referred
Demurred
Réponse: Why is travelled spelt with two L's? de traviskidd, postée le 18-01-2007 à 16:38:25 (S | E)
The general rule is that if the last syllable is C-V-C and is stressed (or is the only syllable), then the final consonant is doubled. (However, "X" is never doubled, and "W" and "Y" are never doubled because they never act as consonants at the end of a word.)
Some exceptions are made for unstressed final C-V-C syllables:
- in British English, "L" is always doubled
- I personally would write "kidnapping" with two P's, but "galloping" with one.
- I'm not sure about "worship(p)ed", but I would lean toward 2 P's.
Réponse: Why is travelled spelt with two L's? de paradox17, postée le 12-02-2007 à 20:32:32 (S | E)
Lucile83, I'm afraid you are mistaken. I do not know what rules, origins, or locations decide this difference (as they both appear in the dictionary), but it is not a British/American difference. I rarely if ever have seen "travelled" spelled with one "l". (and I live in America)
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Modifié par willy le 12-02-2007 21:46
You may be right, as far as you yourself is concerned, but you can find details about that difference in all our British English dictionaries and grammar books.
"Travel" : vb travels, travelling, travelled or US travels, traveling, traveled (Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus).
"In British English, final "l" is doubled (after one vowel) even if the syllable is not stressed : travel, travelled ; equal, equalled.
In American English, final "l" is only usually doubled if the syllable is stressed. Compare : rebel, rebelled ; travel, traveled."
("Practical English Usage" by Michael Swan, OUP).
Réponse: Why is travelled spelt with two L's? de mp27, postée le 12-02-2007 à 21:42:51 (S | E)
hello paradox17!
Avant de conclure hâtivement que Lucile83 s'est trompée, je voudrais te donner une copie de ce que le 2005 Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (une autorité à respecter, tout de même) mentionne très clairement:
travelled, ---US USUALLY traveled
traveller, ---US USUALLY traveler
travelling,---US USUALLY traveling
traveller's cheque, ---US USUALLY traveler's check
C'est un fait.... et d'autres dictionnaires très respectables en disent autant.
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Modifié par lucile83 le 13-02-2007 07:40
Merci à willy et mp27 d'avoir cité des sources dignes de confiance
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Modifié par lucile83 le 13-02-2007 09:57
oops ! this is the English only forum !..shame on me! but well, thanks to willy and mp27 for their reliable quotations.
Réponse: Why is travelled spelt with two L's? de mp27, postée le 13-02-2007 à 16:08:12 (S | E)
Hello paradox17!
Sorry..., I have just realised I should have sent my post in English, so, I do apologize for not having done so.
By the way, the same dictionary (mentioned in my previous post) gives the verb to apologize with “ize” and adds
---> UK USUALLY “ise”.
I trust reliable sources.