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Pedants' corner

Surely 'abscond' isn't a noun?

5 replies

MummyDoIt · 05/05/2008 20:59

Just watching the Panorama programme on prisons and they keep referring to 'absconds'. It sounds wrong but I can't think what the proper noun should be. Abscondings? Absconsions?

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stuffitall · 05/05/2008 21:00

absconsions
shame on panorama
that kind of talk really impacts me
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Indith · 05/05/2008 21:00

Absconders

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stuffitall · 05/05/2008 21:02

it's worse than that indith -- it's referring to the act of absconding not the person

the act carried out by an absconder is an absconsion

really hope i don't have to eat my trousers on this after shuddering so violently

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Indith · 05/05/2008 21:05

Oh! Got the wrong end of the stick there Yes the act of absconding results in an absconsion.

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MummyDoIt · 05/05/2008 21:13

Absconsions sounds much better. 'Absconds' reminds me of the dreadful 'invites' instead of 'invitations' which is one of my pet hates.

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