Don’t forego forgo Garner’s Usage Tip of the Day

Here’s something I didn’t know until I read today’s installment of Garner’s Usage Tip of the Day:

forego; forgo.

Although a few apologists argue that these words are interchangeable, they have separate histories. And their meanings are so different that it’s worth preserving the distinction. “Forego,” as suggested by the prefix, means “to go before.” “Forgo” means “to do without; waive; renounce.”

“Forego” displacing “forgo” is a persistent problem — e.g.: “That realization not only helped Lavelle's brother but convinced her to forego [read ‘forgo’] a career as a social worker or psychologist and instead become a teacher.” “Challenged Students Get Special Help,” L.A. Times, 11 Apr. 1997, at B2.

Comments

[Robert Rotenberg]

Great stuff. I have just finished my first novel and my agent and I had a big debate about the word forgo...my way of spelling it...which is in the very last line of the book.

The book is called "Old City Hall," comes out in The States in March 09, published by Farrar Strauss and Giroux.

Thanks.

Bobby

[Swsttalk]

I don't know why this bothers me so much, but I rarely see 'forego' in an article. It's usually 'forgo.' As you say, there is a difference in usage but it's like many parts of speech these days they get short shrift in the translation. One other thing bothering these days is the use of 'looking to go' instead of 'expecting to go' It's like 'fixin' to go' and I think this has crept in due to Southern influence ala Nancy Grace and the down south culture of music.