Termyn8or
Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
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I'd have to agree with exp here, but then there is yet another way of looking at it.
consent-ual the suffux is obvious.
con-sensual which would be the word sensual with the 'con' prefix
I am not saying that the latter is correct, I am just saying that the letters do indeed "add up" do they not ? But then this is English, or something close as I am in the US. Kinda close anyway.
While I agree with exp's explanation of consensual being rooted from the word consensus, and that is probably the correct assessment, the letters still do "add up" the other way. I think this one of the many twists in the English language.
Now if you were to take my breakdown of the word consensual, it would not be a synonym for consentual, just a homonym. At least IMO. However if you take exp's breakdown of the word, which is probably the correct, or at least "accepted" version, then I think they would be both synonyms and homonyms.
Taking that definition I think the words are probably fairly unique in that their spelling is so close. Another set of such words are ketchup and catsup, but their spellings are nowhere near as close. But they are indeed homonyms as well as synonyms.
Years ago I heard there was actually a difference between catsup and ketchup, but I never got a clear picture of what that difference was supposed to be.
By one vote this country adopted English as the official language, it was almost Gerrman. I wonder if we would have bastardised it like we did English. But really I can't place the blame for the consensual/consentual thing on Americans. I think it is more inherent in the language, and as such, logically I consider it a flaw.
When you have a question like this, and it is starting to look like nobody is going to find a definitive answer because there is none. The spelling of the word bears the meaning, if it doesn't the language is useless.
Of course this is a minor flaw, but it is a real one. And the finer points of the language are intricate. The words born and borne. I'm sure that few can actually explain the difference between an engine and a motor. I can. Motors by the strict definition of the word convert some form of energy to motion. What distinguishes them from engines is that even if they are optimized to be motors, many electric motors can function as a generator if the shaft is turned by an external force. A motor that runs on compressed air can usually be used as an air pump. But your car has an engine. It is not a motor because if it were truly a motor you could roll backwards down a hill and the exhaust would suck in pollution, at the same time recreate gasoline which could be put back in your gas tank.
So really the difference between consensual and consentual is definable (somehow) by those who pay attention. But most people are unconcerned with such subtleties and if you type it, they will read it the same. So I guess you can spell it whichever way you feel like.
And yes I know that last sentence is technically grammatically incorrect, but I'll let it stand.
Now if someone wants to clear up the catsup/ketchup thing, it's probably best to start another thread.
T
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RE: Spelling help - 
Now we got the same word spelled multiple ways.
I'm scared to look up "lol" it might get in the dictionary eventually.
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