Wednesday, May 25. 2005
Ferment/Foment
David Patel wrote me a nice reply to my post yesterday about his use of the word "ferment" in a radio report. Apparently, Microsoft's Encarta is in the "common use defines correctness" camp. Encarta defines Ferment:
Although David did say he would use "foment" in the future, as it is more correct.
(Note that MS defines it as both transitive and intransitive. Other dictionaries define it as intransitive only)
BTW - David is in Amman. Jordan, not sitting in an ivory tower at Stanford.
vti (past fer·ment·ed, past participle fer·ment·ed, present
participle fer·ment·ing, 3rd person present singular fer·ments)
1. subject to fermentation: to subject something to fermentation, or be
subjected to fermentation
2. stir up: to stir up somebody or something, or be stirred up
3. develop: to cause, develop or evolve something, or be developed or
evolved
Her brain was continually fermenting new schemes.
Although David did say he would use "foment" in the future, as it is more correct.
(Note that MS defines it as both transitive and intransitive. Other dictionaries define it as intransitive only)
BTW - David is in Amman. Jordan, not sitting in an ivory tower at Stanford.
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