Is there currently a shift from -nce word endings to -ncy word endings?





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This is something I think I've noticed, but maybe I've just been noticing odd word choices and putting it down to a shift in language use. Has anyone noticed a shift from people using verb-derived nouns ending in -nce, to their equivalents ending in -ncy? Seems to be an American English thing.



For example, I've just read a scientific paper from a Washington-based research group, in which they use the word "resiliency", rather than "resilience". I'm sure I've noticed other words like this from time to time, but can't think of any more examples.






nouns suffixes







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  • Definitely noticed it, and have for years.
    – Jim Mack
    2 days ago










  • If you put that word into a phrase, you can use Google Books NGram Viewer to look at historical usage—which will suggest something. (But you'd need to look at many different words and many different contexts to conclude anything meaningful.)
    – Jason Bassford
    2 days ago












  • Good point, just looked at the ngram viewer and "resiliency" seems to be much more common in American English. However, there's also a general increase in the use of "resilience" across the board
    – Tim Foster
    2 days ago










  • Due diligency, one should also look at the opposite trend. As it happens, all of the -nce words I checked had obsolete -ncy variants.
    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago

















up vote
2
down vote

favorite
1












This is something I think I've noticed, but maybe I've just been noticing odd word choices and putting it down to a shift in language use. Has anyone noticed a shift from people using verb-derived nouns ending in -nce, to their equivalents ending in -ncy? Seems to be an American English thing.



For example, I've just read a scientific paper from a Washington-based research group, in which they use the word "resiliency", rather than "resilience". I'm sure I've noticed other words like this from time to time, but can't think of any more examples.






nouns suffixes







share|improve this question






















  • Definitely noticed it, and have for years.
    – Jim Mack
    2 days ago










  • If you put that word into a phrase, you can use Google Books NGram Viewer to look at historical usage—which will suggest something. (But you'd need to look at many different words and many different contexts to conclude anything meaningful.)
    – Jason Bassford
    2 days ago












  • Good point, just looked at the ngram viewer and "resiliency" seems to be much more common in American English. However, there's also a general increase in the use of "resilience" across the board
    – Tim Foster
    2 days ago










  • Due diligency, one should also look at the opposite trend. As it happens, all of the -nce words I checked had obsolete -ncy variants.
    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago













up vote
2
down vote

favorite
1









up vote
2
down vote

favorite
1






1





This is something I think I've noticed, but maybe I've just been noticing odd word choices and putting it down to a shift in language use. Has anyone noticed a shift from people using verb-derived nouns ending in -nce, to their equivalents ending in -ncy? Seems to be an American English thing.



For example, I've just read a scientific paper from a Washington-based research group, in which they use the word "resiliency", rather than "resilience". I'm sure I've noticed other words like this from time to time, but can't think of any more examples.






nouns suffixes







share|improve this question













This is something I think I've noticed, but maybe I've just been noticing odd word choices and putting it down to a shift in language use. Has anyone noticed a shift from people using verb-derived nouns ending in -nce, to their equivalents ending in -ncy? Seems to be an American English thing.



For example, I've just read a scientific paper from a Washington-based research group, in which they use the word "resiliency", rather than "resilience". I'm sure I've noticed other words like this from time to time, but can't think of any more examples.






nouns suffixes




nouns suffixes






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











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asked 2 days ago









Tim Foster

1897




1897












  • Definitely noticed it, and have for years.
    – Jim Mack
    2 days ago










  • If you put that word into a phrase, you can use Google Books NGram Viewer to look at historical usage—which will suggest something. (But you'd need to look at many different words and many different contexts to conclude anything meaningful.)
    – Jason Bassford
    2 days ago












  • Good point, just looked at the ngram viewer and "resiliency" seems to be much more common in American English. However, there's also a general increase in the use of "resilience" across the board
    – Tim Foster
    2 days ago










  • Due diligency, one should also look at the opposite trend. As it happens, all of the -nce words I checked had obsolete -ncy variants.
    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago


















  • Definitely noticed it, and have for years.
    – Jim Mack
    2 days ago










  • If you put that word into a phrase, you can use Google Books NGram Viewer to look at historical usage—which will suggest something. (But you'd need to look at many different words and many different contexts to conclude anything meaningful.)
    – Jason Bassford
    2 days ago












  • Good point, just looked at the ngram viewer and "resiliency" seems to be much more common in American English. However, there's also a general increase in the use of "resilience" across the board
    – Tim Foster
    2 days ago










  • Due diligency, one should also look at the opposite trend. As it happens, all of the -nce words I checked had obsolete -ncy variants.
    – Phil Sweet
    2 days ago
















Definitely noticed it, and have for years.
– Jim Mack
2 days ago




Definitely noticed it, and have for years.
– Jim Mack
2 days ago












If you put that word into a phrase, you can use Google Books NGram Viewer to look at historical usage—which will suggest something. (But you'd need to look at many different words and many different contexts to conclude anything meaningful.)
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago






If you put that word into a phrase, you can use Google Books NGram Viewer to look at historical usage—which will suggest something. (But you'd need to look at many different words and many different contexts to conclude anything meaningful.)
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago














Good point, just looked at the ngram viewer and "resiliency" seems to be much more common in American English. However, there's also a general increase in the use of "resilience" across the board
– Tim Foster
2 days ago




Good point, just looked at the ngram viewer and "resiliency" seems to be much more common in American English. However, there's also a general increase in the use of "resilience" across the board
– Tim Foster
2 days ago












Due diligency, one should also look at the opposite trend. As it happens, all of the -nce words I checked had obsolete -ncy variants.
– Phil Sweet
2 days ago




Due diligency, one should also look at the opposite trend. As it happens, all of the -nce words I checked had obsolete -ncy variants.
– Phil Sweet
2 days ago










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As noteed by Jason: An interesting way to investigate changes over time is provided by Google Ngram.



concurrence



LINK






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    up vote
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    As noteed by Jason: An interesting way to investigate changes over time is provided by Google Ngram.



    concurrence



    LINK






    share|improve this answer

























      up vote
      0
      down vote













      As noteed by Jason: An interesting way to investigate changes over time is provided by Google Ngram.



      concurrence



      LINK






      share|improve this answer























        up vote
        0
        down vote










        up vote
        0
        down vote









        As noteed by Jason: An interesting way to investigate changes over time is provided by Google Ngram.



        concurrence



        LINK






        share|improve this answer












        As noteed by Jason: An interesting way to investigate changes over time is provided by Google Ngram.



        concurrence



        LINK







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 2 days ago









        GEdgar

        13k22043




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