Grammar Nazis, please help!

[ahurtt]

I got in a debate with a coworker on which spelling is the proper one for this word:

supercede or supersede

The obvious answer is one uses an 's' and the other a 'c.' But why? I find matches for both spellings in dictionary.com. What is the difference, if any, between the two spellings of this seemingly one word? Does it mean the same thing when spelled either way? When would a person use one as opposed to the other? Or are they pretty much interchangeable? And why are there two ways to spell what seems to be the same exact word?

 

[blackdogdeek]

if you found both words in dictionary.com, why didn't you just compare the definitions then?

 

[FoBoT]

word says that

supercede is not speeled correctly

and that supersede is correctly speeled

 

[Aikouka]

From Merriam-Webster
Supercede has occurred as a spelling variant of supersede since the 17th century, and it is common in current published writing. It continues, however, to be widely regarded as an error.

 

[cubby1223]

It's like the difference between gray and grey.

 

[Linflas]

OED says supersede.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: blackdogdeek
if you found both words in dictionary.com, why didn't you just compare the definitions then?

You could have just said, "I don't know."

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

From Merriam-Webster
Supercede has occurred as a spelling variant of supersede since the 17th century, and it is common in current published writing. It continues, however, to be widely regarded as an error.

Thanks.

 

[rivan]

I've always speeled it 'cede' and have always considered myself an amateur grammar nazi. Interesting.

 

[GasX]

Technically, you wanted to hear from a semantics or a spelling nazi. Grammer is abowt wurd yousage. But that is just me being particular about word choice.

 

[pontifex]

my guess would have been its similar to the s and z between US and British but i guess i would have been wrong.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: blackdogdeek
if you found both words in dictionary.com, why didn't you just compare the definitions then?

You could have just said, "I don't know."

my point is that you already did the exact same research that people in this thread are doing. so why start the thread?

 

[Midlander]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
Technically, you wanted to hear from a semantics or a spelling nazi. Grammer is abowt wurd yousage. But that is just me being particular about word choice.

Which, therefore, defines you. I assume that was your point. :beer:

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
Technically, you wanted to hear from a semantics or a spelling nazi. Grammer is abowt wurd yousage. But that is just me being particular about word choice.

Not really because part of my post posed the question about under what circumstances one might properly use which spelling which pertains to word usage in my opinion. But it's moot now since I now understand the 'c' spelling is technically regarded as incorrect. The question simply arose since I found matches for both spellings on dictionary.com. My question was more like, if both spellings can be correct, when would you use which one?

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: ahurtt
I got in a debate with a coworker on which spelling is the proper one for this word:

supercede or supersede

The obvious answer is one uses an 's' and the other a 'c.' But why? I find matches for both spellings in dictionary.com. What is the difference, if any, between the two spellings of this seemingly one word? Does it mean the same thing when spelled either way? When would a person use one as opposed to the other? Or are they pretty much interchangeable? And why are there two ways to spell what seems to be the same exact word?

from Merriam-Webster.com
Main Entry: su·per·cede
variant of SUPERSEDE
usage Supercede has occurred as a spelling variant of supersede since the 17th century, and it is common in current published writing. It continues, however, to be widely regarded as an error.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: ahurttBut it's moot now since I now understand the 'c' spelling is technically regarded as incorrect.

It is commonly treated as incorrect while technically not being so.