Despite what you may think, despite what you may have heard on radio or television, and despite what you may have read in newspapers and magazines, King Charles III either will not be coronated on May 6, 2023, or was not coronated on May 6, 2023. The verb tense that applies in the preceding sentence depends entirely on whether you read it before or after the coronation of King Charles III that occurred on May 6, 2023.
This is not double-talk and I am not insane. Well, I might be insane but that is a topic for another post.
What I'm trying to tell you is that the verb 'coronate' does not exist in the English language. A president is inaugurated at an inauguration, but a king or queen is not coronated at a coronation. A king or queen is crowned at a coronation. The terms 'coronate' and 'coronated' are called back-formations, which are frowned upon by the frowning sort.
It makes sense when you realize (British, realise) that the word 'coronation' was formed from the Latin word 'corona', which means crown.
P.S. -- Tonight's unbelievably astonishing moment on Jeopardy! occurred when no one knew that the actress who received an Emmy for portraying the character Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls was Betty White. Contestant #2 said Rue McClanahan. Contestant #3 said Bea Arthur. Contestant #1, the reigning champ, didn't buzz in at all. This has absolutely nothing to do with the coronation of Charles III, but I did manage to include the word 'reigning'.
T.T.F.N.
You have become obsessed with Jeopardy. I understand the obsession. It's fun when I know the questions too.
ReplyDeleteEmma, not as obsessed with Jeopardy! as much as with the coronation. I wouldn't get up at 5:30a.m. to watch Jeopardy! but it turned out to be worth it. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI watch parts of the coronation. How about that coronating moment when they put the coron on his head? nearly as magical as seeing harry in the 3rd row
ReplyDeletekylie, I watched th whole thing from golden carriage to Buckingham Palace flyover. The U.S. press made a big deal of Harry sitting in the third row as if he were in the back row just inside the entrance door. I never did see Prince Andrew (Duke of York) but I heard he was there.
DeleteOn another subject, I have just discovered the French Family Band (Camille and Stuie and their children) and understand they were country music superstars in Australia before moving to Nashville, Tennessee. I enjoy their music a lot, and country is definitely not my thing. Theirs is pure, not twangy at all.
I have never heard the letters 'coronate' used in that order as a word until I read this post. Apparently it is a word first recorded in 1840/50 to mean "having or wearing a crown". Other sources say it is even older. Having done some research it would appear that its usage has been confined to flora a fauna (so a bird might be coronate with blue feathers). Anyway it's irrelevant to the coronation of our present monarch in Britain.
ReplyDeleteBetty White? I feel that I know the name from aeons ago but can't think of anything she might have been in.
Thanks for commenting, Graham. I found it in my own research too,that 'coronate' applies only to flora and fauna. Strange how a language evolves, eh? My point was that its erroneous use as a verb is a back-formation from the noun 'coronation' and therefore unnecessary because we already had the verb 'to crown'.
DeleteIn the U.S., Betty White is (or was, she died a year ago a few days before her 100th birthday) as a comic address in such TV series as The Mary Tyler More Show (she played Sue Ann Nevins), Golden Girls (she played Rose Nylund), and as a panelist on such game shows as Password and Match Game over the years. However, she is increasingly unknown on Jeopardy! , which I find quite sad. My familiarity with UK personalities is amost nil so I do understand your puzzlement.
Indeed. To crown is adequate. Simple agreement would have been less interesting.
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