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Conference thebay::joyoflex

Title:The Joy of Lex
Notice:A Notes File even your grammar could love
Moderator:THEBAY::SYSTEM
Created:Fri Feb 28 1986
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1192
Total number of notes:42769

627.0. "[In|En]quiry?" by AYOV27::ISMITH (Tauro-Scatological Expletive) Thu Feb 23 1989 10:36

    			Inquire vs Enquire
    
    Which does one use where, and why?  Discuss.
    
    
    Ian.
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627.1fixed.MARVIN::MACHINThu Feb 23 1989 13:125
    
    Simple. Use the Insurance/Assurance rule, taking into account the
    avoidance of flying negatives principle.
    
    Richard.
627.2Will that insure success?AYOV27::ISMITHTauro-Scatological ExpletiveThu Feb 23 1989 13:589
.1�< Note 627.1 by MARVIN::MACHIN >
.1�                                  -< fixed. >-
.1�
.1�    Simple. Use the Insurance/Assurance rule, taking into account the
                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    
    which is...?
    
    Ian.
627.3en/inIOSG::LAWMThat&#039;s just the way it is!Thu Feb 23 1989 14:5211
    
    An `inquiry' is usually an official investigation; an `enquiry'
    is a question.
    
    I don't know about the insurance/assurance example, but ensure/insure
    is a similar problem.  To `ensure' is to make sure of; to `insure'
    is to take out an insurance policy.
    
    Mat.
    *:o)
    
627.4unless you're American ...IOSG::LAWMThat&#039;s just the way it is!Thu Feb 23 1989 14:569
    
    As a postscript to .3, I have a feeling that this may be different
    in American English....
    
    Yup!  Just checked my Webster's, and found that enquiry/inquiry
    are synonymous, with inquiry being the preferred form.
    
    Mat.	<--- who speaks English English
    *:o)   
627.5we've had this before?COMICS::DEMORGANRichard De Morgan, UK CSC/CSTue Feb 28 1989 18:012
    We've had this one before - there is a difference in English English.
    .3 is correct.