Imbedding v. embedding

[M.R.Watkins]

Hello.

Is there any difference between an imbedding and an embedding, apart from
how they're spelled? (i can't imagine there is) What's the origin of these 2 spellings...is it a British English v. American English thing?
If i'm writing a research paper which spelling would be appropriate?

[fi...@vaxb.acs.unt.edu]

I do not know the origin of the two spellings, but if the difference is due
to American vs. British, the appropriate spelling would depend on where you
are publishing. I would think that as long as you are consistent with your
use of American or British standard, in an unpublished paper it would not
matter.

Of course, Icould be wrong :-).

Phillip

[Joseph C Fineman]

m...@ukc.ac.uk (M.R.Watkins) writes:

>Hello.

They are mere spelling variants; usage has not settled down. As a
copyeditor I allow either unless instructed otherwise. Webster's 3rd
prefers "embed", and so does the OED; so if you don't have a strong
preference, that would probably be the better choice, on either side
of the Atlantic. On the other hand, the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of
Scientific & Technical Terms, prefers "embed" for the verb, but
"imbedding" for the mathematical noun! Suit yourself.
--
Joe Fineman j...@world.std.com
239 Clinton Road (617) 731-9190
Brookline, MA 02146

[Hans de Vreught]

The Concise Oxford Dictionary lists embed and imbed, however the only
description of imbed is that it is a variation of embed. Guess embed is
preferred in (B/A) English.

Unfortunately the COD doesn't give the etymology of embed. I do know that most
European languages have similar words. I think the word goes back to ancient
times.
--
Hans de Vreught | John von Neumann:
hd...@dutiba.twi.tudelft.nl | Young man, in mathematics
Delft University of Technology (TWI-ThI) | you don't understand things,
The Netherlands | you just get used to them.

[Gerald Edgar]

Now, how do you spell embeddable embedible embeddible ???
For some reason (ha ha) this variant is not listed in dictionaries:
only a mathematician would use such a word.

--
Gerald A. Edgar Internet: ed...@mps.ohio-state.edu
Department of Mathematics Bitnet: EDGAR@OHSTPY
The Ohio State University telephone: 614-292-0395 (Office)
Columbus, OH 43210 -292-4975 (Math. Dept.) -292-1479 (Dept. Fax)

[Joseph C Fineman]

ed...@math.ohio-state.edu (Gerald Edgar) writes:

>Now, how do you spell embeddable embedible embeddible ???

I would make it embeddable. -ible is largely confined to adjectives
formed within Latin & taken into English whole; that is impossible
here. The doubling of the d is normal because the syllable is
stressed; cf. biddable.