NOBODY can spell ambience any more.
No-one.
Not anyone who writes for any of the local Beijing expat magazines, anyway.
What's with that? You'd think that people would notice the connection with phrases like ambient temperature...... which, mercifully, nobody seems to misspell yet.
It is another sign of the inexorable decline of civilization, I fear.....
And it BUGS THE CRAP OUT OF ME.
2 comments:
Froog, my friend, this is one of those extraordinarily rare occasions on which I believe you are mistaken with regard to some aspect of spelling, syntax, grammar or the like.
Check out your 'Larousse' - assuming that you accept that this word has been lifted hook, line and sinker from the language of Voltaire (as its identical meaning in both languages suggests) you will see that it is indeed 'ambiance' and not 'ambience'.
Both 'ambient' and 'ambiance' are doubtless crafted from the same classical root (your call on that, since you are the Classicist) but since the latter has found its way into the English language via the French its spelling is indeed the French version.
When people start referring to 'ambiant temperature' we are indeed in trouble.
Interestingly - and unsurprisingly - I now find that the OED agrees with you (funny how I have a dictionary to hand for just about every language in the civilised world except my own!) The root, according to my mini OED, is the 'French or Latin Ambire go round'.
I am shocked to have been part of the decline of civilisation. I guess I shall now have to start referring to the 'Am-bee-yurnts' of a restaurant rather than its 'Om-bee-yonse' as I ask to look at their 'Bill of Fare' rather than their 'Menu' :-)
I recently came across a book in the local bookshop called 'China: a history' by Robert (?) Keay. Any good? I seek only a Cook's tour...
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