58 2. Dropping of silent -e (see "dropping of silent -e" in topic 1.17). Exceptions: a. After u: bluey gluey tissuey b. In words that are not well established in the written language, where the retention of -e helps to clarify the sense: cagey dikey pricey cottagey matey villagey dicey pacey Note also holey (distinguished from holy); phoney (of unknown origin). 3. Insertion of -e- when -y is also the final letter of the stem: clayey skyey sprayey wheyey Also in gooey. 4. Adjectives ending in unstressed -ey (2 (a) and (b) and 3 above) change this -ey to -i- before the comparative and superlative suffixes -er and -est and the adverbial suffix -ly, e.g. cagey: cagily matey: matily pricey: pricier dicey: dicier pacey: pacier phoney: phonily gooey: gooier Before -ness there is variation, e.g. cagey: cageyness matey: mateyness, phoney: phoniness clayey: clayeyness matiness wheyey: wheyiness 1.48 y or i =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There is often uncertainty about whether y or i should be written in the following words: Write i in: Write y in: cider gypsy cipher lyke-wake dike lynch law 58
|