Parent vs Apparent

OK, why-o-why do the vowels disappear from apparent when they’re inserted in the word parent?
McBudd? 

(by Marc
for group greggshorthand)


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9 comments Add yours
  1. That's the reason.

    The ending -rent was regularized in Anniversary as "r-e-nt", for the most part (it was worse in the 1916 dictionary). The general rule used in Anniversary was to insert the circle vowel before the -nt, as it is an easy joining to make and improves legibility (there are some exceptions, like words ending in -vent). However, since "apparent" comes from "appear", and since "appear" is an abbreviated word (in this case a brief form), only the -nt is used, and further, since the brief form of "appear" ends with the last consonant of the word (r), the ending can be joined to the brief form. Hence "apparent" is a-p-r-nt: no e and joined -nt. The word "parent" doesn't come from "par", hence you need to write the e.

    Now you could explain why "consistent" is written with a disjoined -nt and no circle vowel. Hopefully this "apparent" discrepancy will become clear, :-).

  2. "Parent" is derived from partiri, which means "to bring forth." It is unrelated to "apparent."

    Of course, shorthand outlines are generally based on sound, not etymology; but in the case of the Anniversary outline for "apparent" etymological connection has taken priority over sound.

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