From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!hou5f!hou5b!hou5c!hou5e!ihw
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Title: about those -ate verbs
Article-I.D.: hou5e.244
Posted: Thu Feb 24 09:10:35 1983
Received: Fri Feb 25 03:39:01 1983
References: alberta.219

Not all verbs ending in -ate with synonyms of identical root not ending in -ate
are non-standard.  Some examples cited here of alleged abuses of -ate are, in 
fact, perfectly okay, to wit, 'orientate' and 'administrate'.  If I recall
correctly, 'orientate' was the original word; it was later shortened to 'orient'.

I am fervently in favor of protecting our language, especially from the 
standpoint of rejecting unnecessary neologisms while preserving and encouraging
its tremendous ability to give speech its fine nuances, but there are still 
cases where a word or phrase looks as though it should be wrong according to
our 'modern' sensibilities, yet it is correct (if only for 'historical'
reasons).

				Irwin Walkenfeld
				ABI - Holmdel